Hipposandal

The necessity of protecting the horse hoof was recognised by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and written about by Xenophon.

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.

[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.