How does the hand-held bellows aid in shoeing horses?

A hand-held bellows isn't directly used in shoeing horses. It's a tool associated with forging the horseshoes, not the actual shoeing process itself.

Here's how it works:

1. Heating the Metal: The bellows is used to blow air into a forge (a furnace for heating metal). This intensifies the fire, allowing the blacksmith to heat the metal horseshoe blank to a specific temperature.

2. Forging and Shaping: Once hot, the horseshoe is placed on an anvil and hammered into the desired shape using a hammer.

3. Shoe Application: After the horseshoe is forged, the blacksmith uses a different set of tools to trim the horse's hoof, fit the shoe, and nail it in place.

So, while the bellows plays a crucial role in preparing the horseshoe, it's not involved in the actual application of the shoe to the horse.