When and why do horses need horseshoes?
The most basic reason a horse would need shoes is for protection. If the hoof wall is being worn at a faster rate than it can grow, or if a horse is working on a surface likely to bruise the feet such as rocky terrain or gravel, shoes may also be needed.
Traction is another common reason to shoe a horse. This can be traction for performance – better grip for show jumpers or race horses, for example – or for safety on slippery surfaces.
Metal shoes can add traction in few different ways. The profile of the shoe itself can be used as a traction device. Most shoes have a crease that runs down the middle of the shoe that the nails sit in. This is called ‘fullering’ and sometimes it just runs through the branches (sides) of the shoe or sometimes the whole perimeter of the shoe. The fullering packs with dirt, which is able to give more traction than just a smooth steel surface. If fullering alone does not provide enough traction for the horse, other devices can be added such as corks or studs.