Why horses are shoed and how to do it correctly

Not every one of us knows why a horse is shoed, because in the wild animals get along just fine without it.
So why do they shoe horses? Horses were originally wild animals. They walked on grass and soft ground, and the rate of hoof regeneration was sufficient for a lifestyle that did not involve unnecessary stress, which ensured a comfortable existence without human intervention. But after domestication, the animal had to work in unnatural conditions, for example, in cities. Horses' hooves began to wear out much faster, without having time to grow back, and prolonged stay in stalls made the animal's hooves softer and more pliable.

Since
the hoof plays a huge role in the life of a horse , a damaged one leads to a decrease in the animal’s performance and causes pain to it, moreover, it can lead to serious problems associated with full movement.
In addition to protecting the hoof, a horseshoe helps the animal not to slip on a wet surface and makes the movement of horses with leg injuries more comfortable. The history of the invention of “horse shoes” goes back to the distant 3rd century. It seems that the design of a horseshoe is very simple, but meanwhile many inventions were created to protect the horse’s hooves, the original appearance of which did not even remotely resemble the devices we use today. They looked like shoes, made of leather or cane. And only in the 5th century the first prototypes of horseshoes used today appeared.

Why are horses shoed?

Why do horses need horseshoes, because before, even before humans tamed and domesticated them, animals did not need them? The explanation is simple: in the wild, they do not need these devices that protect the hooves. Animals traveled long distances on soft soil or grass, choosing their own path. After they became pets and became completely dependent on humans, everything changed. If a horse served as a cab driver, he had to transport goods or people along paving stones or stone roads. The horsemen were always well armed and dressed in heavy chain mail. All this put a lot of stress on the horse's hooves. Therefore, in order to protect the soles of the animal’s feet, man came up with a kind of shoes for them - horseshoes.

Story

Old Russian horseshoe, Ryazan principality, 13th century.

The first devices were woven in the form of a stocking or shoe from bast, reed, leather, and plant fibers. They were secured above the crown of the hoof under the brush with ropes or belts. These shoes were fragile; strengthening them with ropes or belts caused dermatitis. The plantar surfaces of the hooves of draft animals were covered with resin.

The Romans used metal plates, mostly oval in shape, with hooks, bows, ears or rings to protect the plantar surface of the hoof, and to secure the plate on the hoof with a rope or belt. Such plates for horses were called hipposandals

, for mules -
mulosandals
, for bulls -
bare sandals
.

The method of shoeing horses was first used by the Gauls around the 4th–3rd centuries. BC e.

In the Middle Ages, they learned to fasten metal horseshoes with special nails - uhnals.

In Russia, the forging business began to develop at the state level after the Decree of Peter I in 1715: “In Moscow and the provinces, find good blacksmiths, take two people to each province and order them to teach blacksmithing to Russians...”. In 1732, the first farrier school in Europe was opened in the village of Khoroshevo near Moscow.

The purpose of horseshoes

Horse hooves are strong enough to protect the feet of animals in virgin lands. But wild horses run without stress, choosing their own path and avoiding sharp stones and other obstacles. In addition, a free lifestyle and high activity help strengthen the stratum corneum. Horses kept in a stable have completely different conditions. Limited walking reduces physical activity of the body, which is why the hooves lose their density and are more easily abraded. They have to run not only on the ground, but also on asphalt, paving stones, other hard surfaces, and even with ballast. All this leads to the fact that the hoof horn wears off much faster than it grows back.

Why is it necessary to shoe horses?

In their natural habitat, the strength of the hooves is sufficient to protect the animals' feet when on soft ground. Wild horses have no loads, they are able to choose their own path for movement, while the horses will avoid cobblestones with sharp edges or other obstacles. In addition, in the wild, in natural conditions, horses have a fairly active lifestyle, which has a very positive effect on strengthening the stratum corneum.

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But the stable inhabitants are placed in different conditions. Limiting the ability to spend a lot of time walking leads to a decrease in physical activity, which is why the hooves become less dense and will wear out much faster. Horses very often work not only on soft ground, but also on asphalt, paving stones or other hard surfaces, and even with a rider or carriage. This lifestyle leads to rapid abrasion of the hoof horn, but it will grow back much more slowly.

Due to worn-out hooves, horses develop health problems. Sharp stones will easily pierce the thin horn of the hoof and cause it to crack. Pathogenic bacteria easily penetrate through such damage, which leads to inflammatory processes. As a result, the horse begins to experience pain and discomfort when moving, lameness appears and it can lead to loss of mobility.

To prevent such injuries, horseshoes are needed to serve the same role as human shoes. If the horseshoes are of the correct quality and nailed down correctly, this will allow horses to work on any hard ground, and there will be no negative consequences for the hooves.

But not only the protective function is assigned to horse “shoes”: animals will not slip on wet grass or roads covered with ice. They serve as a kind of correctors for horses with deformed hoof horns and reduce the feeling of discomfort in animals with injured legs. As can be seen from the above, each individual case requires the use of a different type of horseshoe.

What tools will you need?

To nail horseshoes, you need the following tools:

• special pliers;
• hook;
• rasp with two types of notches;
• pruning;
• knife with a curved end (hoofed);
• hammer;
• key.

Forging tools

Forging tool set

Toolbox

The horseshoe is fastened with special nails - nails, which differ in the shape of the head and pin. Ukhnali are produced in lengths from 45 to 70 mm, and according to GOST they are divided into six sizes. They are used only once and are not suitable for repeated use. Additionally, during the work process you may need a forging machine - it is used in cases where the animal is excessively timid or impatient.

Uhnali for forging

Step-by-step instruction

The forging process involves a number of nuances. A lot depends on the horse here. For example, overly active or timid horses are shoed within several days. In the first one, they simply tap the hoof with a stick. Place a horseshoe on the second one and lightly hit it with a hammer. Another day they shoe one hoof and then all the others.

