Harry refers to the "old" JHU test. If he had said: "with the "current" JHU test you have six hours. The state test involves...." then I might not have misunderstood (there was not a clear distinction between the two). Regardless, my point is, one needs a license to shoe at the track, the testing is not as rigourous as it once was and current state testing is dumbed-down from what it once was. Did I get that right? So let me rephrase my original statement to make you happy George: Does the Racetrack Farriers Guild still exist and are their standards still dumbed-down and half-way between the "old" JHU and the state tests?
Denise, your question, regardless of how you phrase it contains invalid assumptions. Very much like - Do you still beat your horses? The reason that farriers, and trainers, and just about anybody else that has access to the "back side" are licensed at racetracks has nothing to do with assurance of competence or the welfare of horses.
You're right---the state governments have to have a system to collect more money, while at the same time keeing track of the "shady characters" there.. (and George, that's a joke about the shady characters) "Invalid assumption"--by this you mean the JHU test is/was never about shoeing the horse in the horse's best interest?
No. You are so far off point it is ridiculous. The JHU does not now nor did it ever have any jurisdiction or regulatory authority over track licensing. The JHU test has not changed. What changed is that most of the tracks stopped requiring the JHU test as a requirement for a license, went to easier tests, or stopped giving any test at all. Most tracks now require you to pass a criminal background check and that's about as far as testing goes.
So Denise, what certifications have you pursued? Have you voluntarily had your skills and knowledge tested by your peers?
you are wrong Tom. You had to take the JHU test to get your licence at Laurel in Maryland to get a licence to shoe even one horse on the backside. whether you join the JHU or not; you didn't have to join the JHU to work; but you had to take the test by the stewards in order to work on the backside. This is from personal experience when I had to shoe one horse going to Laurel; you can't even replace a lost shoe or change shoes in the receiving barn, unless you take the JHU test first. They do not recognized any other licence on any other track to get in. you have to new bolton to take the test to shoe at Philadelphia Park; but I don't know about today? for I don't shoe there.
correct, the test is about shoeing the horse in it's best interests, the judgement is made on the quality of your barshoes and block n sticker swaged from plain stock and fitted to the horse for it's conformation, ect. it not about a shoeing prescription or even a perimeter fit. the horse is to be sound move better and not hit after being shod.
Maybe its just Ireland but id never heard of a trimmer til the 'trim du jour' groups came along. Probably 2/3's or more of the horses in Ireland were trimmed though and lived happily with no shoes but it was just farriers who trimmed them.
David, I don't think that what you observed was something, just in Ireland. I think " the trimmer " for lack of a better term and not said with any disrespect, is relatively new ,say the past 20 yrs. throughout the equine world, just as say glue on shoes is relatively new(30 t0 40 yrs.)! Ray
