Why do horses wear horsehoes?
Answer:
A horseshoe is a "U"-shaped item made of metal, steel, iron or modern synthetic materials that is nailed or glued to the hooves of horses. Many people believe that in the wild, horses walk on meadows, dirt and other softer surfaces but in reality, they run around on hard rock that can be used as a rasp. Many people keep their horses in stalls, which is bad for them, but I wont get into that. Anyways, in a stall, a horse stands in its waste which has ammonia in it (hence the bad smell) and the ammonia eats away at the hooves, making them weak, causing people to think their horse needs shoes, when in reality, letting the horse roam 24/7 will fix everything. Heres why horseshoes are bad; I'm warning you though, its a lengthy list.
A.Walls cannot wear & maintain normal shape/length
- unnatural stresses on hoof as walls get
too long
- incorrect trim cannot be worn away
B.Vibration (800 Hz)
- destroys hoof wall and tissue
- causes structural abnormalities in laminar corium, leading to compromised coffin bone suspension
- causes irritation of ligament & tendon attachments to periosteum of bones & joint cartilage
C.Hoof mechanism is impaired
- reduced shock absorption with fixation of the wall
- impact travels up leg & stresses joints, etc.
- ossifications
- coffin bone impacts sole which cannot draw flat
- circulation in the hoof is reduced
- heart is overstressed (without support from hooves)
- poor cell nutrition & reduced temperature
- reduced cell metabolism
- reduced horn quality and quantity
- excessive waste metabolic protein unused in hoof production remains in bloodstream
- overstressing of kidneys, liver, skin
D. Physical trauma (bruising, etc.) to hoof tissues
E.Weight causes unnatural strains on joints & ligaments through centrifugal effects
F. Traction compromised: too little on smooth, slick terrain, too much on softer ground
G. Deformation & contraction of the hoof
- heel pain or "navicular syndrome"
- thrush
- skeletal & muscular stresses, conformational changes
H. Negative effects of nails
- physical damage to wall (holes)
- dehydration of white line horn
- vibrations affecting horn & corium
- insulation breached (metal conducts cold into foot, decreasing corium temperature and cell metabolism)
I. Danger & severity of injury increased
- to the horse itself (caught in wire, interference, etc.)
- to people
- to other horses
J.Damage to properties, trails, etc. increased dramatically
K.Prevents proper development of young horse's foot & coffin bone (especially palmar processes)
L. Orthopedic possibilities do not exist (circulation is reduced, while healing requires increased circulation)
M."Incorrect" shoeing increases rate & severity of damage
Horses wear horseshoes to make them gait, because they have a foot problem, have brittle hooves, or because the owner thinks the horse needs them.
A.Walls cannot wear & maintain normal shape/length
- unnatural stresses on hoof as walls get
too long
- incorrect trim cannot be worn away
B.Vibration (800 Hz)
- destroys hoof wall and tissue
- causes structural abnormalities in laminar corium, leading to compromised coffin bone suspension
- causes irritation of ligament & tendon attachments to periosteum of bones & joint cartilage
C.Hoof mechanism is impaired
- reduced shock absorption with fixation of the wall
- impact travels up leg & stresses joints, etc.
- ossifications
- coffin bone impacts sole which cannot draw flat
- circulation in the hoof is reduced
- heart is overstressed (without support from hooves)
- poor cell nutrition & reduced temperature
- reduced cell metabolism
- reduced horn quality and quantity
- excessive waste metabolic protein unused in hoof production remains in bloodstream
- overstressing of kidneys, liver, skin
D. Physical trauma (bruising, etc.) to hoof tissues
E.Weight causes unnatural strains on joints & ligaments through centrifugal effects
F. Traction compromised: too little on smooth, slick terrain, too much on softer ground
G. Deformation & contraction of the hoof
- heel pain or "navicular syndrome"
- thrush
- skeletal & muscular stresses, conformational changes
H. Negative effects of nails
- physical damage to wall (holes)
- dehydration of white line horn
- vibrations affecting horn & corium
- insulation breached (metal conducts cold into foot, decreasing corium temperature and cell metabolism)
I. Danger & severity of injury increased
- to the horse itself (caught in wire, interference, etc.)
- to people
- to other horses
J.Damage to properties, trails, etc. increased dramatically
K.Prevents proper development of young horse's foot & coffin bone (especially palmar processes)
L. Orthopedic possibilities do not exist (circulation is reduced, while healing requires increased circulation)
M."Incorrect" shoeing increases rate & severity of damage
Horses wear horseshoes to make them gait, because they have a foot problem, have brittle hooves, or because the owner thinks the horse needs them.
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Can you answer these? 