The horseshoeing process itself takes place in the following stages:

1. The performer lifts the horse's leg and carefully cleans dirt and debris from the sole with a hook.
2. Using pliers, remove the old horseshoe.
3. Using a hook and a knife, remove the remaining dirt and cut off excess horny tissue.
4. Using a rasp, the entire surface of the hoof is leveled to a flat state.
5. All other hooves are cleaned and trimmed in the same way.
6. A new horseshoe is tried on the cleaned area of ​​the sole. If it doesn't fit a little, it is adjusted on the anvil.
7. Reattach the horseshoe to the hoof. If it lies down as it should, they begin to drive in the hoot. Do this alternately on each side of the horseshoe.
8. The ends of the outer parts are bent so that they do not interfere.
9. Using trimming, the protruding ends of the nails are cut off, after placing the animal’s hoof on a special stand.
10. Finally, the walls of the hoof are filed with a rasp so that they match the dimensions of the horseshoe.

Thus, if the shoeing process is carried out correctly, the horse does not feel pain at all. But if an inexperienced executive gets down to business, he can hurt the part of the hoof where the cartilage and nerves are located. In this case, the animal will not only feel pain, but may also be seriously injured. Therefore, it is not recommended to shoe horses yourself without proper experience.

Horse hoof structure

Without knowledge of the structure of the hoof, it is not possible to shoe a horse correctly. Moreover, such an attempt can only further damage the animal’s “shoe,” which will incapacitate the horse for some time.

A horse's hoof consists of outer and inner parts. The external one includes the following elements:

1. Sole. It is a flat formation of keratinized tissue. Responsible for protecting the inside of the hoof from damage.
2. Wall. It is located around the horny capsule and protects the meat part from lateral damage. It also involves a layer of horny tissue.
3. Arrow. Consists of the same fabric as the sole, but more elastic. It complements the hoof protection. In addition, it reduces the impulse from the impact of the hoof on the ground.
4. Border. It is a layer of skin that acts as a transition between the hoof and the leg.

The internal part includes the following components:

1. Sensitive sole.
2. Meat whisk.
3. Pterygoid cartilages.
4. Sensitive arrow.
5. Crown ring.

The role of the meat part of the hoof is to nourish the keratinized tissues of the outer part. It is worth noting that the nerve endings pass precisely in the inner part of the horny capsule, while they are not present in the outer part.

What is a hoof: anatomical and physiological features of this body segment in horses

The hoof is a horny growth that forms around the phalanges of a horse.
In fact, the horny tissue of this formation is a transformed, calloused epidermis. A person also has similar growths on each finger, designed to protect the soft flesh from various damage and help us cope with food and other objects. We are talking about nails, which from an anatomical point of view have much in common with a horse's hoof.

Why are the hooves covered with horny tissue and not any other? The thing is that such a small part of the animal’s body must withstand:

• the horse's own body weight;
• the impact force that occurs upon contact with the ground.

At the same time, the task of the hooves is not only to allow the horse to move, but also to protect the joints of its limbs from deformation.

This is what a horse's hoof looks like

This animal is a distant ancestor of the following modern animals:

• horses;
• zebras;
• donkeys

It was a herbivore, had no strength to resist attacks from predators, and tried to lead a calm, peaceful lifestyle.

Eohippus, instead of the hooves we are considering today, had small paws topped with claws, which allowed him to run quickly. However, forced to hide from predators, Eohippus ran so fast, covering long distances, that his paws could not withstand the load without starting to deform.

Scientists were able to reconstruct what the ancestor of horses, the animal Eohippus, looked like after lengthy research.

This deformation was as follows:

• the central fingers of Eohippus, as well as the claws on these fingers, began to harden and strengthen;
• Due to the almost complete absence of load on them, the animal’s lateral fingers began to weaken and lose size.

Over time, the lateral processes of Eohippus completely became part of the middle fingers. As a result, this formation over time turned into something similar to modern horse hooves. At its core, this part of the horse’s body is simply the horse’s only finger, unusually developed, which is covered with a hard protective layer of horny tissue.

Process steps

Horse shoeing is a rather complex process, and it consists of several stages, which include:

1. Choice of horseshoes.
2. Preparing tools.
3. Examination of the animal.
4. Removing old horseshoes.
5. Hoof trimming.
6. Taking precise measurements for making new horseshoes.
7. Fit.
8. Fastening.
9. Final inspection.

The first stage involves selecting “shoes” for the horse that are ideal for its size, breed and what it is used for. Of course, only an experienced farrier should do this - only then the result will be what is expected.

At the second stage, it is necessary to prepare all the tools that will be required during the work process. A farrier, or blacksmith, must have the following list of tools:

How does the horse feel at this moment?

Many people wonder whether the horse is in pain at the time of shoeing. Scientists say no. There are no nerve endings in the hoof, so the animal may only feel slight discomfort during the procedure, but this also passes over time.

But you still need to be very careful. If you drive a nail very deep, it can reach the nerves and cause severe pain. In some individuals bleeding begins. Therefore, even an experienced farrier should be very careful, since improper shoeing can cause lifelong lameness in the animal.

The video explains when and how you can shoe a horse:

How often does replacement occur?

New horseshoes are required approximately every 45 days. This order came from the Russian cavalry. Although at that time the horses in their stalls had a clay floor covered with sawdust. Today, asphalt pavement is more common. Cavalry horses galloped more often on grass and earth, rather than on sand in an arena or stone pavement.

Replacement time is approximate. Individual characteristics are also taken into account. In different individuals under the same conditions, the cornea grows at different rates. Some people have their horseshoes changed every month, others walk normally even two months.

Much depends on nutrition and exercise. Movement and proper diet help maintain proper metabolism. Overfeeding, for example, oats, also harms the condition of the hooves.

Shoeing a horse is a procedure that requires skill and certain knowledge. Few do the job correctly, which can lead to serious consequences. It is better to consult a veterinarian and entrust this matter to a good farrier.

Purpose and frequency of horseshoeing

In the modern world, horses live in a stable. They move less than their wild counterparts, so their hooves become softer. At the same time, horses do hard work, so the load on their legs is quite large. As a result, the hooves wear out faster than they grow. Horses with worn hooves experience pain, limp, or refuse to walk at all.

Even in ancient times, people tried to protect the hooves of the horses that served them. Then they used unique boots made of metal. Over time, it became clear that such shoes brought discomfort to the animal. To improve the quality of life of horses, they came up with smaller pads made of durable metal.

