Book 33, Question 79
Why do some horses wear horseshoes?
A horse’s hoof is like a big toenail, and it wears down on hard ground like roads and rocky trails.
A horseshoe is a metal U shape that is attached to the bottom of the hoof to protect it. A trained person called a farrier trims the hoof and fits the shoe. It doesn’t hurt, because the outer part of the hoof has no feeling, like your fingernails. Wild horses usually don’t need shoes.
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Quick answers
Why do some horses wear horseshoes?
Horseshoes are placed on the hooves of horses to prevent excessive wear on the hoof when horses are ridden or used for work.
Source: National Institutes of Health
More fun facts
- Horseshoes are used to protect the hoof from excessive wear.
- Hoof wall expansions are influenced by the application of a shoe and by the sites of attachment of the shoe to the hoof wall.
- The proximal aspect of the quarter is forced to expand, while the distal aspect of the hoof quarter is constrained by the horseshoe.
- Typically, horseshoes are attached to the bottom of the hoof with nails.
Sources: National Institutes of Health