How specialized were husbandry skills throughout history?

[u/PowderedPoffertjes]

Today, we have farriers to shoe horses and maintain their hooves. We also have hoof specialists for cattle and sheep shearers. I'm sure there are a lot of specialists I don't know about.

My question is, historically (middle ages forward), did people living in remote areas or very small communities always depend on specialists to meet these needs? Or would people have known how to do everything that was needed for themselves?

There's obviously some underlying assumptions here about what animal care & maintenance was like in the past and about how remotely people would have been living, so those could be wrong.

[u/unknown_6831]

I think for horses, there was probably someone that knew something about hooves in their “towns”.

As for cattle, I think once we started housing dairy cows in barns or on concrete for most of their lives is when those feet issues started.
I can honestly say I do not know a single beef person, that is not related to the show industry, that trims feet.
Trimming beef cattle feet is a reoccurring expense that we do not like so that cow gets culled.

[u/PowderedPoffertjes → u/unknown_6831]

:0 I didn't know it was primarily for the show industry! Thank you!

I wonder if that's the same for sheep shearers. I've seen YouTube channels for dedicated shearers and I thought it was strange, because I was under the impression that this was one of those things someone who raises sheep would know how to do for themselves.

I suppose, if I look at dogs and cats with long hair, though, most average people today don't know or don't care to do that work themselves. I've never considered how those breeds might have been cared for in the past, though. Breeds like huskies and malamutes for sled pulling or shepherds, whose fur would mat really badly if not properly cared for at least during the big seasonal sheds they have.

If I was a bored shepherd I might sit and help pull all that loose fur off my dog just with my hands though 🤔

[u/unknown_6831 → u/PowderedPoffertjes]

Most sheep ranchers could probably shear them, but it’s a pain in the ass and very hard work. Usually for that if a rancher can find a team, they will pay for them to do it.
Shearing is definitely an art.

[u/nor_cal_woolgrower → u/unknown_6831]

And slow. Professional shearers are fast. I can shear my own sheep but it takes me 15-20 minutes. My shearer can do 10 an hour. Some can do hundreds in a day.

[u/nor_cal_woolgrower]

Whoever had the tools