A shod horse does not experience discomfort from constant contact with asphalt or concrete road surfaces. In winter, the horseshoe is equipped with special spikes to improve the stability of the horse. The pads are changed periodically. The frequency of shoeing depends on the living conditions and main activity of the animal.

The horse's hooves grow, and unevenly. Proper care involves changing horseshoes once a month. It is important that the horseshoes match the size of the hooves.

If everything is done correctly, the horse will walk easily and confidently.

Types of horseshoes

The whole variety of horseshoes is combined into three types - sports, standard and orthopedic. Each group includes various modifications intended for specific purposes.

The sports type of horseshoes is used for horses taking part in competitions, races and all-around events. Such models are made from spring steel, aluminum and alloys that have high strength and low weight. The type of competition determines the weight and shape of the horseshoes that will be installed on the horse. In horse racing, models weighing up to 120 g are usually used, and for all-around events, products weighing 180-200 g, with a side and thickenings at the bottom, are suitable.

using the standard type . The weight of the models is 200-720 g and depends on the size. The set includes removable spikes - rounded, small for summer and long and sharp for winter. Horseshoes can be made in factories or forged privately by blacksmiths.

The orthopedic group is made of plastic, steel and aluminum and has various designs. The shape of the product depends on the type of injury and the condition of the hoof, so each set of horseshoes is selected individually. These devices help relieve pain when moving, speed up healing, and even out your movement.

Externally, orthopedic products are similar to sandals with spring fastenings and straps made of plastic. The absence of nails in the fastening allows for quick and easy replacement of protective devices. Such models are quite expensive and not every horse breeder can afford them. Cheaper options, which are also made of plastic, are attached with small nails or glue and have a standard horseshoe appearance.

What is a horseshoe?

Modern types of horseshoes vary in shape, thickness, material and purpose. The simplest models are made from low-carbon steel and can be adjusted in hot and cold conditions. Rounded horseshoes are installed on the front pair of limbs, and more elongated models are selected for the rear pair, repeating the natural structure of the hooves.

An ordinary horseshoe is a curved plate equipped with holes. This device consists of the following elements:

• nail track;
• holes for spikes;
• hook or flap - a small protrusion located vertically on the front side of the canvas;
• branches (external and internal) - sections of the canvas passing from the heel to the toe;
• heels - rounded ends of branches;
• the upper surface adjacent to the hoof;
• outer surface in contact with the ground;
• nail holes;
• outer and inner side edges;
• spikes - additional devices for better traction with problematic types of soil.

The canvas consists of three parts - side, toe and rear. The surface adjacent to the horn has internal and external zones. The hoof rests on the outer part, so it should be as flat as possible and larger in area. Uneven or crooked branches will prevent a tight connection between the blade and the hoof, leading to an imbalance of load and deformation of the stratum corneum.

The horizontal bottom surface has a nail track (a longitudinal notch near the outer edge). This element allows you to deepen the nail heads and prevents them from quickly being erased. The type and location of nail holes are very important for proper shoeing and safe movement of the animal. Nails driven into improperly placed holes can damage the leg tissue under the cornea. Depending on the size of the product, there can be 6, 8 or 12 holes. They are close to the toe on the front horseshoes, and on the rear ones they are shifted towards the heel. The shape and size of the holes must correspond to the size of the nail neck.

The average horseshoe is 22 mm wide and 8 mm thick. The sizes of horseshoes are divided into 13 ranks, determined by the dimensions of the branches, the distance between the heels, the width of the most convex part, thickness and weight. These devices are sold in pairs.

Forging process

For each horse, individual horseshoes are made to measure or selected from standard ones.

To make a horseshoe, it is important to take three measurements:

• distance from the middle of the toe wall to the heel corner;
• the distance in the widest part is the center on the chest and the back third on the pelvis;
• width at the heel corners.

More precisely, the results are obtained using a podometer - a metal circle with cut out chords 1 cm wide and the same gap between them. The finished horseshoe is adjusted to match the anatomical features of the horse's hoof. First of all, they achieve perfect contact between the sole and the horseshoe. The nail holes should be placed opposite the white line. A correct horseshoe protrudes slightly beyond the hoof wall - 5 mm at the toe, up to 15 mm at the heel corners.

Shoeing Features:

• for working horses, strong horseshoes with a wide outer branch set to the side are used;
• sport horses are shod every 4 weeks on light horseshoes;
• for trotters, horseshoes with elongated toes are used, which makes the move more confident.

The horseshoe is placed on the hoof so that the nail holes are opposite the white line. The first nail is inserted into the toe wall on the medial side. The tip of the nail has a bevel that should point inward - this ensures that the nail comes out

The first blows with the hammer are made carefully to make sure the direction is correct, and then hammer firmly

It is important to control the nature of the insertion and the sound - if the nail goes in easily with a dull sound, then it is in a soft horn and if driven deeper than 1.5 cm, the nail should be removed

When the point of the nail comes out of the horny wall, you need to insert pliers and bend the riveting. Having hammered a couple of nails into the toe, it is recommended to lower the hoof and look at the position of the horseshoe in its normal position; if necessary, you can correct a slight curvature by hitting the horseshoe with a hammer. Now you need to hammer in the remaining nails, and then go through all the heads and press the horseshoe.

To finally attach the horseshoe, you need to place the hoof on the knee and tighten the nails with pliers. Afterwards, the protruding ends are bitten off so that a small piece (3-5 mm) remains, called a lamb. Under each of them, a rasp or cleaver is used to make a hollow in the horny wall and bend the nails. In order to bend the lambs, you should not hit them - you need to rest against them with pincers, and strike them on the heads in the horseshoe.

How to shoe a horse

In order to properly and efficiently shoe a horse, every horse breeder must have on his farm:

• a brush with medium-hard hair - with its help, the hoof is cleaned from dirt, residual manure and other things;
• trimming - for bending the rivets of horseshoe nails;
• hoof hook - to remove frozen dirt;
• hoof cutter - to remove the old stratum corneum;
• hoof rasp - for polishing the hoof;
• hoof pliers - for removing rivets from horseshoes;
• an anvil and a forging hammer weighing at least 500 g - for leveling and adjusting the size of the horseshoe.

