Shoeing in Historical Context

Horses have been vital to human civilisation, fulfilling roles that range from transportation to companionship. Here's a brief summary of their use through history:

1. Domestication (circa 4000 BCE): Horses were first domesticated on the Eurasian steppes, primarily for meat and later for riding and hauling loads.

2. Warfare: Horses revolutionised warfare, from chariots in ancient Egypt to cavalry units in the Roman Empire and beyond. Mounted soldiers dominated battlefields for centuries.

3. Agriculture and Transportation: Horses became indispensable for plowing fields, pulling carts, and serving as reliable transport for goods and people.

4. Exploration and Trade: Horses were crucial for expanding trade networks and exploring new territories, allowing humans to traverse vast distances.

5. Industrial Era: While horses were gradually replaced by machines, they remained vital for specific tasks, like logging and ranching/agriculture. They are still in use today where terrain is difficult for vehicles, although primarily they are either performance or leisure animals.

Shoeing Across Cultures

Cultures that didn't historically shoe their horses:

The Middle East

Mongols

Native Americans

Indians

Chinese

Japanese

Africans

Owners of pony breeds in England, such as Exmoor or Dartmoor.

Although, these cultures may have used "hipposandals" that were typically made of straw or leather.

Cultures that shod:

Romans

Celts

Europeans from the Middle Ages (French, German, English, much of Central Europe - excluding Icelandic, or Nordic breeds).

Cultures who were nomadic, or had less access to metals and metallurgy - due to scarcity or cost, found shoeing less practical. In Central and Northern Europe - generally places where it snows throughout winter - horses would have been kept in barns in the winter months, and as a result, not competing or working. They would be unshod during that time, because it was not necessary.

Hypothetically, horses that were bred over the centuries in the cultures that did not use shoes are going to have genetically superior hoof soundness than horses bred in cultures that had access to shoeing as a means for disguising lameness, or augmenting soundness with a prosthetic. They would have continued to breed from unsound bloodstock if they had other qualities such as speed, temperament or agility. 

Eventually, shoeing became commonplace across the continents. There still would have been horse-owners who were not shoeing due to cost or access. They would be the same communities who continued to breed for soundness and longevity, because they were relying on fewer horses. Peasants. (No shade, because essentially I'm a peasant.) Whereas people breeding specifically for performance - war horses, racing horses - aristocrats - where cost was not an issue and bloodstock was abundant - were not selecting for ongoing soundness or longevity, and were instead prioritising other qualities. 

If you look into vet manuals over history, aside from leeches and vinegar, and incantations, the best tool they had was rest. Spelling is what people did when their horses were lame. 

What does this mean today? If your horse is descended from a desert breed, Icelandic, mustang or other wild horse, Nordic, such as Haflingers, or Asian breeds, ponies generally - you can expect more genetic disposition to soundness than horses who are descendants of those typically shod, where breeders have never specifically selected for ongoing hoof-health. 

It has not been normal over the whole 4000 year history of horse husbandry to keep horses shod year-round. People are reluctant in 2025 to give their horse an extended period of barefoot rest, even if their horse is evidently lame without shoes (or maybe even because they are lame without shoes), but it is unrealistic in the context of the complete history of horse-care.

A horse that is clearly lame without shoes and then magically appears less lame an hour later after shoes have been applied is still a lame horse.

Consider that peasants who had one horse and couldn't rest them generally kept their horses barefoot. Aristocrats who had many horses and could afford farrier work and "veterinary care" routinely spelled their horses barefoot when they were lame, or during winter due to the snowy conditions.

Long spelling barefoot is still a valid tool for ongoing soundness.