Horse Shoes

[rexosaurus]

So, I have a question that is probably very silly to some of you, but completely out of my realm.... so here goes:

Do horse shoes hurt? Is it a cruel, but necessary thing? Is it comparable to declawing a cat as far as elective procedures go?

It just seems like nailing something to the bottom of a foot would be quite painful, and I'm hoping all you equine people can shed some light on this for me! Thanks for any input

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[clawsbeatskin]

In my experience, I've never seen a healthy horse show signs of pain when being shoed. Now a horse with laminitis or a foundered horse is another story.

I'm by no means an equine person, so I may be wrong!

 

[Bill59]

Placed properly, horseshoes don't hurt. They're nailed to the outer layer of the hoof, which is analogous to the end or your fingernails/toenails. Just like it doesn't hurt when you trim your nails (unless you cut too close) it doesn't hurt the horse to trim the hoof or nail horseshoes (unless you do it wrong). That's why horses, once they're used to it, typically stand calmly while having their hooves trimmed or the horseshoes put on.

BTW, not all horses need to wear shoes. It depends on the horse and the surface they spend time on.

Declawing cats is a whole different ballgame. In that case, you're amputating portion of P3, analogous your finger tip distal to the last knuckle. Without getting into The Declaw Debate, the reality is it hurts, which is why it's done under general anesthesia with (ideally) post-operative pain medication.

 

[Orthonut]

Horse shoes are not "nailed to the bottom of the foot" they are nailed (or glued) to the "fingernail" if you will. Imagine putting a pin through your grown-out-fingernail (not the sensitive nail bed)

You can certainly "quick" a horse by an inattentive or shoddy job (or even a misbehaved horse jerking around at the wrong moment) this would be akin to having a really bad hangnail, or bending your nail back and bruising the sensitive nail bed.

 

[mbv]

Here is a picture of the bottom of a horse's foot:

http://www.circlerranch.com/crcimages/ahoofparts.gif

A shoe's nails go only through the hoof wall and and come out about half-way up the side of the hoof, where the nail is then clinched down ( http://www.thelongridersguild.com/Hoof-b2.gif ). It is possible for a farrier to mess up and get a "hot nail" that goes into the soft tissues (basically further in than the white line). That's the only time shoeing hurts; I've never seen it.

 

[rexosaurus]

ah, i see! Thank you all so much for your enlightenment It definately makes more sense now, and I see (Bill59) what you mean about it being on a whole different page than declawing. Sorry if this questions was overtly obvious to some of you, but I was curious! Thanks again.

 

[lissette10]

No it does not hurt the horse. If done properly. That's why it is important to find an experienced farrier with good references. (BTW I'm a farrier's apprentice) When done properly horse shoes are the equivalent of a hiking boot, cleats, or a tennis shoe depending on the sport the horse does, the type of shoe and, occasionally, the pads used. They help support the hoof structure, promote proper alignment and help keep the hoof wall together so it doesn't crack or chip. Having a bad or good shoe is like having a bad or good running shoe. A good shoe will make running a mile easier on a horses body by cushioning the impact, giving them better grip and helping keep their feet from getting sore from rough terrain. A bad shoe can make running a very pain full experience and possibly, permanently lame a horse. As Bill59 said, not all horses need to or should wear shoes.

 

[Catch91]

After 8+ years of experience with horses... no it does not hurt them, if done properly. My horses have had shoes for their whole lives, and I've never had a problem with their soundness.

That being said, I've seen terrible farriers who have caused serious problems with horses feet. If they put the nails in wrong, they can cause infection and other serious problems. Also, if they aren't secure, the horse can pull a shoe fairly easily. I've seen this happen where the shoe was poorly put on, and the horse threw it right away, and stepped on the nail. He couldn't walk for about four months.

Overall, they are absolutely safe and painless if you have a farrier who knows what they're doing.

 

[Pouches Rock]

The important thing is that whether your horse needs shoes or not; hoof care is one of the most vital duties of an owner. It is amazing how much damage is possible and how often this negligence occurs.

 

[lissette10]

Also, if they aren't secure, the horse can pull a shoe fairly easily. .

Very true. This summer I had my horse at a different place than usual for a couple months. The farrier they use isn't very good. My horse lost a shoe the morning of a competition and ended up sore so I couldn't use him. I had to use a horse I had never ridden before and only had 15min to warm up and teach him the routine. The horse did ok but that was the most nervous I have ever been before a performance. My throat closed up and someone had to lend me their inhaler

 

[laurafinn]

If you ever get a chance, do a ridealong with a farrier. There is a real art to foot care for horses. It's a very mellow, slow-moving experience if you're the one watching and holding the horses (being a farrier on the other hand is really hard work!).

If the farrier you're shadowing does a lot of thoroughbred work, you get to see behind the scenes at a racetrack, which I found really fascinating. Having not been an equine person, I had had vaguely uneasy feelings about race horse welfare, but most horses that I saw were very well cared for. Also, I had heard all this stuff about thoroughbreds being kind of wild and hard to handle, and while that is true of broodmares and colts, the horses in work were generally amazingly calm.

 

[lenadeb]

So, I have a question that is probably very silly to some of you, but completely out of my realm.... so here goes:

Do horse shoes hurt? Is it a cruel, but necessary thing? Is it comparable to declawing a cat as far as elective procedures go?

It just seems like nailing something to the bottom of a foot would be quite painful, and I'm hoping all you equine people can shed some light on this for me! Thanks for any input

1. Shoes do not hurt the horse if done properly.

2. You shoe for three reasons: protection, traction or to change the way of going (therapy or correction purposes)

3. Cat declawing is purely for human convenience as it does not benefit the cat one iota; it is painful, actually. Same as ear cropping and tail docking (for the most part).