Horseshoe Styles

Horseshoes have been used for well over 1,000 years to protect horses' feet while they work. Horseshoes come in open- and closed-toe varieties, and they are made out of diverse materials such as steel, aluminum and even rubber or plastic. The many styles of horseshoes accommodate specific needs of the horse.

  1. Basic Horseshoe

    • The basic horseshoe, fashioned in a U shape, is usually crafted from steel, which can be adjusted when hot to fit the horse's foot. Some are made from polyurethane, nylon or other materials to help absorb shock. Often, horseshoes are made with lateral extensions, which means the shoe is thicker on the outside of the hoof. This can help to widen a horse's gait, according to farrier Paul Conroy.

    Racing Plates

    • Racing plates are shaped like the average U-style horseshoe, with one difference: they're made of aluminum. Because aluminum is one third the weight of steel, these shoes are easier on a horse's legs. They absorb more shock and help a horse to move faster and more smoothly. Racing plates are usually made with toe calks, small protrusions at the front of the shoe that help a horse grip the terrain.

    Bar Shoes

    • Bar shoes deviate from the tradition U shape: they contain a bar that connects the two ends, making the shoes more ovular. Bar shoes support the feet of horses with weak heels. The bar forces the frog (the v-shaped part in the middle of a horse's foot) to bear some weight, easing up the pressure on the heels. Eggbar shoes, which are easily recognizable by their ovoid appearance, give even more support.

    Spavin Shoes

    • Spavin shoes are produced for horses suffering from bone spavin, or osteoarthritis of the two hock joints. Bone spavin causes chronic lameness and can severely affect a horse's exercise routine. Spavin shoes have wedges on the heels that raise the back of the foot, opening up the joint spaces in the hock and encouraging the affected joints to fuse more quickly.

    Heart Bar Shoes

    • When a horse has arthritis, a bone injury, or a soft tissue disease such as laminitis, heart bar shoes can provide the extra support the horse needs on the rear of the foot. These shoes have a v-shaped bar that comes down over the frog of the horse's foot. According to farrier Gary Werner, heart bar shoes can also help improve circulation in the feet by compressing the frog whenever the horse steps.