Horses in Training
Ashmount Forge provides a fully integrated farriery service to racehorses in training, designed to support the demands of modern training yards, elite competition, and high-value bloodstock. Our approach goes far beyond routine shoeing, operating instead as a continuous hoof-care and performance support service embedded within the day-to-day running of each stable.
Yard-based coverage and continuity
Our service is structured around the scale and intensity of each training operation. In larger yards — typically those with 30 horses or more — a dedicated Ashmount Forge farrier is present on site every morning during training hours, observing horses as they work and responding immediately to any issues as they arise. Every horse is physically checked at least every second day, allowing small changes in foot balance, wear, or comfort to be identified and managed before they become performance-limiting or welfare concerns.
In smaller or more specialist yards, visit frequency and cover is tailored accordingly, but the same principles apply: regular presence, consistent oversight, and rapid response.
Each farrier is allocated to specific yards or sections as their primary responsibility, ensuring continuity of care and a detailed understanding of every horse, every programme, and every trainer’s preferences.
Integrated hoof care, not periodic shoeing
We operate on the basis that farriery in a training yard is a service, not an appointment. While shoeing and trimming are central to what we do, they represent only one part of a much wider management role.
Our farriers monitor:
Foot balance, wear, and symmetry
Changes in movement or stance
Training loads and surface effects
Shoe security and wear patterns
The influence of hoof balance on posture and way of going
This allows informed, ongoing decisions to be made about each horse’s hoof care, rather than waiting for a four- or five-week shoeing cycle to dictate intervention.
Race preparation and runner management
Ashmount Forge manages all aspects of runner preparation within the yards we serve. This includes plating, shoe checks, and race-week management, as well as being present around key meetings where required. Our team regularly supports horses running at major domestic and international fixtures including Royal Ascot, the Classics, the Dubai World Cup, and the Breeders’ Cup.
The aim is to ensure that every horse presents to the racecourse with optimal hoof care, correct balance, and complete shoe security, with no last-minute compromises.
Communication and rapid response
Clear, structured communication is fundamental to how we work. We maintain direct, ongoing dialogue with trainers, assistants, travelling heads, and veterinary teams through a combination of in-person discussion, WhatsApp, and email.
WhatsApp groups are actively monitored, allowing shoe losses, concerns, or observations to be dealt with immediately rather than deferred. Emergencies and problems are addressed in real time, seven days a week, by an on-call farrier supported by the wider Ashmount Forge team.
This level of responsiveness is one of the defining features of our service.
“We consider ourselves a service-based industry. Looking after the horses comes first — shoeing is only one part of that.”
Professional structure and accountability
Ashmount Forge operates with a fully contracted team of experienced, qualified farriers working within a defined professional framework. Each team member carries clear responsibility for their allocated yards, supported by internal standards, clinical oversight, and consistent working practices.
This structure allows us to deliver:
Long-term continuity of care
Reliable cover for holidays, weekends, and race meetings
A consistent standard of workmanship and decision-making
Stability and longevity within the team
It also ensures that trainers and owners are not dependent on a single individual, but benefit from a resilient, professional operation capable of supporting large and complex training establishments.
Proven at the highest level
Ashmount Forge supports horses at every stage of training, from early two-year-olds through to established Group performers. Over the years, our team has been responsible for the hoof care of numerous elite racehorses and international champions, working with some of the most respected trainers and owners in the sport.
This experience informs everything we do, from daily yard management to the demands of race-day performance on the biggest stages.
