History of
Horseshoeing
Matt McMillan, Ph.D.
History
O Who is credited with making the first
horseshoes?
O Egyptians and Persians
O What were they made of?
O Woven Grass
O Sandals that were tied on to the hoof
O Still seen in some parts of remote Japan
O Called Waraji
Waraji Woven Grass Sandal
History
O Egyptians
O Used animal skins
O Genghis Khan – Mongolia – 12th Century
O Rawhide cups for cavalry horses
O Where were the first metal horseshoes with nails
originated?
O China
O Middle East
O Wide, thin shoes used for centuries to move across
desert
History
O Greeks and Romans
O Also used sandals
O Romans invented “hipposandal” 400 BC
O Iron sole fastened with leather
O Shoes with nails not known until
O After 400 AD
O Not widely used until after 1000 AD
History
O Latin word ferraius means
O Ironworker
O French word ferrer means
O To shoe a horse
O William the Conqueror credited with
O Introducing shoes with nails
O France to GB in 1066 AD
History
O Walkelin von Ferrariis
O Commissioned by William
O “Master of the Horse”
O Farrier became a title in England
O The Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF)
O First guilds organized in London
O In existence since 1356
History
O Farrier’s Registration Act of 1975
O Prohibits shoeing of horses by unqualified
persons in UK
O Examinations given by WCF at 3 levels
O DWCF or Diploma Exam given after
O 4 years apprenticeship
O 27 weeks national farrier school
History
O AWCF or associate exam given to
O Those interested in therapeutic farriery
O FWCF or fellowship exam given to
O Those interested in :
O Judging competitions
O Giving examinations
O Teaching craft
History
O Also Required for fellowship exam
O Fellowship thesis
O shoe collection
O Extemporaneous lecture
O Questioning period
O Shoe making exam
History
O First farrier books began ~16th Century
O Blundeville 1566
O “Fit the shoe to the foot, not the foot to the shoe”
O Solleysel 1664
O Described the use of clips
O Signs of lameness
History
O Bridges 1751
O Described the elastic mechanism of the foot
O Said to have originated:
O No foot, No horse
O Farriery on the continent of Europe
O Considered a 2 man job
O Still done this way in some areas
History
O America’s heritage comes from GB
O One person works under the horse
O 1834 Henry Burden
O Patented a horseshoe making machine
O 1857 machine was capable of
O Making 1 shoe per second
History
O 1848 Daniel Dodge
O patented horseshoe nail making machine
O Perfected 1862
O 1881 George Capewell
O established horse-nail company
O By late 19th century
O Shoes, nails, and tools could all be bought
ready made
History
O First machine-made shoes
O Manufactured with long heel pattern
O Military
O Ready made cold shoe a necessity
O No Forge
O Most military horses were shod cold
History
O Horse populations in US
O 1915
O 1960
O 2000
21.5 million
2.5 million
7.5 million
O Today more people own fewer horses
O Professional care of horses is
O In high demand
History
O Farrier Education in US
O No organized educational system
O No legislated requirement or registration
O American Farrier Association (AFA)
O Established 1971
O Offered voluntary certification since 1979
History
O Highest Level American Exam
O Certified Journeyman Farrier (CJF)
O Equivalent to entry level British Exam
O Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers
O Horseshoeing Schools
O Early 20th Century
O US Army in Fort Riley, KS
O Many Schools Nation wide today