Why do horses wear shoes? - Livescience.com

Horses ( Equus caballus) that are domesticated for human use and selectively bred for performance wear shoes because their feet are delicate and therefore need protection, said Dr. Fernanda Camargo(opens in new tab), a veterinarian and equine extension agent at the University of Kentucky.

The exterior of the hoof, known as the wall, is made of a horn-like material that grows continuously and has to be trimmed, just like a person's fingernails, according to University of Missouri Extension(opens in new tab).

Historically, such impairments would have prevented horses from being used on the battlefields or during the harvest, so shoes were added to reinforce the hoof wall, Camargo said.

But "a lot of horses that are just ridden here and there, and are kept on grassy/not hard terrain will do just fine without shoes, with regular farrier visits," Camargo said.

Meanwhile, wild mustangs don't wear shoes and manage to travel over rough terrain because they have very strong feet, Camargo said.

There are no blood vessels or nerves in the wall of the hoof, according to University of Missouri Extension, so if the shoe is nailed on properly, it isn't painful.