HOW TO HIRE · PETS

How to hire an equine specialist in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Shoeing is restricted to registered farriers; vet work to vets. Here is which register applies.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring an equine specialist in five steps

  1. Match the job to the registerShoeing: a registered farrier. Sedation or treatment: a vet.
  2. Check the registerFarriers Registration Council or RCVS Find a Vet.
  3. Describe your horseAge, work, hooves, teeth, behaviour.
  4. Agree the visitTrim, shoes, dental check, saddle fit — priced.
  5. Keep recordsShoeing dates, dental notes, saddle fit report.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Farriers Registration Council register

Section 16 of the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 makes it unlawful for anyone not on the register to carry out farriery in England, Wales and Scotland, apart from apprentices, approved trainees, vets and first aid in an emergency.

Search the farrier on the Farriers Registration Council's Find a Farrier. farrier-reg.gov.uk →

Vets for veterinary work

Only a vet on the RCVS register may practise veterinary surgery (Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, section 19). Sedation for dental work or shoeing needs a vet.

Check the vet on RCVS Find a Vet. rcvs.org.uk →

No register applies to saddle fitters

No law licenses saddle fitters, so experience and the fit itself are what to check.

Ask how they assess the horse and the saddle, and for a follow-up check.

Insurance

There is no compulsory insurance for an equine specialist. A professional will carry public liability and cover for the animals they look after, and can tell you the insurer's name and what happens if your horse is injured.

Ask for a copy of the insurance schedule.

VAT

Equine services such as trimming, shoeing, dental work and saddle fitting are standard-rated at 20%. Over the £90,000 registration threshold a trader has to charge VAT and show it separately, next to its VAT number.

Ask for the VAT number, and for the visit price and the 20% VAT to be itemised on the invoice. gov.uk →

“Are you on the farriers register?”

A good answer: A registered farrier gives their name for checking on Find a Farrier.

“What will the equine specialist do at this visit?”

A good answer: A clear scope: trim, shoes, dental check or fit.

“Will sedation be needed, and who gives it?”

A good answer: Only a vet may sedate.

“How often should my horse be seen?”

A good answer: Advice for its hooves, teeth or saddle.

“Do you give a written report after the equine visit?”

A good answer: Notes on what was found and done.

“Is the equine specialist insured?”

A good answer: Yes.

“What if my horse is lame afterwards?”

A good answer: Call them and your vet straight away.

Getting the quote right

  • Who actually attends the horse — the farrier, dental technician or saddle fitter you checked, or an apprentice, employed or subcontracted
  • The service and its price
  • Travel or call-out
  • Remedial work or extra shoes
  • Vet costs for sedation, if needed
  • The VAT number, and VAT on the equine visit as its own line

Walk away if

  • Shoeing by someone not on the farriers register
  • Sedation offered by a non-vet
  • No record of work done
  • Lameness after a visit dismissed
LOW
£25
TYPICAL
£50
HIGH
£100

What an equine specialist costs: £25–£100 per visit

Equine services are priced per visit — a trim, a set of shoes, a dental check or a saddle fit — with travel and sedation (by a vet) extra. Equine Services price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Equine specialists near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. AssessHorse seen moving and standing.
  2. PlanThe work explained.
  3. WorkTrim, shoe, dental check or fit.
  4. CheckHorse trotted up or saddle checked in use.
  5. RecordNotes given and next visit set.

Farrier
A registered professional who trims and shoes hooves.
Barefoot trim
Trimming hooves without shoes.
Remedial shoeing
Shoeing to correct a problem.
Equine dental technician
A specialist in routine horse dental care.
Saddle fit
Matching a saddle to the horse's back.
Lameness
Pain or abnormal movement in a leg.

AFTER

When the job is done

Watch the horse moveSoundness in the days after.
Keep the recordsDates and notes for each visit.
Book the next visitShoeing and dental intervals.
Your reviewSay what was done and how it turned out; under four stars, the specialist first gets the chance to make it right.

STEP 1Tell the specialist, in writingDescribe what happened to your horse and what you want. Reasonable care and skill is still owed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
STEP 2Let Locufy follow it upRate the equine specialist under four stars and Locufy asks if you want the specialist to have the chance to fix it before the review is published; we follow it through.
STEP 3The Farriers Registration Council or the RCVSConcerns about a registered farrier go to the Farriers Registration Council, and about a vet to the RCVS. A money dispute with an equine specialist goes through the consumer helpline to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeA claim over an equine specialist can go to the small claims track in the county court up to £10,000 in England and Wales, to simple procedure in the sheriff court up to £5,000 in Scotland, or to the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland — no solicitor needed.

Hiring an equine specialist: questions people ask

Yes, in England, Wales and Scotland: the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 makes farriery by anyone not registered unlawful, with limited exceptions.

A vet. Veterinary surgery is restricted to RCVS-registered vets.

No. Saddle fitting is unregulated; check experience.

£25–£100 per visit, typically around £50. The equine services price guide explains what moves the figure; enter your postcode above for prices from equine specialists near you.

Use the Farriers Registration Council's Find a Farrier.

Call the farrier and your vet, and set it out in writing; the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in pets

How to hire: Horse Care & LiveryHow to hire: Mobile VetHow to hire: Pet TaxiHow to hire: Dog Behaviour ConsultantHow to hire: House Sitting with PetsHow to hire: Pet SittingHow to hire: Small Animal CareHow to hire: Nail ClippingAll 701 hiring guides →

Equine specialists near you

Equine specialists in LondonEquine specialists in ManchesterEquine specialists in BirminghamEquine specialists in GlasgowEquine specialists in BelfastAll equine specialists on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Farriers (Registration) Act 1975, section 16
  2. Farriers Registration Council
  3. Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, section 19
  4. RCVS — Find a Vet
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  7. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  8. nidirect — small claims process
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register