Staatliche Anerkennung als Hufbeschlagschmied oder Hufbeschlagschmiedin beantragen

You want to work as a farrier work as a farrier? Then you need to be recognized. You can find out more here.

A farrier, officially called a farrier in Germany, is a specialist in the care (trimming) and shoeing of animal hooves with horseshoes or other materials. He traditionally makes the horseshoes and horseshoe nails himself in the forging process or adapts the horseshoes to the shape of the hoof. The work also includes the treatment of injured and diseased hooves.

The law provides special protection for hoof and claw trimming. Hoof and claw trimming may only be carried out by persons who are certified and state-approved farriers.

Training to become a farrier consists of the following stages:

• A four-week introductory course at a state-approved farriery school before taking up employment
• At least two years of full-time employment subject to social insurance contributions with one - or split up into several - state-recognized farriers (report booklet required) who have been operating a trade for at least 3 years after recognition
• a four-month preparatory course at a state-recognized farriery school
• Examination to become a farrier or farrier's assistant

Examination certificates obtained outside Germany in the field of farriery and horseshoeing can be treated as equivalent in accordance with the Farriery Recognition Ordinance. This ordinance also regulates the procedure for state recognition for persons with equivalent examination certificates.

For training completed in Germany:

• Identity document
• Proof of completed vocational training
• Proof of two years of full-time employment subject to social insurance contributions (e.g. employment contract of at least 20 hours/week) with a farrier who has been practicing the farriery trade for at least three years following state recognition as a farrier
• Proof of successfully passing the examination after attending the required training courses
• Proof of the reliability required for practicing the profession (extended certificate of good conduct)

For persons with examination certificates obtained outside Germany:

• Identity document
• equivalent examination certificate,
• proof of the reliability required to exercise the profession (application for a certificate of good conduct or submission of a confirmation from the country in which the examination certificate was obtained, which shows that no violations of animal welfare have been committed)

State recognition as a farrier is granted if

• completed vocational training
• two years of full-time practical work, subject to social insurance contributions, with a farrier who has been operating a farriery business for at least three years following state recognition as a farrier
• attendance of the required training courses and successful completion of an examination and
• the reliability required to exercise the profession
  must be proven.

Is based on the respective administrative fee schedule of the federal state or on the fee statutes of the authorities responsible under federal state law.

Costs are charged according to time spent.

• You submit the application including the required evidence to the responsible body
• They will check whether all requirements for state recognition have been met
• If the examination is positive, you will be granted state recognition as a farrier

Once the application for recognition has been submitted, the competent body will decide on this in a timely manner.

You do not have to meet any deadlines for the application.

Anyone who intentionally or negligently carries out farriery and hoof trimming as a farrier or specialist training at farriery schools as a farriery instructor without the required state recognition is acting in breach of the regulations (Section 9 HufBeschlG).

Appeal (appeal may be excluded depending on state law), administrative court action

• Farrier recognition
• The health of hoofed and cloven-hoofed animals, in particular the performance of their musculoskeletal system, must be maintained and promoted through proper, professional and animal-friendly farriery.
• To this end, the authorization to practice the shoeing of hooves and claws and the associated state recognition as well as the state recognition of farriery training blacksmiths and farriery schools are regulated.
• Responsible: Depends on the respective state law

Ministry for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas and the Environment Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: No