I’ve never known any other animal apart from horses to need to be fitted with shoes. Why is this? And is this phenomenon strictly exclusive to domesticated horses? What about wild horses, then? If wild horses cope without them, why can’t domesticated horses?
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To add to the many good explanations, not all horses need shoes. My workplace has a herd of domesticated ponies used for conservation grazing. They live fairly similar lifestyle to a wild animal, being kept in an open 30ha area of land all year round. A couple of them need their hooves clipping each year, but the natural lifestyle is generally enough to keep their hooves well-maintained.
Race horses wear aluminium ones for anyone interested. As I was reading this I wondered if they did because 4 heavy shoes would weigh a significant amount.
I’m an artist blacksmith. I was trained by a farrier and have shod many a horse myself. Honestly, almost every horse likes having it done. When they see the truck pull in, they come running over to the gate. It’s like spa day, and everyone’s getting a pedi!
Domesticated horse don’t run on wild ground. They’re more likely to be housed and run on man made streets for instance which wear different than wild ground. So we give them shoes to let their hooves wear down properly rather than too fast or too slow.
It’s a consequence of domestication. Horse hooves would grind down to their feet on the roads and trails we’ve created. Hard packed dirt, concrete and asphalt aren’t what horses are supposed to walk on all day every day. They are supposed to walk on soft dirt, Grass and leaves. It means their hooves take less damage.
Horse hoofs not designed for roads. Horse turn hoof on high traction road = hoof can split/separate or crack & get infected.
Source: I watched way too much of this channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheHoofGP
Just to point out, lots of dogs wear shoes (commonly known as “booties”) for the same reason horses do; our human-built environment is tough on feet.
Horses don’t need shoes just like kids don’t need shoes. Walking around in the grass and enjoying lunch can be quite fun. A little risky if you get attacked, but you can run away from. That without shoes.
We put shoes on horses for the same reasons we put shoes on. To protect our feet. And especially if we are working or playing hard on our feet.
If wild horses could understand what the shoe did. They would be lining up for them.
It’s not that domestication has weakened the horse’s hoof or leg, but that humans expect more out of them so we protect them from the labors of domestication..
Because they walk on hard surfaces like roads.
If they walked on grass/sand (like some horses in stud farms do), then they wouldn’t need to (and don’t) wear it.
It’s associated to working for humans.
Wild horses graze, travel, walk and occasionally run.
Human-bound horses have to work all day on specific surfaces, so mostly (not always) need something to protect them from the excessive wear, or lack thereof.
A bit like humans now need shoes, or need nail cutting. Same principle, different animal.
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