About Us
"Forging skilled farriers in Canada, one apprentice at a time."
Farrier Trainers of Canada is a new association that focuses on farrier accreditation through the process of examination. We aim to establish a Canadian standard for farriery that is internationally recognized. The standard that is set in place allows for a structured training and exam process for individuals in their first to four years of apprenticing all the way to the journeyman level. We believe in creating a higher and more consistent standard of farrier knowledge and skills across Canada with the possibility of regulation in the future. AFTC focuses on both hard and soft skills of being a farrier; that includes anatomy, professional communication, forging and shoeing skills.
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If farriers are to be recognized as a group of professionals there needs to be a more complete education model to learn the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required of farriers today. It was decided at a meeting held in Langley B.C. during the winter of 2018 that an apprenticeship was the best way forward. Just as other trades use lengthy and recognized apprenticeships, so too can the farrier industry. Looking outside of the country, the model most admired is the system in the United Kingdom, the Worshipful Company of Farriers. That organization has been the template used to create the Canadian model. A diverse group of farriers from across the country has met online regularly since October 2019 to develop a Canadian farrier apprenticeship program and accreditation.
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The apprenticeship program has a duration of 3-5 years. With apprentice exam Levels 1 and 2 recommended to be taken within the first 1-3 years of an individual’s apprenticeship. After that a candidate may challenge their Level 3 exam which is equivalent to a Journeyman. If successful with their Level 3 exam the individual will receive their Approved Journeyman Farrier of Canada, A.J.F.C.
AFTC Association Structure
The AFTC membership is made up of all members in good standing of regional farrier associations of Canada that support the A.F.T.C. There is no membership fee for individual members. However, each regional association is expected to contribute financially to support the A.F.T.C.
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The A.F.T.C. board is created from two members from each regional association. The executive of the A.F.T.C. is elected by the board members.
The board will decide apprentice placements, exams dates and locations, and awarding of credentials.
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Exams outcomes will be evaluated by examiners. Each exam will have a minimum of three examiners, two farrier and one veterinary examiner.
Meet The Examiners
Veterinary Examiner - Dr. Andrea Dube, DVM (ONT)
BC- Dean Sinclair, CJF
Dean has been active in the field of farriery in British Columbia for over 44 years as a working farrier, a teacher, a mentor, and a competitor.
After obtaining a Diploma in Animal Health Technology at NAIT (1977-1979), he enrolled in the Olds College Farrier Science program in the fall of 1979. Upon completion of the program, Dean returned to the Okanagan Valley where he started a mixed farrier practice out of Kelowna. Over the ensuing years, he mentored a number of students from both Olds and Kwantlen College during their summer practicums.
In 2000, Dean returned to Olds College to take the position of Coordinator and Head Instructor of the Farrier Science program, a position he held for 14 years. During that time he taught hundreds of young students the skills of the farrier trade, many of whom are still actively working in the industry today. Upon retiring in 2014 from the College, he returned to the Okanagan and focused his attention on running his farrier practice full time.
A five-time Canadian Farrier Team member, Dean’s passion for teaching and for competing resulted in 11 of his former students earning positions on the Canadian National Farrier Team.
Today Dean continues to hone his craft, shoeing horses part-time in Vernon, BC, and is enjoying semi-retirement with his wife Michelle at their home on Okanagan Lake.
Dr. Andrea Dubé is a 2007 graduate of Atlantic Veterinary College. She completed her internship in an equine emergency referral hospital in Westchester county, New York and remained in New York for most of the next 8 years practicing primarily sports medicine, reproduction, internal medicine and wellness in hospital and ambulatory settings. During a brief time in New Brunswick, Dr. Dubé developed a love of draft horses, standardbred breeding and learning to apply all she had learned in New York to the pleasure horses of southern New Brunswick. She made her final return to Canada in 2015. Currently Dr. Dubé practices largely sports medicine with clinical interest in performance horses, advanced diagnostics, classic as well as regenerative therapies, physiotherapy and function with a holistic approach to managing the whole horse. Clinical interests also include veterinary acupuncture, rehabilitation, podiatry, geriatric medicine and reproduction.
Veterinary Examiner - Dr. Kate Robinson, DVM (ONT)
Dr. Robinson joined McKee Pownall Equine Services in October 2020 following 11 years in academic practice at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), University of Saskatchewan. During her time at WCVM Dr. Robinson was an intern and then resident in Equine Field Service; she completed her Master’s in Veterinary Science and was an assistant professor for seven years. While on faculty, Dr. Robinson was heavily involved in clinical, didactic and laboratory teaching in all four years of the veterinary curricula. She oversaw the care of the teaching horses, regularly participated in client education, co-created 4feet (a farrier/veterinary continuing education group) and supervised residents and interns. Dr. Robinson contributed to equine research, both through her own projects and through collaboration on other’s projects. Last but not least, she ran a busy clinical practice where she saw a wide variety of patients from backyard ponies and donkeys to high level performance horses.
Since joining MPES, Dr. Robinson has taken over as medical lead at the McKee Pownall Equine Services Rehabilitation and Reproduction Facility and as just completed her Canadian Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (Chiropractic) certification course. Dr. Robinson is quite excited to have the opportunity to learn and practice VSM, as it is something she has been interested in her entire career. When not working on cases at the MPES Rehab Farm, she may be found on the road caring for other patients. Dr. Robinson loves all aspects of equine medicine, but is particularly fond of podiatry and imaging, and has found a renewed interest in dentistry.
When away from work, Dr. Robinson enjoys spending time with her husband, their two dogs and cat, and her horse, Fern. She enjoys being outside, where you might find her golfing, hiking or spending evenings around a bonfire.
Veterinary Examiner - Dr. Chad Hewlett, DVM (AB)
There would be no Energy Equine without Dr. Chad Hewlett. Dr. Hewlett was born and raised in Iowa and graduated from Iowa’s Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Science with Honours and then followed with his DVM in Iowa State University. His post-graduate internship was spent at the Ontario Veterinary College where he specialized in Equine Surgery Medicine. His next move was to Calgary, Alberta, where he worked for Moore Equine Veterinary Centre. At Moore’s he gained an incredible knowledge of the equine athlete, and began to focus on lameness. Chad’s interest brought him to famous lameness veterinarian, David McCarrol, at Interstate Equine in Goldsby, Oklahoma. Once again returning to Calgary in 2006, and after the successful completion of a post-doctorate IVAS certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, Chad started his own ambulatory practice, Energy Equine. Dr. Hewlett has a special interest in performance horse soundness and locomotion and is known for treating some of the top performance horses in the country.