6 Reasons Why Horses Need Horseshoes

Have you ever seen a farm or racetrack and that has many horses with horseshoes? Well, the main question that you’ll ask yourself is why do these horses wear these shoes?

You shouldn’t worry. Here we’ll tell you why horses need horseshoes.

This norm of making your horse wear shoes began a long time ago. So, it has grown into something that people use for many reasons. These shoes help the horses and farmers in many ways.

Ready? So, if you are unsure why your horses need shoes, here are the six reasons to make you get the shoes for them.

Why do horses wear horseshoes?

Yes, most times, your horses will be barefoot without a problem. But some reasons and times will make you get some shoes for them. So, keep reading to know why horses need shoes.

1. Traction

Horses need to tract when they land to prevent them from falling. This act will come better if your horse wears shoes. You’ll see these better when your horse is on a racetrack.

Also, traction will improve other riding skills for your horse. If your horse takes part in barrel races, it’ll have a better grip when taking a turn. Expect to see this skill if the horse has a horseshoe.

Remember, there are many types of horseshoes. So, the kind of horseshoe that your horse will wear can affect the horse’s tracts on the field.

Besides the riding skills that come from traction, your horse will need shoes to help it pull many loads. The horse won’t feel much pain in the feet.

The traction that comes from wearing shoes will help horses that stand for long. Remember, if a horse stands for long, especially on moist ground, it will have weak hooves. Also, it might grow to have many foot issues.

But if it wears shoes, the horse can stand for long without having any pains on the foot. Every negative thing that comes from standing on wet ground won’t happen.

You can also give your horse the horseshoes if you want it to do any heavy task. The shoes will give the horse a front toe that helps it have better traction.

2. Protection

Protection

Horseshoes will keep the horse’s hooves safe. This act will happen since the shoes can make them more durable and stronger.

Once the hooves are stronger, the horse will have lesser injuries. So, there won’t be any injuries when riding on hard ground, especially during a race. Also, as it works, there won’t be any problems as the foot will be safe.

The shoes can also protect the horse’s hooves from wearing out fast. Remember, it’s the shoes that the horse will use to step on the hard ground. Your horse will now be even free to do heavy tasks for a long time.

In early 400 BC, people began using horseshoes to protect the hooves from losing shape. How long this protection can happen depends on the type of shoes you’ll pick for your horse.

But any material that makes the shoes will help them protect the hooves. Today the metal shoes seem to be the best. In the early days, people used plants and leather straps to keep the horse’s hooves safe.

If your horse always stands in the stalls for a long time, it will need shoes. While in the stalls, they expose themselves to their urine and other body waters. These are the things that will make the foot weak.

So, if you give such horses shoes, it will protect the hooves from the effects of urine. Though it won’t prevent the ammonia in urine from entirely going inside the feet, it will be of great help.

3. Medical Uses

If your horse has a medical problem, especially on foot, you should think of horseshoes as one of the solutions. There are many diseases and body issues that can affect the foot.

One of the medical conditions is the lameness of a horse. The shoes will help reduce this problem.

Also, if your horse has suffered from or still has corns or ringbone disease, giving it a horseshoe will help. You’ll see the impact of the shoes faster when the infection is in the early stages.

But if a disease like corns has gone deeper in the hooves, you’ll have to seek some help from the vet before getting some shoes. It’s after the effects of arthritis reduce that the shoes will help.

You can also use a horseshoe to put medicine on the horse’s foot. This move will help the foot or hooves heal fast from diseases like grease.

Horses with injuries on the lower limb can use the shoes to heal fast. Every shoe will help spread the pressure well on the hoof.

So, as you use medicine to heal the injuries, shoes will reduce the horse’s stress. The best example to use is the egg bar shoes. These items will move the pressure from the center of the injured part to the back.

Remember, the type of shoes to use for medical reasons will depend on what ails the horse. Some shoes won’t give you the medical effect you’d want to see on your horse.

4. Gives the Horse a Balance

Gives the Horse a Balance

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. If you can’t pick a shoe for your horse, seek advice from a good farrier.

Also, the balance that a horse gets will depend on the activity it does. The shoes that a horse needs for the competition aren’t the same as those they need while standing in a stall.

Some horses are born with issues in their gait. In such a case, you should seek help from an expert farrier. The person will assess and give the best shoe for the hoof that helps the horse regain body balance.

5. Correct the Horse’s Feet

Any horseshoe will correct the shape of the horse’s feet. Once the feet are in the correct position, the horse will have a better walking style.

Remember, the better walking styles will also come once a horse has balance. So, a weak foot will make the horse walk as if it’s lame. But the shoes will make things better for the horse.

Humans also have shoes that can correct the shape of the feet. The same applies to horses.

There are some horseshoes that, once they correct the feet, will reduce any pain or weakness. Some of them are like the horseshoes Z-bar and shoe V-bar.

So, for example, if the foot has a quarter crack, a Z-bar will help the horse distribute the body weight well. It’s from here that it will heal faster.

Also, you can place a V-bar over the horse’s frog. The shoe will help the horse’s body to pump blood. Once the blood reaches the weak foot without a problem, there will be faster healing.

It will help if you talk to a vet before you pick a shoe for your horse. Remember, every farrier gets training about horse foot and its lower leg.

Any vet or farrier will tell you that if a horse’s foot doesn’t get a nice trim, it can curl back. After that, problems will go to the whole body. Giving your horse any shoe will help solve the issues that come with this trim.

Remember, the horses that live a dry land won’t need shoes to correct their feet. Well, it’s because the grounds don’t push them hard. So, they still are okay.

6. Improve the Horse’s Sports Performance

You can improve how a horse performs during a racing event if you give it a horseshoe. You’ll see this impact, especially during horseracing events that need the horse to use much energy.

These activities are like running, high jumps, and cross country works. During such times, your horse will need more stamina.

Yes, some horses can get this jumping and landing power without shoes. But it will expose them to many injuries during and after the games.

They can get bruises and sores on the surfaces. It would help if you gave your horse boots for competitions.

Besides the injuries, it will be easy to ride and manage them during these games. Remember, horses are sensitive to anything that seems to harm them, including any slight injury and body balance. But if they have the boots, you have nothing to worry about during the games.

Conclusion

Horseshoes help many horses do many things in a better way without getting injuries. You’ll have an easy time managing them.

Among all the reasons, horses need shoes to protect their hooves. From their feet, they get body balance and make their body fit to do many things.

Before you pick a shoe for your horse, let a farrier and a vet doctor advice you. Well, it’s from here that you’ll know the type of shoe which will fit your horse for a given activity.

So, do your horses use any shoes for any activity? Do you plan to give your horse some new shoes? Please feel free to share your thoughts with us

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