Why Do Horses Need Horseshoes?

Pick up a metal horseshoe and hold it in your hand. The first thing you’ll notice is that the horseshoe feels heavy. It’s hard to believe these metal things are put onto horses’ hooves, but it’s true. Many types of horses clop around in horseshoes throughout the year. This raises a simple question: why do horses need horseshoes? The fact is, some, although not all, horses need horseshoes to protect their hooves from rough and uneven surfaces. Here, you will find out about what horseshoes are made of and who puts them onto a horse’s hooves, along with much more!

What Are Horseshoes?

Horseshoes have been around since as early as 400 BC, and early forms varied but included ones made from rawhide or leather that were referred to as “hipposandals.” Today, horseshoes are U-shaped pieces of metal that are attached to the bottom of a horse’s hooves, and the U-shape mimics the shape of the horse’s hoof. Normally, a horseshoe is attached to a horse’s hoof using nails. However, sometimes a special glue is used to temporarily attach the shoe to a hoof.

Why Do Horses Need Horseshoes?

The truth is not all horses need horseshoes, as a horse can go unshod or barefoot. However, there are some valid reasons for horses to wear them. The main purpose of horseshoes is to protect the horse’s hooves. Horse hooves are loosely similar to our toenails as they are both made from keratin. So, they grow and need to be trimmed and filed just like our toenails do.

However, when looking at why horses need horseshoes, it helps to look at the lives of wild horses compared to domesticated ones. Wild horses roam across many different types of terrain. This helps wear down their hooves, keeping them short and in a healthy condition. Furthermore, they travel great distances across all types of ground, including dirt and rock. This makes their hooves much stronger but prevents them from becoming overgrown. A horse with tough hooves is less likely to be injured if it steps on a sharp stick or rock.

Alternatively, a horse living on a farm or a ranch doesn’t wander around as much as a wild horse. The terrain is likely the same all over the property. So, their hooves don’t typically develop as strong as those of a wild horse. Therefore, they need their feet trimmed regularly to prevent them from becoming overgrown, and may need to wear horseshoes to protect their feet from rough or uneven surfaces.

Another factor regarding why a domesticated horse needs shoes has to do with weight. A domesticated horse carries more weight than a wild horse. For instance, some domesticated horses are ridden by people of all sizes. At one time, domesticated horses were used to pull wagons, plows, and carts. Some horses still pull carts and wagons today. All of this extra weight carried by a domesticated horse contributes to the wear that their hooves experience. It may even cause their hooves to break and crack.

Can a Horse Benefit from Wearing Horseshoes?

We already know that horseshoes protect a horse’s hooves, but there are other specific benefits to consider as well. Horseshoes can provide traction for a horse that routinely walks on slippery ground. When a horse falls, it can become seriously injured. So, wearing horseshoes can protect them from injury. A horse with an awkward or unbalanced walk can benefit from having horseshoes. The horseshoes can be made in a certain thickness or a specialized shape to solve the specific walking issues of a horse. Plus, in the racing world, horseshoes provide the horse with much more grip, particularly as racing on mud or wet ground means the horse needs even more traction. It’s important to understand that there are many different designs of horseshoes which can be used for the specific use or discipline that the horse is doing. For example, racehorses typically wear “racing plates,” which are much lighter than standard horseshoes, as the light weight helps the horse achieve even greater speeds.

Lots of different kinds of horses wear horseshoes, and a horse’s activities factor into whether it wears shoes or goes barefoot. A horse in a dressage competition is likely to wear horseshoes. Dressage is all about the controlled movements of the horse and how smoothly it transitions between these specialized steps. Horseshoes can help a dressage horse’s gait. Domesticated horses that participate in jumping competitions can also benefit from wearing horseshoes. The shoes help the horse to move quickly and evenly while maintaining good traction as it moves through a course of jumps.

Which Horses Can Go Barefoot?

Lots of horses can go barefoot; it just depends on the condition of the horse’s hooves and what kind of activity they are doing. As we’ve already explained, wild horses are barefoot and have extremely tough hooves that can cope with different types of terrain. Additionally, foals and young horses are also barefoot as their hooves are still developing and they aren’t doing any hard activities that would require them to wear horseshoes. Horses that have good quality feet and are not working or are only in light work are also often able to be barefoot. For example, a child’s pony or a horse used for light riding may be fine without shoes.

However, there’s another option for horses that aren’t quite able to go barefoot, and for when horseshoes are also not the right option — hoof boots. Yes, that’s right, some unique boots or protective covers are made from durable material, such as hard plastic, that can be fitted over the horse’s (barefoot) hoof and fastened securely around the fetlock. This enables the horse to work on hard ground or uneven terrain where they might typically struggle while barefoot without needing to wear actual horseshoes. These hoof boots are typically only used while the horse is working, and they are then removed once the horse is back in the stable or pasture.

Who Puts Horseshoes on a Horse?

A professional called a farrier is trained to put horseshoes on horses. A farrier is also sometimes referred to as a blacksmith, and they are responsible for removing the old shoes, trimming a horse’s hooves, and putting the new shoes on. When doing this, the farrier fits a horseshoe to the dimensions of a horse’s hoof.

A farrier must be physically strong, as they have to grasp a horse’s hoof to prepare it for the shoe, and then put the shoe on. Not all horses are happy about having their hoof held in place, so putting new horseshoes on can be a tricky and back-breaking task. In addition, a farrier has to be able to recognize health issues related to a horse’s hooves. This can include issues such as thrush and laminitis. Farriers work in all types of weather and a variety of environments, and farriers usually travel to visit the horses instead of the other way around.

How Often Do Horseshoes Need to Be Replaced?

Generally, horseshoes need to be maintained or replaced by a farrier every eight weeks. However, it’s best to ask your farrier how long to wait before getting your horse reshod. Some horses have certain conditions that affect the amount of time between visits from a farrier, so some may need a shorter amount of time between visits.

However, some common signs indicate it’s time to replace a horse’s shoes. For instance, if a horse loses a shoe or you see that one or more of its shoes is loose, it’s time for the horse to be reshod. Additionally, if the hoof is beginning to look as though it is cracked or has overgrown the side of the shoe, then it might be time to call the farrier.

Take some time to lift your horse’s hooves and examine each of your horse’s shoes. Are all of the nails still firmly in place, or do some of the nails look like they are coming out? Either way, a farrier can correct the problem. In addition, worn-down or uneven horseshoes need to be looked at by a farrier as soon as possible.

Are Horseshoes Painful for a Horse to Wear?

No, although it might seem like it would hurt a horse’s hoof to have nails put into it, it’s actually painless. The nails go into the wall of a horse’s hoof, and there are no nerves in this area. Of course, a farrier must be knowledgeable and experienced in putting shoes on a horse because there’s always the chance of injuring the horse’s hoof otherwise.