Horseshoes Past & Present
Past Present
A horseshoe needs to be kept firmly in place, and the most widely used means of achieving this is to use nails. The Celts, who were skilled ironworkers, discovered that it was possible to secure shoes on a horse's foot by driving nails into the insensitive area of the hoof.
In the Middle East and around the Mediterranean, the hard-hooved Arab horses needed less protection than the average horse in that they were able to withstand being barefoot. The Romans used a form of iron sandal resembling thongs; the Greeks preferred a sandal made from woven grass. Neither of these sandals could have been intended for regular use as it would have been difficult to prevent the foot from slipping or collecting grit between shoe and sole. They were definately a form of remedial shoeing.
In Britain it was the nailed shoe that continued to be generally used throughout the centuries. Usually it was made of plain iron and, later, fullered or grooved steel became the accepted material for shoes. Clips to ensure a more secured fit became a regular part of shoe design about one hundred years ago.
Horseshoes today may vary in design and material in that anything from steel to high- tech composites can aide in reducing strain to ligaments and tendons caused by poor conformation. They can also minimize the effect of an injury and aid to the healing processes by protecting or padding sensitive areas.
Past Present
A horseshoe needs to be kept firmly in place, and the most widely used means of achieving this is to use nails. The Celts, who were skilled ironworkers, discovered that it was possible to secure shoes on a horse's foot by driving nails into the insensitive area of the hoof.
In the Middle East and around the Mediterranean, the hard-hooved Arab horses needed less protection than the average horse in that they were able to withstand being barefoot. The Romans used a form of iron sandal resembling thongs; the Greeks preferred a sandal made from woven grass. Neither of these sandals could have been intended for regular use as it would have been difficult to prevent the foot from slipping or collecting grit between shoe and sole. They were definately a form of remedial shoeing.
In Britain it was the nailed shoe that continued to be generally used throughout the centuries. Usually it was made of plain iron and, later, fullered or grooved steel became the accepted material for shoes. Clips to ensure a more secured fit became a regular part of shoe design about one hundred years ago.
Horseshoes today may vary in design and material in that anything from steel to high- tech composites can aide in reducing strain to ligaments and tendons caused by poor conformation. They can also minimize the effect of an injury and aid to the healing processes by protecting or padding sensitive areas.
