Horseshoes are metal devices adhered to the bottom of a horse's hooves to protect its toes. They're also responsible for supporting the muscles, bones and tendons in a horse's legs, explains the American Horse Rider. About every six weeks, horseshoes need to be removed to trim the horse's hooves. Most of the time, a new set of shoes are used rather than fitting the old ones back onto the horse, which can get expensive, especially when money is tight. Reusing or buying used horseshoes may be an option for you, but you'll need to clean them prior to use.
Step 1
Loosen any dried dirt and debris from the surface of the horseshoe. Use an old toothbrush or scrub brush to do this.
Step 2
Wash the horseshoe with warm, soapy water. Sometimes, all that's needed to clean used horseshoes is a little soap and elbow grease.
Step 3
Sand away any visible rust with fine-grade sandpaper. The fine-grade of the sandpaper lightly abrades the metal of the horseshoe and helps remove the rust. You can also use steel wool for this purpose.
Step 4
Apply a light coat of rust remover to more stubborn rust spots. Follow the instructions of the bottle for best results.
Step 5
Soak the used horseshoes in a bleach solution. Combine 1 cup of bleach and 4 cups of water in a shallow basin. Submerge the used horseshoes and allow them to soak for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse under warm water and dry completely.
Tips and Warnings
- To combat rust, apply a rust proof finish to the horseshoe. You can also use clipper oil or knife oil for this purpose. When working with bleach or rust removers, make sure to wear protective goggles and gloves.
Things You'll Need
- Toothbrush
- Scrub brush
- Sandpaper
- Steel wool
- Rust remover
- Cloth
- Bleach
- Basin
- Goggles
- Gloves
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