Why do horses need horseshoes?
Recommended for Preparatory Grades
What do the shoes do for the horse? What happens to horses whose hooves (feet) aren’t covered with shoes?
People have used horses a lot for transportation and farming since the beginning of history.
Horses are powerful symbols of speed and power. Thus maintaining their hooves and replacing their shoes every four to six weeks is essential.
Even so, why?
What is a horseshoe?
The bottom of a horse’s foot is fitted with a U-shaped piece of metal called a horseshoe (hoof).
Historically, horseshoes were crafted from materials such as leather or plant matter. Metal shoes that were affixed to the foot of horses were first employed about the year 500 A.D. and gradually became prevalent over the subsequent 500 years.
Although shoes made of aluminium and steel that are nailed to the hoof are still the most frequent. Shoes could be made of a range of different materials, including rubber, resin, and plastic.
It can also be nailed or bonded to the hoof in order to function as a shoe.
Key facts!
- According to horse experts, horses that have been domesticated for human use wear shoes.
- This is because their feet are fragile and, as a result, require protection.
- Also, shoes offer protection to some sections of the foot of the horse.
- They keep the hooves from wearing out to the point where they become sensitive.
- This is considered a benefit to the animal.
- The outer layer of the hoof is referred to as the wall.
- According to specialists, the wall is composed of a horn-like material that develops over time.
- And needs to be trimmed in the same way that a person’s fingernails do.
- Experts also point out that shoes are also helpful in maintaining the foot’s normal structure.
- The outer layer of the hoof can be worn away by harsh terrains, such as sand and pebbles.
- This leaves the more delicate inner layer of the hoof exposed.
- The horse will thereafter be in a lot of pain if this happens and may become unable to move at all.
The YouTube channel “DressageHub” has a helpful tutorial on shoeing a horse.
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