CAFRE Enniskillen Campus recently welcomed internationally-respected farriers Chris Gregory FWCF and Cody Gregory FWCF (Hons.) for a highly-successful early-career development event attended by farriery trainees, newly-qualified farriers and industry representatives.

The visit followed a landmark achievement for Cody Gregory, who was awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers with Honours at its awards ceremony in London.

The Thinking Farrier - Early Career Development Day was hosted by CAFRE in partnership with the Northern Ireland Farrier Association (NIFA). It was designed to support farriers in training and those within their first five years of practice.

The day began with a classroom session led by Cody, who encouraged attendees to look beyond routine approaches and develop a deeper understanding of the horse before making farriery decisions.

Drawing on his experience as a farrier, educator and competitor, he explored the anatomical structures involved in equine movement and explained how these influence assessment, trimming and shoeing. Particular attention was given to limb biomechanics, including the stay apparatus, reciprocal apparatus and associated muscle groups.

Learning then moved into the forge, where Cody demonstrated forging techniques and shoe construction. Rather than concentrating solely on the finished shoe, he emphasised process, consistency and repeatable systems, from body position and hammer control to tong placement and efficient use of the anvil.

Importance of observation

During an afternoon live shoeing demonstration, Cody assessed a horse and explained the reasoning behind each stage of his work. Video footage comparing the horse’s movement before and after shoeing allowed participants to evaluate the intervention critically, reinforcing the importance of observation and evidence-based decision-making.The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring Cody and Chris Gregory, CAFRE lecturers Paul Duddy AWCF and Caolan Kelly DipWCF, and NIFA chairperson Lee Johnston DipWCF.

The collaboration demonstrated CAFRE and NIFA’s shared commitment to supporting early-career farriers. CAFRE has also reintroduced the City & Guilds Level 2 Forgework Certificate through full-time and part-time study routes, alongside its Farriery Upskilling Programme for those preparing for professional examinations.

A separate NIFA clinic at Crossan’s Forge extended the learning opportunities to the wider farriery community.