Hipposandal

Last updated
A hipposandal on display at the Musee d'Ermont, France Hipposandal-ermont.jpg
A hipposandal on display at the Musee d'Ermont, France
Schematics of the hipposandal Hipposandal.svg
Schematics of the hipposandal
Hipposandal, on display at Vidy Roman Museum Hipposandal IMG 4409.JPG
Hipposandal, on display at Vidy Roman Museum

The hipposandal (Latin soleae ferreae) [1] is a device that protected the hoof of a horse. It was commonplace in the northwestern countries of the Roman Empire, [1] [2] [3] and was a predecessor to the horseshoe.

The necessity of protecting the horse hoof was recognised by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and written about by Xenophon. [4] An early form of hoof protection was seen in ancient Asia, where horses' hooves were wrapped in rawhide, leather or other materials for both therapeutic purposes and protection from wear. [5] Elsewhere, various methods were employed to trim the hoof into a hollow form and give it as much hardness as possible. Gradually, protection items started to appear, first with the soleae Sparteae, a sort of leather hoof boot, later improved into the soleae ferreae that featured metal studded soles similar to contemporary military boots. [4] [6]

The hipposandal, which appears in the Celtic-Roman area north of the Alps around the mid-1st century AD, [1] was the next step in the development of hoof protection, where the sole of the boot was made of metal. It included an oval-shaped cup of thick metal that enclosed and protected the hoof, complete with a fixation system. The device was fastened to the hoof by metallic clips and leather laces. Like the soleae Sparteae and soleae ferreae, the hipposandal increased ground adherence of draught animals, [7] thereby giving them better traction, [4] and protected the hoof on rough ground. To further improve traction, the bottom of each hipposandal was grooved.

There is speculation that the Gauls were the first to nail on metal horseshoes. [8] The nailed iron horseshoe first clearly appeared in the archaeological record in Europe in about the 5th century AD when a horseshoe, complete with nails, was found in the tomb of the Frankish King Childeric I at Tournai, Belgium. [9] In Gallo-Roman countries, the hipposandal appears to have briefly co-existed with the nailed horseshoe. [1] [7]

In 2006, Channel Four's history programme Time Team featured an episode where hipposandals were recreated and tested; however, they were reported to have been uncomfortable and unsuitable for long journeys. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe</span> Device attached to a horses hoof to protect it from wear

A horseshoe is a product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toenail, although much larger and thicker. However, there are also cases where shoes are glued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoe</span> Footwear

A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Footwear</span> Garments worn on feet

Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boot</span> Type of footwear extending above the ankle joint

A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber, modern boots are made from a variety of materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoof</span> Tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick and horny keratin covering

The hoof is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits; the ruminants with two digits are the most numerous, e.g. giraffe, deer, bison, cattle, goat, pigs, and sheep. The feet of perissodactyl mammals have an odd number of toes, e.g. the horse, the rhinoceros, and the tapir. Although hooves are limb structures primarily found in placental mammals, hadrosaurs such as Edmontosaurus possessed hoofed forelimbs. The marsupial Chaeropus also had hooves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrier</span> Specialist in equine hoof care

A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills with some veterinarian's skills to care for horses' feet. Traditionally an occupation for men, in a number of countries women have now become farriers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle boot</span>

Motorcycle boots are associated with motorcycle riders and range from above ankle to below knee boots. They have an outside of a typical boot but a low heel to control the motorcycle. To improve motorcycle safety, motorcycle boots are generally made from a thick, heavy leather and may include energy absorbing and load spreading padding, metal, plastic and/or composite materials to protect the motorcycle rider's feet, ankles and legs in an accident. For use in wet weather, some boots have a waterproof membrane lining such as Gore-Tex or SympaTex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat boot</span> Type of boots designed to be worn by soldiers

Combat or tactical boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during combat or combat training, as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and foot protection suitable for a rugged environment. They are traditionally made of hardened and sometimes waterproofed leather. Today, many combat boots incorporate technologies originating in civilian hiking boots, such as Gore-Tex nylon side panels, which improve ventilation and comfort. They are also often specialized for certain climates and conditions, such as jungle boots, desert boots, and cold weather boots as well as specific uses, such as tanker boots and jump boots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jungle boot</span> Jungle warfare specialized boots

Jungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet, and humid environments where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear. Jungle boots have vent holes in the arches and sometimes a canvas upper to aid in ventilation and drainage of moisture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiking boot</span> Sturdy footwear for outdoor activities

Hiking (walking) boots are footwear specifically designed for protecting the feet and ankles during outdoor walking activities such as hiking. They are one of the most important items of hiking gear since their quality and durability can determine a hiker's ability to walk long distances without injury. Hiking boots are constructed to provide comfort for walking considerable distances over rough terrain. Boots that protect the hiker's feet and heel are recommended. Hiking boots give ankle support and are fairly stiff. A less popular alternative is to use light trainers with thin soles. Footwear should be neither too loose nor too tight, to help prevent blisters and sore feet. Hiking socks that wick sweat from the feet, provide warmth, and cushion the feet are recommended and a thin, inner sock may also help. Most hiking boots are also designed for other outdoor activities such as backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman military personal equipment</span> Ancient Roman soldiers equipment