The main stages of shoeing a horse:

1. The first thing to do before the procedure is to tie the horse to a strong support. Horseshoeing often ends in severe stress for the animal (especially for young individuals), so the animal can jerk sharply and hit the owner. Next, you need to wrap and secure the horse's limb so that you have free access to the entire hoof, while being sure to avoid unnatural bending of the joints. Otherwise, the animal may react very negatively to the procedure.
2. If you are faced with the task of shoeing an adult horse, then before the procedure you need to remove the existing horseshoes. To do this, take a trimmer, a forging hammer and straighten the caps of the rivets, and then pull them out of the hoof one by one with pliers. If, after removing the rivets, the horseshoe does not fall off on its own, grab it by the edge with pliers and slightly pull it to the side.
3. No matter how well the shoeing is carried out, the remains of dirt and manure under the horseshoe can cause inflammation and infectious lesions of the hoof. Therefore, using a hoof hook and a brush, it is necessary to remove all remaining dirt, and also thoroughly wash the horse’s foot with a soap solution. After the completed procedure, the soles are wiped dry.
4. Horseshoeing is carried out exclusively on a flat sole; the heel must fit perfectly to the hoof, otherwise dirt and manure can get into the cracks and cause inflammation of the horse’s soles. To avoid this, you need to eliminate unevenness and various chips in the hoof. This is done with an extremely sharp hoof incisor, so you must be careful not to injure the animal. At this stage, the stratum corneum of the feet is also shortened - the optimal length of the hoof is about 7 cm (from the hair growth area). At the end of the procedure, the horse's foot is polished using a rasp.
5. When the horse is fully prepared, you can begin to determine the size of the future heel - for this, each hoof is measured in length and width, and after that the required size and type of future heels is selected.
6. Quite often a situation arises when a horseshoe does not have the ideal shape. In this case, it must be aligned with the shape of each hoof using an anvil and a forging hammer. A smooth heel should be in contact with the hoof without any gaps, and also completely follow its contours.
7. When the horseshoe is completely prepared, it can be fixed on the hoof. The rivets are hammered into the foot one by one, using a forging hammer, and only into special holes in the horseshoe. The rivets that come out near the hoof horn must be trimmed. After this, pliers are placed under them, and then pressed with a hammer in order to pull the horseshoe to the sole. At the end, all sharp edges are sanded with a rasp.
8. When the procedure is completed with one limb, you can begin shoeing the next one.

Important! It is necessary to re-shoe each foot: neglecting this rule can negatively affect the animal’s posture and even lead to serious injuries to the limbs. How to shoe a horse: video

How to shoe a horse: video

Trimming the sole

The horny part of the horse's hoof grows quickly (much like human nails). And sometimes not too evenly. Therefore, before attaching the horseshoe, the sole should be leveled. Among other things, this procedure in some cases allows you to correct the incorrect positioning of the animal’s legs. A shod horse with a similar defect can be used more intensively in work. The hooves are trimmed using a rasp in the direction from the heel parts. In this case, only the cracked dead horn is removed (leaving a thin layer). Pruning should be done as carefully as possible. If too thin a layer is removed from the hoof, the horn may subsequently break off. If the farrier, on the contrary, “overdoes it,” the horse may be injured when used for work.

Signs of a Healthy Hoof

In order for an animal to develop healthy hooves, it is necessary to optimally distribute the load, work with the animal from time to time and timely trim the stratum corneum. A correctly formed cornea is covered with a thin layer of neat coating, without any holes or depressions. The foot is concave, without signs of naminok, which are blue-red or yellowish spots. The horny arrow is well developed, the edges are pointed, and there are no cracks, pits or crevices.

In order for an animal to develop healthy hooves, it is necessary to optimally distribute the load.

The crumbs are roundish, the shape is regular, you can see the dividing interpulpal groove. When observed, the coronal edge is rounded towards the end and moves onto the crumbs. The foot rests against the surface completely, along its entire length. On a healthy hoof, it is impossible to notice the curvature of the heel angles, and there are also no discrepancies in the place where the walls join the sole. If the animal is accustomed to stretching its limbs forward, this ends in deformation, expressed in lowering the heels and lengthening the toe.

Healthy horse hoof

How can you tell if a horse has problem hooves?

It is very difficult to determine hoof deformation in a home farm environment; even experienced horse owners often cannot cope with it. An animal can live with a hoof deformity and show absolutely no signs of the disease. To identify the disease, you must follow the following instructions:

Healthy horse stance

Foal with healthy hooves

Hoof diseases

How did horseshoes come about?

People did not immediately invent the horseshoe in the form to which we are accustomed. Initially, horses wore something like a wooden shoe on their hooves. The exterior was covered in leather and secured with ropes or belts. The Roman Empire went further. They invented metal plates that were attached to the horse's legs with straps. So the horse's hooves remained intact, but the straps rubbed calluses with constant movement. And then people decided to take a risk and drive a nail into the horse’s hoof. This happened in the first millennium BC. Judging by the fact that horseshoes are still used today, the experiment was a success.

Varieties

A standard horseshoe consists of two branches and is shaped like an unfinished oval with a nesting track and holes for nails. Plates are made separately for the horse's front legs with one toe and for the hind legs with two. They also vary in size: from 0 (smallest) to 9 (largest). During the forging process, all varieties and types of horseshoes are selected individually and adjusted by the blacksmith to each horse’s leg.

In addition to size, modern horse shoes vary in purpose.

1. For racing and sports horses - the thinnest (up to 4 mm) and lightest horseshoes (no more than 120 g). Made from soft “spring” steel. For running on wet and slippery tracks, special plates with a trapezoidal cross-section are used. Spikes are prohibited.
2. For dressage and show jumping - light and thin horseshoes (up to 10 mm) with heel branches beveled inward. To avoid foot injury, spikes are prohibited.
3. For working on hard stone or asphalt surfaces - with massive branches and additional spacers (rebates). Equipped with spikes for greater stability.
4. For trotters - horseshoes with different weights for the front and hind legs: the first are heavier - 210 g, the second - light (120-180 g). The average thickness is 8-10 mm. Used for proper balance and trotting.
5. Orthopedic - plates with additional linings or therapeutic layers. Selected individually according to the veterinarian's prescription.
6. Synthetic - polyurethane horseshoes without nail holes. Flexible and adapts to individual hoof shape over time. Attached using special glue. Suitable for horses with thin and problematic hooves, for which standard metal horseshoes are contraindicated. Used in show jumping to better absorb shock to the ground during a jump.

