16/02/2026
Areion’s Position on the Reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
The UK Government is currently consulting on reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 , legislation that no longer reflects modern, team-based animal care. It is vital that hoof care professionals and horse owners have their say in this process. I have included a link to the consultation in the comments.
Areion supports reform that improves animal welfare, public protection, and clarity of professional roles. We also welcome the inclusion of barefoot trimmers within discussions around Allied Veterinary Professions. However, it is important to be clear, equine podiatry is not simply “barefoot trimming.”
Equine podiatry is a whole horse, welfare led approach to hoof care. It integrates assessment of posture, movement, environment, workload, management, nutrition and hoof form, and provides horse owners with a different professional skill set and service choice to traditional farriery.
Traditional farriery is a long established, regulated profession primarily focused on shoeing as part of hoof protection and performance support. Equine podiatry and farriery are distinct but complementary disciplines. Many horses move between them over their lifetime, depending on need. Regulation should reflect this reality, not collapse different approaches into a single category.
Trimming horses’ hooves without shoeing is currently unregulated. Addressing this gap is appropriate and welcome but how it is done matters.
Areion supports regulation that is:
• proportionate
• competence based
• welfare led
• and informed by those who practice and teach equine podiatry.
Routine equine podiatry, barefoot trimming, hoof balance assessment and preventative management advice are non-invasive, preventative activities. They should not automatically be treated as veterinary acts. Clear scope definitions are essential to distinguish routine hoof care from diagnosis or invasive treatment, which must remain within veterinary remit.
Transitional and conditional licensing will be critical. Many experienced equine podiatrists have strong welfare records but trained through non traditional or emerging pathways. Reform must recognise existing competence, allow fair transition, and avoid excluding skilled professionals or duplicating training unnecessarily.
Handled well, this reform is an important opportunity to raise standards, improve equine welfare, protect owners, and support collaborative working across the veterinary team. Handled poorly, it risks marginalising competent professionals, reducing owner choice, and limiting access to appropriate hoof care.
Areion supports reform and a Licence to Practise framework , provided it is inclusive, evidence led, proportionate, and developed with meaningful engagement from equine podiatrists, farriers, educators, and horse owners.
Equine podiatry deserves to be understood, not simplified.
🦄 For horse owners responding to the consultation 🦄
If you are a horse owner and unsure how to word your response, the following statements reflect common experiences. You may use them as written or adapt them in your own words.
• “I use an equine podiatrist as part of my horse’s routine care. This is a whole-horse, preventative approach, not just trimming hooves.”
• “Equine podiatry can provide a different professional skill set to traditional farriery, and having this choice supports my horse’s welfare.”
• “Routine equine podiatry and barefoot hoof care are non invasive and preventative, and should not automatically be treated as veterinary acts.”
• “Access to an experienced equine podiatrist has supported my horse’s longterm soundness and reduced the need for reactive intervention.”
• “Any regulation should clearly distinguish between routine hoof care and veterinary diagnosis or invasive treatment.”
• “I am concerned that poorly designed regulation could reduce access to equine podiatry services or limit owner choice.”
• “Transitional arrangements are essential to ensure experienced equine podiatrists are not excluded when regulation changes.”
Why shared themes matter
Consultation responses are reviewed for recurring themes, not identical wording. Calm, consistent messages from many owners help decision makers understand what truly supports horse welfare in practice. You don’t need to be an expert, just share what works for your horse.
Link to the consultation in the comments - you only need to respond to the "Licence to Practice" section of the consultation to give your views on trimming but can of course share your views on the whole consultation if you wish!