Roman military personal equipment was produced in large numbers to established patterns, and used in an established manner. These standard patterns and uses were called the res militaris or disciplina. Its regular practice during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire led to military excellence and victory. The equipment gave the Romans a very distinct advantage over their barbarian enemies, especially so in the case of armour. This does not mean that every Roman soldier had better equipment than the richer men among his opponents. Roman equipment was not of a better quality than that used by the majority of Rome's adversaries. Other historians and writers have stated that the Roman army's need for large quantities of "mass produced" equipment after the so-called "Marian Reforms" and subsequent civil wars led to a decline in the quality of Roman equipment compared to the earlier Republican era:

The production of these kinds of helmets of Italic tradition decreased in quality because of the demands of equipping huge armies, especially during civil wars...The bad quality of these helmets is recorded by the sources describing how sometimes they were covered by wicker protections, like those of Pompeius' soldiers during the siege of Dyrrachium in 48 BC, which were seriously damaged by the missiles of Caesar's slingers and archers.

It would appear that armour quality suffered at times when mass production methods were being used to meet the increased demand which was very high the reduced size cuirasses would also have been quicker and cheaper to produce, which may have been a deciding factor at times of financial crisis, or where large bodies of men were required to be mobilized at short notice, possibly reflected in the poor-quality, mass produced iron helmets of Imperial Italic type C, as found, for example, in the River Po at Cremona, associated with the Civil Wars of AD 69 AD; Russell Robinson, 1975, 67

Up until then, the quality of helmets had been fairly consistent and the bowls well decorated and finished. However, after the Marian Reforms, with their resultant influx of the poorest citizens into the army, there must inevitably have been a massive demand for cheaper equipment, a situation which can only have been exacerbated by the Civil Wars...

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoof boot</span> Device designed to cover and protect a horses hoof

A hoof boot is a device made primarily of polyurethane and is designed to cover the hooves of a horse as an alternative to, and occasionally in addition to, horseshoes. Hoof boots can also be used as a protective device when the animal has a hoof injury that requires protection of the sole of the hoof, or to aid in the application of medication. There are many different designs, but all have the goal of protecting the hoof wall and sole of the horse's hoof from hard surfaces, rocks and other difficult terrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobnail</span> Short nail with a thick head

In footwear, a hobnail is a short nail with a thick head used to increase the durability of boot soles or provide traction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammunition boot</span> Footwear for the British Army

Ammunition boots are a form of military footwear. They were the standard combat boot for the British Army and other forces around the British Empire and Commonwealth from at least the mid-1860s until their replacement a century later in the 1960s with the rubber-soled Boots DMS.

Equine podiatry is the study and management of the equine foot based on its anatomy and function.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patten (shoe)</span> Protective wooden overshoe

Pattens, also known by other names, are protective overshoes that were worn in Europe from the Middle Ages until the early 20th century. In appearance, they sometimes resembled contemporary clogs or sandals. Pattens were worn outdoors over a normal shoe, had a wooden or later wood and metal sole, and were held in place by leather or cloth bands. Pattens functioned to elevate the foot above the mud and dirt of the street, in a period when road and urban paving was minimal. Women continued to wear pattens in muddy conditions until the 19th or even early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleat (shoe)</span> Projection on sole of shoe

Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface. They can be conical or blade-like in shape and can be made of plastic, rubber or metal. The type worn depends on the environment of play: grass, ice, artificial turf, or other grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caulkin</span> Blunt projection on a horseshoe

A caulkin is a blunt projection on a horseshoe or oxshoe that is often forged, welded or brazed onto the shoe. The term may also refer to traction devices screwed into the bottom of a horseshoe, also commonly called shoe studs or screw-in calks. These are usually a blunt spiked cleat, usually placed at the sides of the shoe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural hoof care</span>

Natural hoof care is the practice of keeping horses so that their hooves are worn down naturally, or trimmed to emulate natural wear, so they do not suffer overgrowth, splitting and other disorders. Horseshoes are not used, but domesticated horses may still require trimming, exercise and other measures to maintain a natural shape and degree of wear.


Simon John Curtis is a farrier, author, lecturer and horse hoof-care expert with a PhD in Equine Physiology and Biomechanics (2017). He is a 4th generation farrier; his family have been farriers and blacksmiths in the Newmarket area for at least 150 years. In over 45 years working as a farrier, he has lectured and demonstrated in more than 30 countries including the USA, Australia, India, Russia, and Brazil.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 2000 Years of Shoeing?, by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser
  2. "Ancient Battlefield Hints at Roman Persistence, by Andrew Curry". Archived from the original on 2012-08-12. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  3. Recent Light on the Roman Horseshoe, The Classical Journal Vol. 29, No. 9 (June 1934)
  4. 1 2 3 The History of Farriery [ permanent dead link ], Irish Farriery Authority
  5. "Cohen, Rachel. "The History of Horseshoes." EquiSearch. Web. 11 Nov. 2009". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  6. "Military Boots | Reliable Footwear". lapolicegear.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  7. 1 2 British Museum
  8. McBane, Susan A Natural Approach to Horse Management London:Methuen 1992 ISBN   0-413-62370-X p. 57–60
  9. "Horseshoe." Encyclopædia Britannica. 15th ed. Vol. 20. 2005. 651-51. Print.
  10. Horseshoes in Roman and Post-Roman use, Carla Nayland

Further reading