The development of hoof care and horse shoeing from ancient until 18th century

Die Entwicklung der Hufpflege und des Hufbeschlages von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit

Lingens I, Al Aiyan A, Budras K-D

DOI: 10.21836/PEM20110507
Year: 2011
Volume: 27
Issue: 5
Pages: 514-521

During domestication of the horse and its utilization for riding, carrying and towing, their feet were exposed to excessive loads. For protection of excessive horn capsular abrasion nailless hipposandals, made up by vegetable fibres ( “Solea sparteae”) or (later ) iron (“Solea ferreae”), were used during antique. Nailed horse shoeing has been developed by different cultures in between 6th und 10th century. According to Zimmermann(1907) much earlier by Celts. The development of shoes for particular purposes, for correction of mal- positioned limbs and the treatment of foot diseases and lameness occurred first in the 19th century. This investigation is based on the analysis of the horse shoe collection of the former veterinary medical school of the Humboldt-University in Berlin-Mitte. Selected hippo sandals and nailed horse shoes were fotographed and used for this publication.