why do horses have hooves?

Answer 1

Because, as they evolved, the ancestors who developed vegistal hooves were able perform better (maybe run faster) than ancestors without hooves.

Answer 2

The barefoot hoof is a very complex organ which is especially important to the horse's health. On weight bearing, the hoof expands, allowing blood to flow into it. As the horse lifts the foot, it contracts, which pumps and squeezes the blood back up to the horse's heart.Over millions of years of evolution, the Wild horse's hooves have become dependent on water to maintain elasticity and suppleness. The water is absorbed by the hooves, which helps to keep them from drying out, and also allows them to mold and conform better to whatever terrain they are travelling on.

Answer 3

Excellent question - you'd think it would be protection against a very stoney environment, but they, like other hoofers, as far as I know, spend a lot of their time on the plains. There must be some evolutionary advantage and I don't think it's self defence, they do kick out at lions as a last ditch effort but success appears to be minimal.

Answer 4

No no, you have it backwards. It's why do hooves have horses on top them?

Answer 5

To keep the "smithy" in a job.

Anyway they don't make wellington boots for horses as far as I am aware.

Answer 6

Because shoes gave their feet blisters

Answer 7

to be able to run faster and to keep the soft parts of the feet protected

Answer 8

For the same reason that you have finger and toe nails - and made out of the same stuff, too!

Answer 9

because the ground they ran on and because they have one toe it developed a hard outer covering to protect their feet and of course it's somewhere to put their horseshoes

Answer 10

To stop their feet fraying