Read About Horse Shoes

Horse Shoes are charms for good luck to us, but for the horses they mean protection for their hooves from harsh terrains. What is a symbol of luck for humans is a dire necessity for the horses. Here's everything you need to know about this product.

Horse Shoes - What are they?

  1. Description:

    Horse shoes are u-shaped pieces of metal or other hard substances that are nailed to the hooves of the horses to protect them from wear and tear. Although this practice of protecting the hooves of horses has been used for several centuries, modern-day equine lovers oppose this method, considering it to be brutal and invasive on the horse's hooves.
  2. Who Needs These?

    Strictly speaking, wild and feral horses do not need horse shoes, as they travel on a variety of land surfaces and their hooves become naturally hard. But the hooves of domestic horses are much softer and require protection.
  3. Why Do You Need These?

    The basic purpose of a horse shoe is to protect the hooves of the horses.
  4. Types:

    There are several types of horse shoes, but all of them follow the standard u-shape. They are available in standard sizes in the market, and ironmongers can manufacture custom-sized horse shoes according to size of hooves and weight.
  5. Benefits:

    Some horse shoes are modified in order to provide the horse with added benefits. Horse shoes can contain keratin, a protein, which can protect the horses' hooves from excessive ammonia concentrations. Some horse shoes have calcium and other nutrients in them, which is absorbed in the horses' body over time.
  6. Uses:

    Horse shoes protect the horses' hooves from damage.

Horse Shoes - Tips

  1. Varieties:

    There are several varieties of horse shoes, including rubber, iron, rawhide, or a combination. Steel, aluminum and plastic are also used as horse shoe materials. Some enhanced horse shoes can contain special materials such as titanium, magnesium and copper.
  2. Quality Choices:

    The horse shoe must be selected on the basis of the size and weight of the horse. Choose a stronger horse shoe (made of iron or steel) if the horse is to be used for frenetic activity such as show jumping. For undernourished horses, you may ask a vet for specialized horse shoes with enhancements.
  3. Where to Use:

    Horse shoes are affixed on the horses' hooves with nails.

Horse Shoes - Concerns

  1. Safety Issues:

    Horse shoe fixing is a painful process for the horse and must be done with the help of a local anesthetic.
  2. Behavioral Issues:

    Once the horse shoes are affixed, the horse will show no behavioral changes. However it will be violent during the fixing, and an anesthetic is necessary.
  3. Convenience:

    Horse shoes will enable the rider to take the horse over any kind of terrain without causing damage to the horse's hooves.

Horse Shoes - How to Choose

  1. What to Look For:

    Try to get a horse shoe which is hard and simple in design. There are some horse shoes with projections for added traction; you may consider them if your horse has a weak gait.
  2. Expense:

    Horse shoe prices will vary vastly depending on the materials used and the ironmonger who makes them.
  3. Other Items You Might Need:

    You will need a set of safe, vet-prescribed nails and an anesthetic to affix the horse shoes.