Why steel horseshoes on a horse?

Why steel horseshoes on a horse? This is an age-old question and if you ask 10 people, you will probably get at least 8  different answers!

Typically, a horse has steel shoes nailed onto the outer portion of the hoof where there are not any nerve endings. The reason this is done varies depending on the horse and if there are any issues with alignment to the shoulders, hips, neck. Another reason may be because the horse is ridden in very dry and rocky areas. The steel shoe “lifts” the soft area of the center of the hoof called the “frog”. When you ride in rocky areas, this frog has the potential to be bruised and that can create an abscess which can lead to lameness in a horse.

Remember, “no hoof, no horse”.  The outer part of the hoof has a structure that is like our nails & is nourished by all the tiny blood vessels just inside of that nail bed. The hoof is an “alive” moving & growing part of the horse’s anatomy & must be protected.

We have chosen to have our horses barefoot because it is natural for the hoof & frog to be pliable. This allows the blood flow to move naturally & it keeps the hoof healthy.

There is not any right or wrong. It depends on the horse, the horse’s issues (if any) & the conditions that you may ride your horse in.