The need for additional protection for the hoofs of horses was recognized in the early phases of equine domestication. With the beginning of the military use of horses, hoof protection became a necessity to avoid excessive hoof wear, which often led to lameness.Archeological evidence on the origin of horseshoes is inconclusive. Some researchers credit the Druids with inventing nailed horseshoes, while four bronze horseshoes found in an Etruscan tomb dating probably from the fourth century B.C. suggest an origin in ancient Etruria. 1,2 Over the centuries, horse shoeing has undergone continued improvement.