Horseshoe design

Modern horseshoes differ in shape, material, thickness and other parameters, depending on their purpose. Simple products are made of steel with a low carbon content, which can be adjusted not only when hot, but also without heating. For the forelimbs, rounded horseshoes are used, for the hind limbs - slightly elongated, which is due to the natural configuration of the hoof horn.

Horseshoe design

A simple horseshoe is a curved plate with holes, and each element of this plate has its own name:

• branches - parts of the canvas from the toe to the heel. There are internal and external branches;
• upper surface - the plane adjacent to the hoof;
• lower (outer) surface – plane in contact with the ground;
• hook (lapel) – a small vertical protrusion in the front part of the canvas;
• nail track;
• inner and outer side edges;
• holes for spikes;
• nail holes;
• heel – rounded end of the branch;
• Spikes are devices that improve the grip of horseshoes on the ground. Installed if necessary, for example, in icy conditions or for racing on frozen grass.

In general, the canvas is conventionally divided into three parts - toe, side, rear. The surface adjacent to the horn is also divided into two zones, external and internal. The outer one is larger in area, since it is a support for the hoof, and it must be perfectly level. If the branches of the horseshoe are in different planes or have unevenness, the canvas will not be able to fit tightly to the hoof, the load will be distributed unevenly, and the stratum corneum will be deformed.

Horseshoe - photo

The lower surface is also horizontal, but not solid: at the outer edge there is a longitudinal recess, which is called a nail track. Thanks to this path, the heads of the nails with which the horseshoe is nailed do not protrude outward, which means they are less susceptible to abrasion. Nails are not hammered into the toe and heel areas, so there are no recesses there. The holes for the nails, or rather their location and contours, directly affect the quality of the forging and its safety for the animal. If the holes are made incorrectly, the tissue under the cornea is injured when driving nails. The number of nail holes is 6, 8 and 12, depending on the size of the horseshoe. On the front horseshoes they are located closer to the toe, on the rear ones they are shifted towards the heel. The dimensions and shape of the holes should be identical to the neck of the nail.

Every horseshoe has nail holes

The thickness of the canvas for a medium-sized horseshoe is 8 mm, width – 22 mm. There are a total of 13 sizes of horse shoes, and each of them corresponds to certain parameters of the product: the size of the branches, the width between the heels and at the widest part, weight, thickness and other indicators. They go on sale in pairs, for the rear and front hooves.

Horseshoes and spikes, set

Horseshoes for horse hooves

Shape and size of horse hooves

It is not possible to indicate the constant size and shape of a horse’s hoof, since they can be determined by a variety of factors:

• breed of a particular horse;
• natural conditions of the country and region in which she lives;
• the load received by her limbs;
• proper hoof care, etc.

For example:

• horses that belong to heavy breeds have larger, wider and more stable hooves;
• light thoroughbred horses can boast of small, pointed and narrow hooves.

Or another example:

• if the horse lives where it is very wet, its hooves will be formed wide;
• if the horse lives in a dry place, its hooves will be narrow.

The only things that can be said with certainty regarding hoof shape and size are:

• the hind hooves are usually smaller than the front hooves;
• the soles of the hind hooves are slightly more concave.

The shape of the hooves can change constantly throughout the entire life cycle of a particular animal.

The shape of a horse's hoof is influenced by many different environmental factors, as well as the genotype of the horse itself.

It will constantly be influenced by factors such as changes in natural conditions, changes in foot placement, etc. in addition, the initial correctness of the formation of the horny base is of great importance

In order for it to develop as it should, it is necessary to pay great attention to caring for the horse, and in particular its hooves.

Further in the table we will look at the regulatory characteristics relating to the shape and size of horse hooves.

Table 2. Characteristics of horse hooves

Some parameters of a horse's hoof may vary depending on the location of a given segment of the horse's leg relative to the ground.

Please note: most of the parameters listed above will change depending on the exact position of the animal’s leg:

• straightened in the rack;
• bent when walking or running.

So, provided that the leg is straight, the coronal segment of the hoof will be lowered, therefore:

• the wall will become wider;
• the sole of the hoof will narrow.

Provided the horse lifts his leg, everything will return to normal.

When not to shoe

It is not always necessary to “shoe” a horse. It depends on the working conditions - intensity, loads, soil hardness. When the hooves are in good condition and the horse is running on soft ground, it is advisable to refrain from the procedure. This is how they did it before:

• In the 8th–9th centuries in Italy and France, only horses that galloped on hard city roads were shoed.
• In the south of the Russian Empire, working horses were “shod” for the winter and muddy roads. This protected from ice and washed out, slippery dirt roads. In summer, horseshoes were not used.
• In Mongolia, horses were once not taken to blacksmiths. The local breed is distinguished by its extremely strong hooves. Plus they took little care of the animals. Although shepherds in other countries, for example, here, also did not shoe their horses.

The same principles apply today. But sometimes you can’t do without forging. For example, in sports, a horse weighing about 500 kg with a rider overcomes an obstacle 1.5 m high. When landing, the legs hit the ground with a force of tens of tons per 1 m².

If a horse is not shod, this does not mean that the limbs do not require care. They are still cleaned regularly and their hooves are filed.

Learning to shoe an animal

Proper shoeing of horses is not just the ability to firmly nail a shoe, but, above all, the ability to properly handle the hooves. This process can be safely called a manicure for a horse, as it involves clearing, trimming and filing the stratum corneum. Even if a horse is not shoed, it needs to have its hooves filed and cleaned every four or five weeks. If the horseshoe itself has not yet worn out, it can be adjusted again. This is done either hot or cold.

Interesting! Many people think that horses hurt when they are shoed, but this is not true. Metal nails are driven into the stratum corneum and into a completely insensitive area. Therefore, the animal does not feel any discomfort.

