Now and then, we hear discussions on whether horses should get their shoes or not. Regardless of what environment they’re in or what activities they do, you have to go for what’s best for them. It may seem crazy, but for so many compelling reasons, people are like horses. They need the utmost care and protection for their feet.
Several factors should be taken into account based on your horse’s particular requirements. Like humans, what works for one may not work for another. Some equines can go without shoes since their feet are naturally healthy and robust, but other horses could require the added support and protection.
According to Practical Horseman Magazine, “while some horses have naturally strong, healthy feet and can go without shoes in many situations, others need additional support and won’t benefit from being barefoot.”
Depending on their conformation, they may need shoes to support or diminish the consequences of physical defects that cause the horse to move unnaturally or wear the hoof unevenly, such as a horse who is toed-in or toed-out. It also depends on the horse’s level of activity, as an idle horse with conformation flaws may not need corrective shoeing (1).
To increase the longevity of the hoof on working horses, horseshoes are employed. Keratin, a substance also found in fingernails, makes up the hoof itself. However, the frog, on the other hand, is a fragile and delicate inner component of the hoof that is vulnerable to injury. When horses move, the hoof will naturally wear away, thus, attaching a shoe to the hoof helps to reduce this and maintain the frog’s health.
Now, the question would be, when should you shoe your horse? For hooves that frequently come into touch with uneven surfaces like concrete or other rough ones, horseshoes are a must. Their natural hooves can easily be injured by this kind of texture, thus, putting them at a higher risk.
Protecting hooves from damage
A general rule of thumb is that a horse only needs to be trimmed if its hooves are growing more quickly than they wear. In this case, shoes are probably not required. However, the feet should be covered if a horse’s hooves deteriorate more quickly than they can grow.
According to EquiMed, horses that are kept in or ridden over rough ground will wear their feet quicker than a horse kept in areas with softer ground. In places like the Sandhills of Nebraska, it is very rare to see a horse with shoes. In the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, shoes are practically a necessity. This is comparable to people who live in tropical communities that rarely need to wear shoes and people who live in mountainous, rocky areas that must wear shoes to prevent getting sores on their feet (2).
For horses wearing shoes, the RSPCA recommends: that “shod horses need to re-shod every four to six weeks irrespective of whether they have worn the shoes out or not. Hooves grow continuously and when shod, the hoof cannot wear down as it can with an unshod horse.”
Improving traction
Snow and ice during winter can cause footing problems for horses, especially those which are called upon to do something other than loaf in the pasture or paddock.
The problems include snow and ice, which translate into difficulty in maintaining balance on slippery surfaces and possible injury to horse and rider. Horseshoe manufacturers through the years have come up with a variety of traction devices to help solve the problems with ice, snow, and frozen surfaces, making our rides safer (3).
Preventing or treating injury
Horses can also benefit from wearing shoes when they have diseased or injured feet. Some horses may suffer from medical conditions that compromise the strength of the hoof and foot, particularly laminitis, arthritis, or ringbone. In these cases, shoeing can provide additional support, helping to keep the horse comfortable and enabling him to return to work safely (4).
There is a wide array of choices for shoe designs that exist specifically to correct hoof problems. A specially designed horseshoe can be utilized to keep medicine on the hoof, protect it from bruising or damage, change its shape, and even change the angle of the hoof. Corrective shoeing can be used to help keep horses with genetic deformities, such as clubfoot, sound and able to work, thereby greatly improving their quality of life.
Improving stance or gait
Horseshoes will help your horse if it strains to get a body balance. Every horse can pull some weight, run very fast, and jump high. All it needs is a proper body gait. Any experienced farrier or vet will tell you that shoes give balance to the horse.
Further, shoes may be useful for a horse that needs help to improve its gait. This is often thought of in terms of show horses that have very animated gaits already but can be made better by the right kind of shoe. Farriers can help horses improve their gait to the horse’s full potential. This does not mean intentionally making a horse sore to make the horse pick up their feet like so-called “pressure shoeing” or other unethical practices that have been outlawed by the Horse Protection Act. Farriers help horses and never intentionally cause a horse pain (5).
Maintaining and caring for your horse’s shoed hooves needs more attention than keeping them barefoot. Even with shoes on, hooves continue to grow, just like your fingernails do while you still have polish on them. The nails holding the shoe on loosen as the hoof expands, which might cause the horse to lose a shoe. Regular foot trimming, reshoeing, and removing loose nails all contribute to keeping your horse’s feet healthy and well-balanced.
The scheduling of re-shoeing and hoof inspection will depend so much on how frequently you ride or compete with your horse. Typically, a shod horse should have a visit from the farrier every 4 – 6 weeks, depending on the needs of each.
If you ride a lot or compete regularly, the time between the farrier visits will probably be closer to the schedule’s four-weekend. Polo ponies and racehorses should be shoed every four weeks because they move fast. Their shoes are very light and do not usually last for more than a month.
Normal growth rates require a visit from an inspection and reshoeing no less than every six weeks. Seasonal changes in hoof growth can change this schedule from summer to winter.
Just like an unshod horse, as your farrier learns about our horse, his or her advice will become invaluable when making your hoof care schedule.
CONCLUSION
Horses and humans are similar in that everyone is unique and has various demands when it comes to taking care of your feet. There are always going to be some exclusions as to whether or not your horse needs shoes. Consider your own feet while determining whether your horse needs shoes. If your feet are rough, sore, hurt, sensitive, and unaccustomed to going barefoot, you might need a cushioned shoe with lots of support. Horses and humans are very similar in that our own feet both need the same level of care and protection.
Look at each of your horses separately, and see how the various terrains affect their feet and how often they are ridden. Regardless of whether or not your horse has the strongest feet, shoeing them will save their feet and toes from getting hurt and make riding them more comfortable. Considering everything, if you’re undecided about whether to shoe your horse, talk to a farrier about whether or not your horse requires shoes.
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References:
1. Threlkeld, Leslie. “To Shoe or Not to Shoe?” Practical Horseman. 29 Apr 2020, https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/health-archive/to-shoe-or-not-to-shoe/. Accessed 06 Jul 2022.
2. Butler, Pete. “When Does A Horse Need Shoes?” EquiMed Horse Health Matters. 26 Sep 2018, https://equimed.com/health-centers/hoof-care/articles/when-does-a-horse-need-shoes#:~:text=Horse’s%20need%20shoes%20when%20they,poor%20performance%2C%20or%20rebellious%20behavior.&text=Occupation%20is%20a%20big%20consideration,is%20simply%20a%20pasture%20ornament. Accessed 06 Jul 2022.
3. Sellnow, Les. “Winter Traction Devices for Horse Hooves.” The Horse. 05 Jan 2022, https://thehorse.com/132567/winter-traction-devices-get-a-grip-before-you-slip/. Accessed 06 Jul 2022.
4. “Do horses need shoes? The pros and cons of shoeing.” Horse and Country. 12 Jun 2021, https://horseandcountry.tv/why-do-horses-need-shoes-horse-shoeing-guide/#:~:text=Specialised%20horseshoes%20can%20also%20be,helps%20to%20correct%20the%20problem.. Accessed 06 Jul 2022.
5. Butler, Pete. “Why Shoe Horse?” Butler Professional Farrier School. 30 Aug 2018, https://butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com/archives/1812. Accessed 06 Jul 2022.
