50 years of farriery regulation

2025 marks 50 years since the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 came into force, with its purpose to:

"Prevent and avoid suffering by and cruelty to horses arising from the shoeing of horses by unskilled persons; to promote the proper shoeing of horses; to promote the training of farriers and shoeing smiths; to provide for the establishment of a Farrier Registration Council to register persons engaged in farriery and the shoeing of horses; to prohibit the shoeing of horses by unqualified persons; and for purposes connected therewith."

The History of the Act

Before 1975 farriery was not regulated although the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) ran examinations in farriery, and the then trade association National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers (NAFBAE) represented the interests of farriers.  During the 1970s both the WCF and the NAFBAE concluded that professional regulation of the industry was in the best interests of horse welfare, and following its passage through Parliament and the receipt of Royal Assent the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 came into effect on 1 January 1976.

To implement the powers and duties of the Act, the legislation provided that a regulatory body be established called the Farriers Registration Council (FRC), and on 11 September 1975 the FRC met for the first time tasked with the following statutory functions:

• To maintain a list of Registered Farriers and determine who is qualified to register therein
• To makes rules with respect to the form of the Register
• To approve courses, qualification and institutions required for registration
• To investigate and determine complaints
• To appoint a Registrar

While the Act made unlawful practise of farriery a criminal offence, the Act did not make the FRC a law enforcement agency nor a prosecuting authority; such functions are reserved to the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service and Procurator Fiscal.

Further amendments to the legislation took place in 1977 under Farriers (Registration) (Amendment) Act 1977, when the Act was updated to include modifications to the qualification requirements for entry to the Register.  A further modification followed some 30 years later in 2007 by way of secondary legislation when the Act was extended to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, bringing all parts of Great Britain under the jurisdiction of the Act.

The legislation remained unaltered for a further 10 years until 2017 when significant constitutional change was delivered by way of Farriers (Registration) Act 2017.  This legislation delivered separation of powers between the Council, for delivery of regulatory policy, and the two statutory committees (the Investigating Committee and the Disciplinary Committee) for delivery of professional conduct casework.  This evolution ensured the Council remained compliant with Human Rights legislation.  In addition, the new legislation  made provision for conditions for being a Council member.

The Act is currently inclusive of Great Britain (England and Wales, and Scotland); the Act does not extend to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.

Principal functions of the FRC

The FRC has the general function of carrying out the powers and duties conferred upon it by the Act with the requirement to deliver four principal functions and associated outputs;    Registration, Approvals, Investigating and Disciplinary.  To execute these functions the FRC consists of four committees:

Registration Committee (RC) (non-statutory)

The RC is an advisory Committee of the Council with specific delegated powers.  Its terms of reference include advising the Council on all matters relating to registration, qualifications for registration, the ATF system and CPD.

Approvals Committee (AC) (non-statutory)

The Council is required to approve courses of training, qualifications and training institutions delivering persons eligible to join the register of farriers. The FRC discharges this responsibility through the AC.

Investigating Committee (IC) (statutory)

The IC is required to investigate complaints made against Registered Farriers which may contain allegations of serious professional misconduct in any professional respect.  The IC may reject a complaint, issue a letter of advice or a non-statutory warning or decide that the allegation is sufficiently serious for the matter to be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.

Disciplinary Committee (DC) (statutory)

The DC is a properly constituted judicial tribunal operating in the civil jurisdiction and applying the civil standard of proof.  Registrants may be removed from the register where judged to be guilty of serious misconduct in any professional respect, were not qualified for registration at the time they were registered or were found guilty of an offence involving cruelty to animals.  Sanctions open to the DC include: to take no further action (i.e. no sanction is applied); postponement of sanction; reprimand and/or warning as to future conduct; suspension from the register and removal from the register.

The Future

The recent modernisation of the Act suggests that both Parliament and Public retain enthusiasm for delivery of equine welfare by way of statutory provision.  Increasing public interest and media coverage suggest that approach may endure, and the Council stands ready to play its part in taking forward new provisions whether by function, by geography or both.