horse hoof care

A horse shoe is an U shaped item made of metal or of modern synthetic materials nailed or glued to the hoofs of horses or other draught animals. Like a shoe of a human, it is used to protect the animal's feet and provides proper horse hoof care. Professional horseshoers attach horseshoes on the palmar surface of the hoof, usually by nailing through the insensitive hoof wall, which is anatomically similar to the human toenail though much larger and thicker with the help of a farrier tools.

Horse shoe is available in a wide variety of materials and styles, developed for different types of horse and for the work they do and farrier tools are used to put these on to a horses feet. The most common materials are steel and aluminum. Steel tends to be preferred in sports where a strong, long-wearing shoe is needed. Aluminum shoes are lighter, making them common in horse racing where a lighter shoe is desired; and often facilitate certain types of desired movement, and so are favored in the discipline of dressage.

When kept as a talisman, a horseshoe is said to bring good luck. Many believe that to hang it with the ends pointing upwards is good luck as it acts as a storage container of sorts for any good luck that happens to be floating by, whereas to hang it with the ends pointing down, is bad luck as all the good luck will fall out. Others believe that the shoe should be hung the other way, as it will then release its luck to the people around it.

A hoof stand makes it easier to work on the outside of the foot, to remove flares and do the mustang roll. Some people find it just as easy to put the foot up on their knee. This will depend on you and your horse. Whenever the horse's foot is up on the stand, set your foot on the base so it won't tip over. Generally it is easier for the horse to balance when the stand is higher, than lower. The best working height is about at your knee. Put the post under the horse's chin, then reach his leg up and forward. For hind legs, there is a good spot out to the side a little, from the belly.