Wearing shoes; or referring to horses that have been fitted with metal horseshoes.
Past tense and past participle of 'shoe' (Old English 'sceoh'), with Germanic roots meaning 'to cover the foot.' Used as an adjective especially in equestrian contexts, where a 'shod horse' is one that has received horseshoes. The word can describe both human footwear and horse equipment.
A 'well-shod' horse can walk on concrete or rocky ground without injury, but 'unshod' horses develop tougher hooves over time—so whether to shoe a horse is actually a complex environmental question, not just a practical one! Some farriers argue that unshod hooves are actually healthier because they provide better circulation.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.