Blacksmith Basics

The work of a blacksmith requires great skill and precision. He must be able to trim hooves, file them, determine the size of a horseshoe with great accuracy, and forget nails correctly. Just one mistake and the horse can start limping. Moreover, every farrier must have knowledge of the anatomy of the horse's limbs. Very often we have to solve serious problems and correct them with the help of horseshoes.

Today, a farrier can be found in any equestrian club and in any stable. Also, many craftsmen are engaged in private work with home visits. First of all, he must have special tools, without which the work will be impossible. See diagram and video. In large equestrian complexes, horses are shoed in specially designated areas near the machine. At home, you will need to find a dry, well-lit and quiet place.

Step-by-step instruction

Before you start shoeing a horse, the hooves should be washed and cleaned of dirt with a special hook. Only after this can the animal be brought to the pen. Most horses stand quietly, but there should be no other horses or food near her. For aggressive and excited horses, a special machine with a leash is used.

All blacksmith tools can be divided into two groups: for making horseshoes and for dressing hooves (shoes). Since we will use ready-made horseshoes, we will only need shoemaking tools. This is a hammer, wire cutters, trimmer, rasp. All of them can be seen in photos and videos.

1. In order to install a new horseshoe, you must first remove the old one. To do this, the blacksmith takes the correct position: as if he is straddling the horse’s hind leg or bending the front leg, as in the video.
2. Using pliers, you need to grab the wings of the nails and pull them out. Then the horseshoe is removed.
3. Now you can proceed to the cosmetic part. It is necessary to remove all excess stratum corneum on the hoof using edge trimming nippers, as shown in the video.
4. After this, take a hoof knife and remove all excess inside: calluses and the cornea of ​​the sole. Be careful not to touch soft tissue.
5. The hoof wall is trimmed with a cleaver.
6. We take a rasp and thoroughly smooth out all the unevenness, as if sanding the inside. This is clearly visible in the video.
7. Now we take a horseshoe, split it until it is red and apply each one to our hoof. Thus, the platinum leaves a mark on the stratum corneum, along which the fitting takes place. This is how you can check whether the horseshoe matches the width and length of the hoof.
8. If there are any extra parts or protrusions after fitting, they are cleaned off and trimmed.
9. Now we move on to “re-shoeing” the hooves. We place a fold or rubber layer under the horseshoe, take the necessary nails and nail the plate to the stratum corneum. The protruding ends of the nails behind the top layer of the hoof are bitten off with pliers.
10. If necessary, the last thing to do is screw the spikes into the special holes.

After shoeing, you definitely need to look at how the horse moves, whether it is limping and whether it steps evenly on all four legs. Only after this the shoeing process can be considered complete. Watch the video for more details.

Wehrmacht horseshoes for draft carriage horses

The farrier sands and straightens the hoof using a rasp, where he nails down the shoe, the edges of the hoof, and especially the tip.

The hind legs are trimmed the same, although the shape of the hind leg is slightly different from the front.

Much more beautiful than before!

Nails: new and old. Nails are used only once and cannot be re-attached.

Anvil.

A toolbox that didn't fit in the pockets of his leather apron pants.

And here are the pockets. A decent blacksmith has a separate knife for his right and left hands.

Assembling a standard horseshoe.

The farrier knows the size of each horse's hooves, which he forges more than once, but still each horseshoe must be manually adjusted to the shape of the hoof.

The nails are nailed like this: the first one at the tip (the front of the hoof), the second one on the other side, then again at the first one, then again at the second one.

Scary look: claws sticking out of the hoof. But it doesn't hurt because the hoof is so exposed at this point that there is no pain - although the hoof is alive in this place, it does not feel as if a piece of a nail is being pierced in a place where it is not attached to the tip.

The nails are curved on the outside.

So far this is the point of view.

The tip of the horseshoe is attached to the hoof with a hammer. Not all horseshoes have such a petal. Horseshoes for the hind legs have two of these petals, one on each side of the hoof.

The main part of the forging is done.

Now a special riser is used, a kind of large iron pin on which the blacksmith places the horse's leg. For the front leg, the pin is placed in front of the crotch, and for the back leg, it is located slightly to the side of the abdomen. Surprisingly, the horses stand very calmly on this pin; some take pleasure in chewing or licking the blacksmith's sweaty clothes or licking his hair.

The ends of the nails are removed with a special tool.

Now they do not protrude; they were “crushed” at the base with special semicircular pliers.

The rasp is used to compare the edges of the hoof and the horseshoe.

The modern blacksmith has a small mobile forge with many tools. And in the first aid kit there is a light drug for those who are especially cruel, who are afraid, do not like or cannot stand still during forging.

Horseshoes are required for police patrol horses with spikes. A blacksmith makes holes for spikes in a horseshoe.

And threads into the holes.

Then screw in the plugs.

A ready-made horseshoe, in which it is not dangerous to walk along the stone streets of an ancient European city.

All that remains is to nail him to the horse. You will also have to forge on all four legs.

And this is a horseshoe for a horse, which protected him from exacerbations after old injuries, did not allow “chips”, a small piece of bone broken after an injury, to move. There are ready-made orthopedic horseshoes, but they were made by the blacksmith himself, welding part of one horseshoe to another.

The state standard for “Horseshoes” (GOST 54/08-77) is a document that defines the quality, size, rules for receiving and packaging horseshoes. Standard horseshoes are made of steel of a certain grade, profile and quality. The quality of this steel allows you to change the contour of the horseshoe without preheating it, that is, cold adaptation of the horseshoe.

In its finished form, the horseshoe is a curved plate in the shape of the plantar edge of the horny capsule of the hoof. On a horseshoe there are: 1) two branches - outer and inner 2) two surfaces - upper and lower 3) two edges (side surfaces) - outer and inner 4) nail marks, 5) holes for nails 6) lapel.

In addition, the horseshoe is divided into parts corresponding to the division of the wall: 1) front, or hook 2) side (side 3) back or heel.

