For many of us, maintaining good health means sticking to a healthy diet, performing regular well-programmed exercises, and having an appropriate amount of rest. We tend to forget that there are some seemingly unimportant details in our lives that can also contribute to one’s health status. The clothes, even the shoes, that you wear also have an effect on the quality of your health. Some dismiss the fact that not having the right footwear may also cause stress to the body, particularly to the spine and the back muscles. This can later cause other health concerns. This is also true with horses. So, to make sure that your horse will be at its best shape every time, you need to make sure that it gets shoed. You may ask, “Why should your horse wear best horseshoes set?” Well, there are several answers to that question that this post is about to explore.

Why should your horse wear horseshoes?

Like humans, horses need the right shoes to stay fit and healthy. Wearing an appropriate pair of shoes helps them maintain balance, prevents injuries to their tendons, muscles as well as to their bones. It also protects the walls of their hooves and all the bones that are also found in that part of their feet. Allowing a horse to wear horseshoes that does not fit or shaped properly, on the other hand, may cause damage to the hooves, and may even cause lameness to the horse.

What materials are horseshoes made of?

Horseshoes are made of any of these materials: steel, aluminum and rubber.

Steel horseshoes are strong and thick and are intended to be fitted to horses that do a lot of steeping, are in polo, show jumping, as well as in other events where extra protection is needed.

Horseshoes made of aluminum, on the other hand, are lightweight, hence are mostly fitted to race horses as this can allow them to run faster.

How are horseshoes fitted to a horse’s hooves?

The shoes are usually nailed into the hooves. However, there are instances when a special adhesive is used to attach the shoes to the hooves.

Owners usually seek the assistance of professionals who have been trained in shoeing horses. Not only can they have the shoes fitted perfectly well on the horse, they can also advise, even help correct, any fault on the horse’s balance and observed movements after having been shoed.

What are the things that a horse owner needs to consider after having the foal shoed?

To maintain the shoes, they are trimmed every six weeks. A daily check of the shoes for any foreign material that could affect the fit and functionality of the shoes should be removed. As responsible horse owner, you also need to observe continually observe the horse to make sure that nothing is keeping it to perform as it should, such as any injury or issues on its feet and hooves like bruises, corns, thrush, abscesses, seedy toes, and so on. Any abnormalities on the hooves (and any part of the part of the body of the horse in general) should be treated right away as it may just cause more serious health issues later on.

Ill-fitted shoes can cause a lot of challenges to the horse. The primary concern will be poor blood circulation within the leg area. As a result, the horse will also find difficulty balancing itself, and moving about will likewise be affected. To ensure that the foal will be given proper care before, during and after having the horse shoed, ask the help of a registered veterinarian.

Things to consider when looking for the right horseshoes?

Horseshoes are designed to protect a foal’s hooves. Improperly selected or badly fitted shoes will affect the horse’s posture and moves during races (even casual rides). Needless to say, choosing the right shoes for your horse should not be taken lightly. Consider what type of foal you have, as well as the kind of activities that it is most likely to engage in. Consult an expert for the best horseshoes that should be fitted to your horse. And opt for those that will function for what they had been designed to do and do it best for your horse.