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
- 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.
- Campuses
- Wangaratta - Tone Road
- Duration
- Not stated by provider
- Study mode
- Block release on campus online & w/place
- Full fee
- $29,521
- 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.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Wodonga Institute of TAFE
- 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.
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.
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Career pathways
Roles this qualification is a recognised route into, and what else you need.
A recognised route into Farrier
Farrier
Farriers trim and shoe horses' hooves, keeping the animal sound enough to work, ride or compete.
Explore this career →- Weekly pay
- $1,250
- Full-time share
- 66%
- Employment size
- 1,000 workers
- Average age
- 42 years
- Average full-time hours
- 45 hours
- Gender share
- 8% female
- Future growth
- +4.8%
- Job market
- In shortage (national)
This is the trade qualification for farriers and is usually completed as an Australian Apprenticeship, which needs an employer or supervising farrier. Availability varies by state, so check the provider. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).