Concerns have been raised across Scotland and the industry about a possible future lack of qualified farriers. H&H speaks to governments, farriers and authorities to find out more
CONCERNS have been raised around funding for Scottish apprentice farriers, as a potential decrease in farriers and long-term welfare consequences are feared.
The topic of farriers was raised in the Horsescotland manifesto, as the organisation said one of its aims for 2021–2025 is to address farriery issues in the country. The only Scottish farriery department at Oatridge Agricultural College closed in 2009, so apprentices must train at one of three English colleges; Myerscough, Herefordshire and Ludlow, or Warwickshire.
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"}
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H&H senior news writer
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
