The Cornell Farrier Program was founded in 1914. It trains its students in the practice of horse shoeing as part of Cornell’s land grant mission. The program is affiliated with the Equine Hospital of the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The Cornell Farrier Program did not admit its first woman student until 1972. This semester, the entire class is made up of women.
The work can be demanding and at times dangerous. Students study and practice the art of horse shoeing, hoof trimming, and forging horse shoes for 16 weeks.
Women have come to dominate the field of veterinary medicine. Women make up 83 percent of this year’s entering class at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell. But women make up only 10 percent of all farriers nationwide. Kahlan Schramm, one of the women in the program this semester, said “it’s not about being a woman or a man. You need to be good at your job first. That’s why we’re here.”