Skip to content
careertips

HomeCoursesAnimal careCertificate IV in Farriery

Certificate IV in Farriery

This trade qualification trains you to look after horses' feet: trimming hooves, making and fitting shoes, and changing how a shoe is shaped or positioned to alter the way a horse stands and moves.

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Study mode: Online and on campus
  • Course code: ACM40818

Where you can study this course

Where
Study mode

  • TAFE NSW

    Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    3 campuses
    Duration
    3 years
    Study mode
    Combination
    Full fee
    $20,240
    Eligible students: subsidised from $2,770, concession $240

    What students say

    Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.

  • gotafe

    Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    Wangaratta - Tone Road
    Duration
    Not stated by provider
    Study mode
    Block release on campus online & w/place
    Full fee
    $29,521

  • UQ Skills

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    5 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Most students praise the facilities and campus highly, while some found the organisation and admin frustrating.

  • Wodonga Institute of TAFE

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    4 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Students rate the trainers and teaching highly, and many value the student support. Some found communication and organisation frustrating, which matters if you want clear, smooth admin.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026.

Set your location

Enter your postcode to see the providers closest to you first.

We use your postcode to sort providers by distance and to understand where people are looking to study. See our privacy policy.

Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

  • Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:

  • an interest in horses and their wellbeing
  • comfort working with your hands and tools
  • a careful approach to handling animals safely
  • willingness to run the business side of the trade

What will you learn?

You learn equine anatomy, biomechanics and hoof pathology so you can work out what a hoof needs, including horses with defects or lameness that need a more corrective approach. A lot of the work happens leaning over a horse's leg with hand and power tools, a forge and welding gear, so those skills are taught alongside safe horse handling and first aid for horses. Because most farriers are self-employed, the course also covers the business side: quoting and pricing jobs, keeping financial records, and meeting tax and insurance requirements. There are no entry requirements, so no prior horse experience is assumed.

  • Trimming equine hooves
  • Making and fitting horseshoes
  • Shoeing for lameness and defects
  • Equine anatomy and biomechanics
  • Forge work and welding
  • Running a farriery business

Units of competency (21 core)

Everyone completes these core units. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for ACMFAR305…

Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).