The Shire Horse Society has a new Foot Scheme coming into effect from 2024 to operate alongside the Minimum Acceptable Standards for Shoeing Shire Horses (“Shoeing Standards”). One of the aims of the Foot Scheme is to encourage and check compliance with the Shoeing Standards through foot inspections.

Each year from 2024, foot inspections will be carried out at the Society’s National Show in March, selected Affiliated Shows holding qualifiers for the in-hand Championship, and the Championship itself.

The Foot Scheme sets out how arrangements for foot inspections will work. The inspections will be carried out by farriers on a new Foot Panel, described in the scheme.

Developed by the Editing Committee and agreed by Council in October 2023, the full aims of the Foot Scheme are to:

a. Raise awareness of correct shoeing standards for the Shire horse, and educate members about them.
b. Encourage Shire owners and exhibitors to meet the Shoeing Standards.
c. Check compliance with the Shoeing Standards through Foot Inspections.
d. Provide sanctions, where needed, for when the Shoeing Standards are not met.

The Shoeing Standards apply to all Shires, whether shown, bred, worked, driven or ridden. Together with the Foot Scheme, they set out the importance of well-balanced feet and correct shoeing for the health and welfare of Shire horses.

Under the Foot Scheme, foot inspections take place before horses enter the ring. Horses that are found to be below the Shoeing Standards will be immediately disqualified. If the same horse is disqualified again in the same year, or any other horse registered to the same owner is disqualified in the same year, the owner must attend an educational session on shoeing before March the following year, or face a ban from showing that year.

The number of Affiliated Shows to have foot inspections will be decided by the Editing Committee each year; which shows will then be selected in line with given criteria. Foot inspections at the selected Shows will take place as ‘spot checks’ i.e. the Society will not announce them in advance.

The full details of the Foot Scheme and the Shoeing Standards are available as download documents from the Society’s website: HERE

Members are reminded that only farriers registered with the Farriers Registration Council may carry out farriery in Great Britain. To check if your farrier or a person saying they can shoe your horse is registered, visit the FRC website: https://www.farrier-reg.gov.uk/find-a-farrier

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