An important part of looking after the horses is making sure their hooves are well maintained and shod correctly. This involves a visit by the horses to the on-site farrier, who shaves and cuts the hooves and shapes and fits the horseshoes. These horseshoes are heated to a very high temperature in the forge. The original forge in the farrier's workshop was built by Prince Albert in 1840.
The horses visit the farrier every 2 to 3 weeks. These check-ups are much more frequent than those of other horses (for example racing horses) because the horses at the Royal Mews do much of their work on hard surfaces like roads or concrete.
