Champaign, Ill. (WCIA)
Last fall Tobias Ellis moved from his home state of Oregon, where he owned and operated a farrier service, to join the farrier service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. He has been a member of the American Farrier’s Association since 2015 and a Certified Journeyman Farrier since 2021. He is currently vice-president of the Land of Lincoln Horseshoers Association.
Farriers: They Shoe Horses, Don’t They?
Last fall Tobias Ellis moved from his home state of Oregon, where he owned and operated a farrier service, to join the farrier service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. He has been a member of the American Farrier’s Association since 2015 and a Certified Journeyman Farrier since 2021. He is currently vice-president of the Land of Lincoln Horseshoers Association.
Why Do Horses Need Shoes?
Three reasons for shoeing horses are protection, traction, and correction.
The shoe protects the hoof from injury, provides traction so the horse doesn’t fall, and can correct a deformity of the hoof that causes lameness. Some horses, however, do just fine without shoes.
How Do You Shoe a Horse?
The process of shoeing a horse typically starts with evaluating the horse’s hoof balance. Farriers make their assessment by watching the horse move at a walking pace and at a faster pace. Next they examine the horse up close, looking at the hoof itself. They look for excessive growth of the outer portion of the hoof and evaluate the sole of the foot and the shape of the hoof to determine what shoe will fit best.
Before a new shoe can be placed, the hoof itself must be the correct length. This is done with a variety of tools – hoof knives, nippers, rasps, and various hammers – that wear down the excessive growth of the hoof.
Getting the Shoe On
The type of shoe a horse needs depends on what the horse’s job is, what substance it walks or works on, and the shape of its foot. Horseshoes come in a variety of materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, and wood.
Companies sell machine-made horseshoes, but many farriers make their own using a forge and anvil. After the shoe is ready, it is safely burned or seared on to the hoof and often nailed in place through the hoof wall. Although this sounds like it would be painful to the horse, it is not. The outer section of the hoof, the hoof wall, does not contain any nerve endings and therefore feels no pain.
Every horse is different, but most horses will need a visit from a farrier every 4 to 6 weeks.
