A large part of a horse’s health and overall well-being depends on proper hoof care.
Shod or barefoot? There is no single answer that fits every situation: each horse, each type of terrain, and each activity requires careful and individual evaluation.
This course was created to bring clarity and to provide the essential knowledge needed to make informed and conscious decisions about one of the most important aspects of horse management.
During the course, we will address key questions for every horse owner and enthusiast:
• When is it necessary to shoe a horse, and when is it not?
• What are the implications of shoeing versus keeping a horse barefoot?
• How much do terrain and the type of work the horse does influence this choice?
• How can you choose suitable shoeing, and how can you recognize whether it has been done correctly?
The goal is not to provide rigid answers, but to offer tools for understanding, allowing you to choose the most appropriate solution for your horse in each situation.
The course alternates between theoretical lessons, demonstrations, and practical exercises, allowing participants to gain direct hands-on experience.
This approach makes learning simpler, more concrete, and immediately applicable.
At the end of the course, participants will receive a certificate of participation.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Recognize correct limb alignment and the main hoof imbalances
• Safely ask a horse to lift its feet and teach the horse to offer them calmly
• Evaluate whether to keep a horse shod or barefoot
• Handle basic trimming, resetting, or emergency shoeing situations independently
• Communicate effectively with the farrier and the veterinarian
Participants will leave with practical tools to move toward greater autonomy and to continue building positive and informed experiences with their horses.
During the course, we will cover the fundamentals of hoof care:
• Hoof anatomy: structure, function, limb alignment, and trimming
• Basic concepts of traditional and modern farriery
• Barefoot, natural balance, and different types of shoeing
• Maintenance of both barefoot and shod horses
• How to support the farrier and work effectively with the veterinarian
• Managing emergency situations during rides or trekking
• Plenty of hands-on practice with the horses at Cornacchino
The course is suitable for:
• Horse owners
• Riders and horse enthusiasts
• Horse professionals and breeders
You do not need to be a farrier or a professional.
The course is designed for anyone who wishes to understand, observe, and make more conscious and informed choices regarding hoof care.
The course is taught by Fabio Tascone, farrier, instructor with the Flying Anvil Foundation, riding instructor, and horse trainer.
Throughout his career, he has worked with horses used in farming and trekking, endurance, polo, and has also been involved in shoeing horses for the Palio di Siena. He has extensive experience in trimming young horses and broodmares in various breeding farms.
His training philosophy is guided by a clear principle: animal welfare as the foundation of every decision.
Through careful observation of behavior and deep knowledge of the human–horse relationship, Fabio has developed a method aimed at making the horse–human partnership as autonomous, aware, and well-prepared as possible.
€ 350,00 Course lesson, material, and equipment included for the course duration. Full board and lodging not included.
Course + Full board Price: € 638.00
During your stay, you will be warmly looked after by our cooks, who prepare healthy, wholesome meals made with care and attention, designed to support the body and accompany the activities of the day.
Our kitchen takes into account the main dietary needs and choices, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
If you wish to enjoy an even deeper experience of grounding and connection with nature, in addition to staying in our comfortable rooms, you will also have the opportunity to sleep in one of our tepees: romantic, spacious, and cozy, surrounded by the silence of the forest and gently accompanied by the call of owls.
A semi-professional tool kit can be purchased by prior reservation at a cost of €350.00.
24 hours of classes between theory and practice (about 6 hours a day)
9.00-12.30 a.m. and 3.30-6.00 p.m.
max 6, minimum 4
During the course, we will address key questions for every horse owner and enthusiast:
• When is it necessary to shoe a horse, and when is it not?
• What are the implications of shoeing versus keeping a horse barefoot?
• How much do terrain and the type of work the horse does influence this choice?
• How can you choose suitable shoeing, and how can you recognize whether it has been done correctly?
The goal is not to provide rigid answers, but to offer tools for understanding, allowing you to choose the most appropriate solution for your horse in each situation.
The course alternates between theoretical lessons, demonstrations, and practical exercises, allowing participants to gain direct hands-on experience.
This approach makes learning simpler, more concrete, and immediately applicable.
At the end of the course, participants will receive a certificate of participation.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Recognize correct limb alignment and the main hoof imbalances
• Safely ask a horse to lift its feet and teach the horse to offer them calmly
• Evaluate whether to keep a horse shod or barefoot
• Handle basic trimming, resetting, or emergency shoeing situations independently
• Communicate effectively with the farrier and the veterinarian
Participants will leave with practical tools to move toward greater autonomy and to continue building positive and informed experiences with their horses.
During the course, we will cover the fundamentals of hoof care:
• Hoof anatomy: structure, function, limb alignment, and trimming
• Basic concepts of traditional and modern farriery
• Barefoot, natural balance, and different types of shoeing
• Maintenance of both barefoot and shod horses
• How to support the farrier and work effectively with the veterinarian
• Managing emergency situations during rides or trekking
• Plenty of hands-on practice with the horses at Cornacchino
The course is suitable for:
• Horse owners
• Riders and horse enthusiasts
• Horse professionals and breeders
You do not need to be a farrier or a professional.
The course is designed for anyone who wishes to understand, observe, and make more conscious and informed choices regarding hoof care.
The course is taught by Fabio Tascone, farrier, instructor with the Flying Anvil Foundation, riding instructor, and horse trainer.
Throughout his career, he has worked with horses used in farming and trekking, endurance, polo, and has also been involved in shoeing horses for the Palio di Siena. He has extensive experience in trimming young horses and broodmares in various breeding farms.
His training philosophy is guided by a clear principle: animal welfare as the foundation of every decision.
Through careful observation of behavior and deep knowledge of the human–horse relationship, Fabio has developed a method aimed at making the horse–human partnership as autonomous, aware, and well-prepared as possible.
€ 350,00 Course lesson, material, and equipment included for the course duration. Full board and lodging not included.
Course + Full board Price: € 638.00
During your stay, you will be warmly looked after by our cooks, who prepare healthy, wholesome meals made with care and attention, designed to support the body and accompany the activities of the day.
Our kitchen takes into account the main dietary needs and choices, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
If you wish to enjoy an even deeper experience of grounding and connection with nature, in addition to staying in our comfortable rooms, you will also have the opportunity to sleep in one of our tepees: romantic, spacious, and cozy, surrounded by the silence of the forest and gently accompanied by the call of owls.
A semi-professional tool kit can be purchased by prior reservation at a cost of €350.00.
24 hours of classes between theory and practice (about 6 hours a day)
9.00-12.30 a.m. and 3.30-6.00 p.m.
max 6, minimum 4
Fill up the online form and we will contact you.
ReserveAgriturismo Cornacchino
Castell'Azzara, 58034
Tel: +39.0564.951582
