Nalbantlık

Farriering is the trade of craftsmen who shoe hoofed animals—particularly horses, donkeys, mules, and oxen. The term is derived from the Arabic word “nal” (shoe) and the Persian word “bent” (fastening). A nail is the iron plate fitted to the hooves of draft and pack animals to protect them; a farrier is the person who performs this work.

^Farriering (AA)

During eras when animal power formed the foundation of transportation, communication, and military technology, horseshoes and farriering became inseparable parts of life. The earliest iron horseshoes have been found in Celtic graves dating to the 1st century BCE. However, it is believed that the practice of shoeing horses and similar animals was introduced much earlier among Turkic communities in Central Asia. The domestication of the horse extends back to the 8th century BCE. While written sources, statues, and reliefs offer limited evidence, primitive hoof protectors made from materials such as reeds and felt represent the ancestral forms of horseshoes.

In Turkish society, the horse is not merely a mount but also the central hero of legends, mythology, and proverbs. As expressed in the saying “One nail, one shoe; one shoe, one horse saved; one horse, one hero saved” ^【1】, the importance of farriering has entered folk tradition. Hundreds of proverbs relate to the horse. At the graduation ceremony of the Farrier School established in Konya in 1922, Atatürk emphasized the dignity of the trade, stating, “It is the simplest and most honorable of arts… Farriers deserve respect and dignity in society.” ^【2】

Craftsmanship, Manufacturing Process, and Technical Details

The making and fitting of horseshoes are crafts requiring both technical knowledge and skill. Although the shaping of the shoe varies according to the material used, tools such as the forge, bellows, anvil, hammer, punch, and tongs form the essential equipment in both the Konya and İzmir traditions.

• Alaturka (flat) shoe is typically made from sheet metal. It is rounded for front hooves and pointed for hind hooves. The central portion is 3 mm thick, while the edges are 6 mm thick. Nail holes are punched using a punch tool.
• Alafranga (studded) shoe is U-shaped and primarily used on animals working on urban asphalt surfaces. It comes in both studded and rubber-coated varieties.
• Rubber-shod shoes are made by attaching pieces of truck tire; they offer greater suitability for modern street conditions.

^Farriering (AA)

In the horseshoeing process, the animal’s leg is secured. The old shoe is removed with a hoof pick. The hoof is then trimmed using a sharp-bladed tool called a suntıraç, and the new shoe is fitted without damaging the sensitive sole. The nails are bent and filed down. Proper tool use determines both the farrier’s skill and the animal’s comfort. A wooden device known as the yavaşı is used to calm unruly animals.

Farriers typically operated in marketplaces where blacksmiths were concentrated. Saddlers (makers of harnesses), nalcıs (craftsmen who produced shoes but did not fit them), and farriers worked side by side in adjacent shops, forming a complete craft system.

Blacksmiths did not limit themselves to producing horseshoes; they also manufactured tools such as picks, hoes, sickles, scythes, locks, and hinges. The practice of shaping wrought iron over a forge using bellows has been a tradition in Anatolia since the 12th century BCE. With the rise of mass-produced goods in modern times, these trades have declined. Today’s last practitioners report that they can shoe only a few animals per day and that young people no longer wish to become apprentices.

^Farriering (AA)

Farriering was not merely a craft but also a field through which practical knowledge of animal health was transmitted. Farriers who could recognize and treat animal ailments were often regarded by owners as akin to veterinarians or even folk healers. However, this role always had to adhere to ethical principles.

In the spiritual dimension of the craft, masters trace their lineage to Abu Sulayman ibn Qasim, while blacksmithing is attributed to Prophet David. Folk narratives, such as the tale of the farrier in the Köroğlu legend, reflect the cultural memory of this trade.

With the widespread adoption of motorized vehicles and the dominance of asphalt roads in all areas of life, the profession of farriering entered a rapid process of decline. The breakdown of traditional market structures, the reduction in animal populations, and the economic unviability of the trade have pushed it among the arts on the verge of being forgotten.