A horse’s hooves are made up of a tough protein called ‘keratin’, like human nails and hair, and these nails need to be trimmed to keep them short and healthy. The horse’s hoof growth approximates to the hoof per year. However, the horse’s hooves wear down rather quickly when horses work extensively in farms, or on rugged flooring such as concrete or other rough surfaces. Therefore, to alleviate this problem, horses wear thin metal shoes that are attached to their hooves. They also provide shock absorbency to horses in addition to grip to walk and run with confidence.
Why do horses wear shoes?
