Homage to the Horse

Did you know that the species of horses almost became extinct only 10,000 years ago?

Over 50 million years ago, the horse was transformed from the Eohippus (small dog) to the mammal of Equidae.

Originally horses lived in areas where the land was grassy, moist and they primarily walked softly upon the ground. Their hooves were not hooves at that point. They were 3 spread-out toes that carried them across the good earth at that time. As they grazed upon grasses that were rich in silicate, this wore their teeth down faster and they became very vulnerable to predators. Through evolution and a varied diet and travel, their limbs began to lengthen, and this lifted them further off the ground, except for the longest of the toe. This became the hoof.

Native American Indians realized that they could utilize the horses for travel & witnessed how difficult it was for the horses’ hooves and the frog (the moist center portion of the hoof) as they traveled into more dry, barren, and rocky territories. They fashioned boots made of hides & woven plants to protect the horse and their hooves. It was the trappers who then realized they could make shoes out of steel to be nailed onto the outer part of the hoof as it has no nerve endings therefore the soft portion of the hoof would be protected.

So, this evolution and the realization of humankind to utilize the horse has evolved into horses having steel shoes put on their hooves for varied purposes. All horses have different sizes of hooves depending on their breed. The hoof itself is very complex and there is a saying that is true among horse owners; “no hoof, no horse”.

The hoof is compared to our nails in consistency; they must be trimmed as they grow. The steel horseshoe keeps the hoof up away from the ground to protect the soft and pliable frog that is full of life! As the hoof grows, it will outgrow the steel shoe.

In my lifetime I have always had steel shoes on our horses, and I have collected them all! Now my horses are barefoot, and their frog has become pliable and alive! There are many schools of thought about steel horseshoes on horses or barefoot! When we ride in rocky areas, we put rubber boots on their hooves with Velcro fasteners, so they don’t get a stone bruise.

Our farrier arrives every 7 weeks to trim the hoof as it grows, and he is always exclaiming about how healthy their hooves and frogs are. In fact, he exclaims that their hooves are like “dishes of candy”!

This is why I want to share these horseshoes that are embellished so beautifully with you because they all have a story…..follow me on my There’s More to the Story Blog so you can learn more about these magnificent creatures who have been adding glory and stories to our lives.

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