Do Horses Like Horseshoes?

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Horseshoes are man-made. But are they essential for every horse? Well, horseshoes are great, but people have divided opinions about the use of horseshoes.

Some people believe horses should wear shoes, while others think horseshoes are painful and cruel.

There are no hard or fast rules when dealing with a horse. Some horses wear shoes, and some don’t. A horse that wears shoes is referred to as shod.

In contrast, a horse without shoes is considered unshod or barefoot. If you want horseshoes, consult your veterinarian or farrier.

Below we elaborate on whether horses like horseshoes and what best suits your horse and its health.

Are horseshoes painful?

Horseshoes are not painful. The hoofs of horses have no nerve endings. As such, horses don’t feel any pain during the forging process.

Although most farriers are good at their job, mistakes happen. If the farrier sinks the nail in the wrong spot, it will cause the horse pain. Poorly shoeing a horse can do more harm than good.

An improperly fitted or placed shoe can cause damage to the soft tissues in the hoof. Also, it can cause damage to the way the animal walks.

But often, horses are neutral when being shoed. Although the horse feels the impact of the hammer blow, it won’t experience any discomfort.

How are horseshoes put on horses?

It would be best if you replaced a typical horseshoe every six weeks. As time passes, the horse’s hoof grows, the nail loosens, and the effectiveness of the horseshoe is lost.

Hence, the foot needs to be trimmed, and a new shoe reattached. Below is the process a horse undergoes to get a new shoe.

The feet are lifted, and the shoe is removed by breaking the nail clinches and using a plier to pull off the loose shoe.
Clean the bottom of the hoof with a hoof knife and remove the excess hoof.
Trim excess hoof wall with hoof nippers
Flatten the level of the sole with a rasp
Get the right horseshoe size.
Secure the horseshoe in place with nails, bend it and remove the nail tip
File off any rough spot on the hoof wall
Repeat the process for the rest of the horse foot.

While horses may not feel pain during the fitting of horseshoes, do they like it? There have been many controversies around this question, as some believe horses tolerate horseshoes while others believe horseshoes are beneficial, so horses like horseshoes.

The truth of the matter is that horses can function without horseshoes; it all depends on the type of horse and the quality of its hooves. Horses only started wearing horseshoes when men domesticated horses.

Taking wild horses from their natural habitat to domesticate them caused horses to adapt to their new environment.

As such, horses no longer develop strong hoofs like it once did to survive in the harsh terrain of the wild. So, some horses are better off with horseshoes, while some horses don’t like horseshoes.

Below we elaborate more on why some horses love horseshoes and others don’t.

Pros of Wearing Horseshoes

Certain horses are at their best when wearing horseshoes, as it offers various benefits. Some of the benefits some horses get from wearing horseshoes include:

1. Get Better Traction

One of the reasons horses love wearing horseshoes is because it provides better traction. This added traction aids horses walk with ease on specific terrain.

Note that there are different types of horseshoes. So, when choosing a horseshoe, go for one that suits your terrain.

2. Protects Their Hoofs

Another reason horses love horseshoes is because it protects their hoofs. Most horses’ hooves are fragile and susceptible to wear and tear.

When their hoofs wear, it can cause discomfort. But horses wearing horseshoes improve the hooves’ durability and strength, making them less liable to injuries while riding on hard grounds.

3. Gain Better Balance

You will know horses like horseshoes as it gives them a better body balance. A horse wearing a horseshoe can put more weight on its foot, run faster, and jump higher without much discomfort.

The horse’s activities influence the shoe type needed to get the most balance. For example, the shoe a horse needs for the competition differs from the shoe it needs while standing in a stall.

4. Improves Performance

Horseshoes are also essential to improve the sports performance of a horse. When a horse is on comfy shoes, it impacts its performance during horseracing events.

In activities like high jumps, running, cross-country work, and so on, the horses require more stamina, which it gets with high-quality comfy shoes.

Cons of Wearing Horseshoes

Some horses don’t like horseshoes; they only tolerate them. Some of the reasons horses don’t like using horseshoes include the following:

1. Reduce Hoof Strength

While horseshoes add strength to the horse hooves, they can, at the same time, be counterproductive. Over time, most hooves become degraded from the prolonged use of horseshoes.

Nailing the horseshoes to the hooves can make the sole thin. As such, the horse will need time to heal and adjust to growing back.

2. Hoof Injuries

Another reason horses don’t like wearing horseshoes is that it can lead to hoof injuries. Excessive trimming of the hooves can lead to injuries.

Or if the hooves are not trimmed properly, and the horse is shoed, it can cause pain or injuries to the foot.

How to know if shoeing is right for a horse?

Horseshoes come with so many benefits. In contrast, horseshoes have had detrimental effects on horses by making their hooves less durable than it once was.

However, deciding whether or not to shoe your horse is a personal choice.

But there are some circumstances and requirements you need to bear in mind when deciding. Below are some of these requirements.

Type of Work It Does

What type of work do you use the horse for? Do you use the horse to perform strenuous work that requires intense training?

If the work the horse performs requires added hooves protection, then don’t contemplate before getting it.

Ground It Works

Commonly, the type of ground the horse often walks on should determine if it needs horseshoes. Using a horse on hard surfaces like asphalt and tarmac causes the hooves to wear out fast.

On such a surface, shoeing is essential. But if the horse walks on softer grounds like grass, it puts less strain on its feet so that you can skip shoeing in such a scenario.

Overall Health

Another question to ask yourself to know if the horse needs a horseshoe is if it is suffering from any medical condition. Horses with arthritis, laminitis, or ringbone will benefit from shoeing.

The Hardness of Feet and Hooves

The hardness of the hooves of the horse varies. Some horses have a stronger hoof than others.

Hence, horses with softer hooves are more prone to wear and crack easier than others. Horses with softer hooves should get horseshoes.

Sensitivity of Sole

Finally, horses with sensitive soles should get horseshoes. Horses with sensitive soles are prone to bruising their feet compared to other horses.

Conclusion

Do horses like horseshoes? Hopefully, this article answers this question and more.

And if you would like your horse not to have shoes, do well to seek the opinion of an expert veterinary or farrier.

A veterinary or farrier is in the best position to advise whether or not to get horseshoes or what type to get.