The upper surface of the horseshoe consists of two parts: outer and inner. The slightly larger outer part supports the plantar edge of the corneal wall, the linea alba, and the edge of the sole of the foot. This surface must be perfectly smooth and level; the branches of the horseshoe should lie in the same plane. Irregularities and bevels of the upper surface outward or inward cause slow adaptation of the horseshoe and uneven distribution of body weight on the hoof.

The inside of the top surface gradually smoothes out toward the inside edge of the horseshoe and is called a helix. The depth of the coil on the side of the inner edge should be 1/3 of the thickness of the horseshoe and end at a distance of 30-40 mm from the ends of the branches. Currently, horseshoes are made without a coil, with a flat horizontal top surface

The bottom of the horseshoe is horizontal. There is a notch along the outer edge - a trace of nails: on the side of this surface the horseshoe is worn away, especially in its hooked part.

Sometimes a bevel is made on the bottom surface of the horseshoe towards its inner edge (counter bevel). The presence of a headwind helps to throw away small stones, prevents dirt and wet snow from sticking to the plantar surface of the hoof, provides greater strength to the limbs and protects horses to some extent from hammer blows.

The edges (lateral surfaces) of the horseshoe (especially the outer one on the side of the adjacent limb) must be smooth, uniform, without protrusions to avoid traumatic damage.

The horseshoe cuff is a thin semicircular plate, 1.5 cm high and 2 cm wide, stretched in front of the outer edge of the tip of the horseshoe. It somehow protects the toe wall from damage, makes it easier to put on the shoe, and prevents it from moving backward as the horse moves.

The thickness of the horseshoe-shaped branches should be equal to the thickness of the horny wall. The width of the horseshoe branches should correspond to twice the width of the plantar edge of the corneal wall along with the linea alba.

The nail mark breaks through the outer edge of the lower surface of the horseshoe at 0.5-0.75 of its thickness; the heads of horseshoe-shaped nails are placed in it, which must be tightly wedged. In this regard, the shape of the lath must exactly match the shape of the head of the horseshoe nail. Horseshoe nails are not driven into the toe and heel parts of the horseshoe, and no marks are left in these places.

Nail holes are an important part of the horseshoe, so special attention should be paid to their location, size and shape. Improperly drilled nail holes can cause damage to the tissues located beneath the corneal capsule during forging. This damage is called deformation.

The forefoot and hindfoot have different shapes due to the different contours of the plantar edge of the hooves. In the front shoe, the widest part of the curve is located in the middle of the branches, in the rear shoe - at the border of their middle and rear thirds. Because the plantar edge of the outer half of the hoof is more rounded and the inner half is straighter, the outer edge of the horseshoe is more rounded than the inner. The latter characteristic also determines the shape of the horseshoe for the right and left hooves.

But the factories do not produce special horseshoes for the right and left hooves. Thus, during the horseshoeing process, each horseshoe is given the appropriate shape.

According to the size of the hooves, horseshoes are produced in 13 sizes: No. 0, no. 00, no. 1, issue 2, no. 3, no. 4, no. 5, no. 6, no. 7, no. 8. On the top surface of the horseshoe is placed the number of the horseshoe, the sign for which it is intended (“P” - front, “3” - back.

For very small hooves, horseshoes No. 0 and No. 00 are selected, for small ones - No. 1 and No. 2, for medium ones - No. 2, No. 2.5, No. 3, for large ones - the remaining numbers.

Horseshoe history: Signs and superstitions associated with horseshoes

The history of the horseshoe is as old as the union of man and horse. Who invented horseshoes and why? In nature, horses walked barefoot, so why did they have to put shoes on the domestic ones? And why is such a simple object overgrown with many legends and superstitions that are relevant for many people to this day?

Wild horses don't know shoes and feel great, so why do you need to shoe a domestic horse? Unlike their domestic counterparts, free-ranging horses gallop throughout their lives on a certain type of ground.

The hooves of wild horses, living in the same territory for many generations, wear down and grow back evenly, while the hardness of the hooves of steppe and mountain horses is very different.

A domestic horse is forced to walk on hard ground, so its hooves quickly wear out, the animal experiences pain, and begins to limp.

Horseshoe history

Riders began making attempts to protect their horses' legs from wear and impact on hard ground as soon as they encountered the problem. Despite its apparent simplicity, the horseshoe did not immediately acquire its modern appearance. To preserve the hoof, many devices have been invented.

It is known that the first horse “shoe” was a stocking or shoe woven from bast, reed, leather or plant fibers. The device was secured with ropes or belts under the brush.

True, the shoes soon had to be abandoned: they were not strong enough, and dermatitis often occurred under the belts.

People first began using metal to protect horses' hooves back in the first century AD, but these were the same shoes, only metal. Although they were durable, they were also uncomfortable for the horse, so they didn’t take root.

The ancient Romans wore sandals themselves, so they came up with special sandals for horses. They were oval-shaped metal plates. To attach to the hoof, hipposandals were provided with hooks, bows, ears or rings for fastening with a rope or belt. Similar devices also protected the hooves of mules - mulosandals, and bulls - baresandals.

It is generally accepted that the tradition of attaching iron to hooves with nails originated in Scandinavia. The Gauls and Celts were the first to shoe their horses in this way, and already in the 6th century, nails began to gain popularity throughout Europe.

Innovative ways to protect horse hooves were akin to military secrets: after all, the outcome of a huge number of battles depended on the health of the horses.

It is believed that one of the reasons for the defeats of Alexander the Great was problems with the hooves of his horses. And Napoleon lost most of his army only because the horses were not “shoeed” with winter horseshoes.

Therefore, it is not surprising that in the past horseshoes were often attributed not just very important, but mystical meaning.

In Russia, the forging business began to develop at the state level after the Decree of Peter I in 1715: “In Moscow and the provinces, find good blacksmiths, take two people to each province and order them to teach blacksmithing to Russians...”. In 1732, the first farrier school in Europe was opened in the village of Khoroshevo near Moscow.

Horseshoe for luck

Belief in the lucky qualities of a horse's shoe is one of the most common modern superstitions among many peoples, regardless of religion. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and atheists believe that a horseshoe brings happiness to the home, but not everyone knows where this belief came from. There are many interesting legends.

