In the hands of an experienced farrier (i.e. horseshoer), horseshoes and the shoeing process do NOT hurt horses. ... There are no nerves in the outer wall of a horse's hooves, where metal shoes are affixed with nails, so horses feel no pain as their shoes are nailed into place.

Is it cruel to put horseshoes on horses?

Horseshoeing is often considered to be cruel and painful, but the truth is that horseshoes are placed on parts of their hooves without nerves. This means they do not feel pain during either application or removal – if done right! ... You can even consider hoof boots as an alternative to shoes.

Do horses feel pain when horseshoes?

Since there are no nerve endings in the outer section of the hoof, a horse doesn't feel any pain when horseshoes are nailed on. Since their hooves continue to grow even with horseshoes on, a farrier will need to trim, adjust, and reset a horse's shoes on a regular basis.