NORFOLK, Va – Like a horse, zebras need their hooves maintained as well. In early May, Zack, a Hartmann mountain zebra who resides at the Virginia Zoo, got some shiny new shoes thanks to farrier, Kim Burnop.
A farrier is a craftsperson who is trained to create shoes and maintain the hooves of all kinds of equine animals. The practice is believed to have first been developed in the Roman Empire. A farrier not only keeps the shoes fit and the hooves maintained, but can also help the animal if they have abnormalities in their hooves or are suffering from foot-related health problems.
Zack had to undergo anesthesia for this procedure. Afterward, he was released back into the Africa enclosure where he can be observed.
