Farrier Program
The College of Veterinary Medicine offers two options in the Farrier Program:
- General Farrier Program - approximately 16 weeks in length
- Advanced Farrier Program - program length can vary
Program schedule
For the calendar year 2027, two program sessions will be offered:
- Spring: March 15, 2027, through June 25, 2027
- Fall: dates to be determined
In calendar year 2028 and beyond, three program sessions are offered each year, though dates may vary based on scheduling logistics. They typically run during:
- Spring: early January - late April
- Summer: late April/early May - late August
- Fall: late August/early September - late December
Program information
The program is housed in the Equine Hospital of the Cornell University Hospital for Animals. Participants will experience daily interaction with veterinarians and the resident working on in-patient lameness cases. Horses are also referred directly to the Farrier Shop from outside veterinarians for the application of special shoes.
The program provides an excellent instructor-student ratio of 1:4, allowing for close individual instruction.
History
Back in the days when everyone needed a horse, Cornell's first farrier, Henry Asmus, was a high-ranking member of the faculty. The State of New York built an entire building for his program, which was started in 1913 and soon recognized as a premier training course. The building still stands on Garden Avenue, the leftmost of the three brick buildings lined up to the right of Barton Hall, and is now occupied by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
The Douglas J. Pokorney Scholarship Fund
In memory of Doug Pokorney, an endowed fund to benefit participants in the General Farrier Program has been established, providing full program fees for one student, available during the fall program session only. Please note that the Douglas J. Pokorney Scholarship Fund will not be available for Fall 2027 - it will potentially be available again for Fall 2028.
Doug’s wife Denise is making it possible for more people to be Cornell-trained farriers through the generosity of the Douglas J. Pokorney Scholarship Fund. Doug proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a boilerman on the Charles H. Roan from Nov. 30, 1961 until the time of his honorable discharge March 29, 1966.
After serving in the U.S. Navy, Doug shod horses for over 40 years, specializing in Morgan and Arabian Show horses. During his life, Doug developed many lasting friendships due to his horsemanship, integrity and values. He was an avid hunter and outdoorsman and was a member of the American Farrier’s Association, Ducks Unlimited and the Turkey Federation.
Although Doug passed away in 2009, he will be forever remembered through this scholarship.