Equine Barefoot Care – National Occupational Standard

Barefoot NOS

 

LANTRA's Equine Barefoot National Occupational Standard
National Occupational Standard for Equine Barefoot Care

Did you know that there is a National Occupational Standard for Equine Barefoot Care?

It was developed by the LANTRA (the skills council for Land based and environmental industries), and its purpose is to describe the skills, knowledge and understanding required to carry out barefoot trimming competently.

http://www.lantra.co.uk/getattachment/c632b6fc-8147-459c-ab97-4a7738ecae4d/Equine-Barefoot-Care-NOS-

The standard includes a wide range of elements, from those that you would expect like, horse behaviour and handling to those that might be less obvious, such as customer support and business management.  Here’s the full list..

Monitor and maintain health and safety when working with equines
Handle and control equines & Assess and manage equine behaviour
Assess environmental influences on the equine foot
Assess the overall condition and footcare requirements of the equine
Determine the footcare plan for the equine
Trim and dress equine hooves
Carry out post hoof trimming activities
Remove horseshoes and assess wear
Establish and maintain working relationships with others
Build and maintain effective customer relations
Resolve customer service problems
Use IT to support own role
Manage your own resources and professional development
Plan where your business is going & Keep financial records

 

The standard was published in 2010, and in many ways was a watershed moment for the UK barefoot industry, in that it formally recognises the breadth of skills required to be a professional trimmer, and that it was developed by a diverse group of professionals interested in equine hoof care, including:

  • Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices (AANHCP)
  • British Equine Veterinary Association
  • British Horse Society
  • British Veterinary Nursing Association
  • Equine Podiatry Association (UK)
  • Farriers Registration Council
  • Farriery Training Agency
  • Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry
  • National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers
  • National Equine Welfare Council
  • Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
  • Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  • South Essex Insurance Brokers Ltd
  • The Blue Cross
  • UK National Hoof Care Practitioners
  • Warwickshire College
  • Worshipful Company of Farriers.

The standard is the key element of professionalising the barefoot industry, as training providers can then have their courses accredited as meeting the standard. The diploma that I completed with Equine Podiatry Training Ltd training is designed to meet (and exceed) the standard.

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