The farrier is the horse specialist blacksmith, and might be the same person as the general blacksmith. A principal part of this work was being a shoesmith to horses - repairing parts of shoes by a weld, removing old shoes and fitting new, and dealing with hooves on to which they went. Shoes might be adapted for icy conditions, turning the heels of a shoe, and larger holes in the shoe for larger frost nails.

Many a farrier doubled up in a vetinary capacity, making a horse more controlled for himself and the farm. Also a farrier did odd jobs for farming people and other craftspeople, from sharpening tools to creating small metal utilities.

Smedley, N. (1977), East Anglian Crafts, London: B. T. Batsford, images drawn from originals at 45, text at 44-49.