WHAT IS THE HORSEHOE USED FOR?

Horseshoes are very common: it's rare to meet someone who doesn't know what they look like. But why do they exist? And why do almost all horses (except wild horses) wear them?

Horseshoes are used to aid the endurance of working horses ' hooves . Nails are made of the same substance as your nail, called keratin. However, the hook has a soft, delicate interior called a prong (circled in the photo above) that can be injured. The hoof wears naturally when horses walk , so adding a shoe to the hoof will help reduce this wear and keep the hoof healthy.

WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED FOR HORSEHOE?

Horseshoes are made of steel in most cases, with a few exceptions. Racehorses often wear aluminum horseshoes because they are lighter and therefore perform better when speed is their top priority. There are also "boots" that horses can wear in case of a hoof or foot injury. These "boots" are made of rubber and feature a much softer walking surface and a rubber horseshoe that provides more support.

HOW DOES A HORSE LOAD?

Those who wear horseshoes on horses are called farriers. They use nails to attach the horseshoe to the hoof. As we said before, horse hooves are made of the same material as your nails, and just like when you cut your nails, horses feel nothing when you put a horseshoe on its hoof. After the nails pass through the outer edge of the hoof, the farrier bends them to form a kind of hook. They will then file the remaining tips and part of the nail to ensure a good fit. As the blockage grows, it eventually covers the shoe, which helps to know when the shoe needs to be put back on.

HORSES WITHOUT SHOE

Sometimes you can meet a horse without shoes. Also, wild horses don't wear shoes. Horses that don't wear shoes in the working world often have a problem with their feet. Sometimes their hooves are very brittle or a piece of their hooves may have broken off, so the iron could not be fixed properly. These horses can still go on trail rides or work on the farm, but they will be more limited in their work.

There are two reasons why wild horses can live without shoes: First, they don't "work" as hard or as often as an owner horse. Because of this, they wear their hooves slower than their hooves grow. Second, they have no one to take care of their welfare, so if they have an injured frog or other situation where the owner's horse is being shod, they have to deal with it.

HORSEHOE BRINGS GOOD LUCK

For many, a horseshoe is synonymous with luck. It is indeed a very well known amulet. Some people put them in their homes to protect them. Others wear them as jewelry.

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