A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of a horse's hoof so as to fit shoes to the horse's foot. A farrier couples blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes) with veterinary medicine (knowledge of the muscular-skeletal structure of the lower limb) to address the care of the horse's feet.

Farriers specialize in horse shoeing, focusing their time and effort on the care of the horse's foot. A farrier's routine work is primarily hoof trimming and shoeing. In ordinary cases it is important to trim each hoof so that it retains its proper orientation to the ground. If the animal has a heavy work load, works on abrasive footing, needs additional traction, or has pathological changes in the foot, then shoes may be required.

Additional tasks for the farrier include dealing with injured and/or diseased hooves and application of special shoes for racing, training or "cosmetic" purposes. In cases of horses with certain diseases or injuries, special procedures to promote healing may be needed for the hooves, and then special shoes may need to be constructed and fitted.