Horse shoes

[tiredandgrumpy]

Have just been talking to dd (9) about horses' hooves and I realise I don't know what they wear these days. Does the farrier still come out and fit iron horse shoes? Is it just like in the 'olden times' or have things modernised in some way?

our horse wears metal shoes - the farrier comes to the yard every six weeks or so with a portable forge and anvil - it’s not changed much at all ...

some horses wear hoof boots instead of shoes or go barefoot (nothing at all), but not all horses can cope without shoes and it depends on what kind of work they’re doing

Wow! Thanks for this. Lovely to hear that such a traditional skill carries on, but amazing to think how little has changed.

There is new shoe technology - glue on shoes, or hybrid materials but yes for general horses, steel shoes are still very much the norm.

www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/horseshoes/glue-on/

Glue on tend to be more expensive and don't last as long.

These are polymer www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/Horseshoes/Flexx-Sport-with-grABS.aspx

Aluminium shoes also exist but tend be be used for a specific event (like a race for race horses, or one show for show horses) as they're quite soft and light.

One of mine wears hoof boots as he doesn't do enough to warrant iron shoes but is too footie to handle any road-work barefoot. Game changer! But they need very careful fitting and I personally would only hack in them. Wouldn't want to jump/ canter across a field/ do dressage in them,