When the subject of licensing comes up, there are a multitude of opinions about what it is, what it means and how it should be handled. Sometimes those ideas are rooted in flawed information.

To help combat this, G.E. Forge & Tool clinician Dan Bradley presented, “Registration, Certification And Licensing. What Do They Mean?” to packed audiences during three “How-To” Hoof-Care Product Knowledge Clinics at the 13th annual International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Licensing is such a big subject,” says the Lucedale, Miss., farrier. “I’m doing it so you can get kind of an overview about what everything is, so you can make up your own minds. This isn’t advocating for or against it. I’m just going to give you facts so you can understand.”

Bradley also shared a possible glimpse of alternative approaches that government entities might take — and in some places are — to regulate farriers.

Defining Moment

To better understand the topic, it’s important to know the definitions of its key facets.

There are times when a word is used so often that the meaning is either lost or taken for granted. The word professional might fit that description.

“We all want to be professionals,” Bradley says. “A professional is a person who is engaged…