According to one version, the sign that a horseshoe brings happiness originated in Ancient Egypt. The horses for Pharaoh's chariots were forged with golden shoes, and if one of the horses lost a shoe, the person who picked it up was indeed happy.

The belief that a horseshoe could protect against evil forces may have originated from the legend of St. Dunstan and the devil. One day the devil appeared to the saint, a famous blacksmith, and asked him to shoe a hoof.

Saint Dunstan did not refuse the request, and when he began to forge, the devil asked for mercy.

Before freeing the chained man, the Saint made him swear that the Unclean One would never enter the room where the horseshoe hung.

There is also a version that the belief in the protective powers of the horseshoe was spread throughout Europe by the Roman conquerors - they believed that evil could be nailed to something.

Here's a more prosaic explanation. Previously, metal was very expensive, so people rejoiced at finding a horseshoe as an opportunity to make useful things out of it in everyday life.

Wherever the belief in the miraculous powers of the horseshoe came from, it was very firmly rooted in the people's minds and is popular to this day.

For example, residents of British Suffolk did not dare to trust holy water, and buried a horseshoe in the portal of Steininfield Church to ward off the devil.

At the beginning of the last century, one of the kindest wishes to loved ones was “May your threshold never lose its horseshoe!”

Faith in the horseshoe and great minds did not pass by. For example, Admiral Nelson nailed a horseshoe to the mast of the flagship Victoria.

And, of course, those whose work or hobby are related to horses have a special attitude towards horseshoes. For example, many jockeys keep horseshoes that were on the horse the day it won a competition. Many racetracks have entire exhibitions of such lucky horseshoes - they are engraved with the name of the horse, rider and race information.

Source: Levadia Equestrian Center

17.02.2012

Source: https://sueverie.net/istoriya-podkovy-primety-i-sueveriya-svyazannye-s-podkovami.html

Forging process

Horses are shoed once every 1-2 months, depending on the type of work and load. Like shoes for a person, a horseshoe must be skillfully selected and fastened. But even without metal “shoes”, horses are given a “manicure” every 4-5 weeks. This includes the obligatory hoof cleaning by a farrier, trimming and filing the edge.

Forging sequence:

1. Preparatory stage. The horse is fixed at the junctions by the halter, or it is held by hand near the blacksmith's machine. Before shoeing a horse, the hooves are first washed and trimmed with a special hook and a stiff brush.
2. Removing the old horseshoe (if any). The blacksmith pulls out the nails, prying up the lambs with tongs. The work uses a special position - the blacksmith saddles the horse’s leg, pinching it with his knees.
3. Cosmetic part. Using a hoof knife, the overgrown horny layer of the sole is cleaned and cut off. The work is carried out carefully so as not to touch sensitive soft tissue. Then, using pliers or edge trimmers, the built-up layer is removed from the edge of the hoof. This procedure is similar to trimming nails. The final stage is grinding the hoof and smoothing out any unevenness using a rasp.
4. Fitting and fitting. In order for a horseshoe to fit correctly, it must be adjusted to the hoof. For this, a cold or hot method is used. Cold - the horseshoe is applied to the sole and then, without heating, it is adjusted with a sledgehammer to the desired shape. Hot method - the horseshoe is heated in a special oven to +800...+1200°C and applied to the hoof. Following the mark on the stratum corneum, fitting takes place: all protruding parts are cleaned off and the plate is adjusted.
5. Fastening. A blacksmith attaches a metal plate to nails for shoeing horses. A fold or a special layer is placed under it (it is possible without it). If necessary, spikes are screwed into special holes.
6. The final stage. The edges of the protruding nails on the outside of the hoof are folded down and trimmed with forceps. The upper stratum corneum and notches are filed with a rasp. The hoof is lubricated with a special impregnation.

After shoeing, the horse must be led to check its movements, whether it is lame and whether the load is evenly distributed on all 4 legs. It is important to remember that improper shoeing or a poorly performed procedure can cause destruction and deformation of the hoof.

How to make horseshoes correctly

Shoes of horses are carried out by specially trained people - farriers. They know how to properly shoe a domestic horse, what types of horseshoes there are, how long they will last and how not to hurt the animal. Usually, good specialists are involved in both manufacturing and shoeing animals. They work in equestrian clubs and can often provide this service on the road for a fee.

In fact, everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Forging is a job that requires considerable physical strength and nervous stability. It can sometimes be traumatic if the horse is nervous or not accustomed to shoeing, so the first step in this process is to restrain the horse. A calm horse is usually tied by a halter. If the animal is nervous and violent, then it will have to be placed in a pen.

How to shoe a horse correctly? Of course, shoeing begins with a hoof measurement, which is transferred to a special steel bar. This strip is then cut to the required size, heated and cooled in water, after which the ends are gradually processed. Then this workpiece is heated again, but without cooling, giving it the desired shape. But the work does not end there, since such a heel does not yet have holes for nails. In order to make such holes, a groove is marked, this is usually done with a compass. Then the product is heated again and holes are punched for the nails (uhnali). After this, the finished horseshoe is polished to avoid unwanted injury to the horse. Only after all safety measures have been fulfilled do they begin to shoe the horse.

Horse shoeing stages

If this is not a young horse and it already has a heel, then the old horseshoe must be removed. There are special tools for this: forging hammer, trimmers and pliers. If broken nails remain in a horse's horseshoe, they must be removed. No matter how tightly the heel fits, if a gap remains and debris gets in, the hoof must be trimmed. To do this, use a hoof hook and a brush. Also at this stage, the hoof horn, if it has been deformed, is given the correct shape. Now you can take measurements to find out what number the horse needs. To do this, the hoof is measured by length, width between the walls and at the heels. It often happens that the horseshoe does not fit the hoof perfectly, since each horse is unique. In this case, the farrier refines it on an anvil. The horseshoe is placed on the hoof and very carefully secured with nails. The nails that come out are cut off near the hoof horn, then special pliers are placed under them and clamped with a hammer to tighten the heel and hoof. Next, the sharp edges are polished with a rasp.

You should be very careful and careful, as incorrect heeling and installation itself can leave the horse disabled. To shoe your pet yourself, you need to learn from an experienced and competent farrier, and even better, make your first attempts under the supervision of a specialist.