Since I started this blog I have discovered a great deal of interest in the Hippo sandal from my readers. In fact posts discussing the hippo sandal are the ones which are most popular statistically and amongst my friends thinking up new and exciting uses for these strange artifacts has become one of our most common pub activities. At the end of last month I was shaken from my comfortable intellectual existence, where I think, dress as a Roman and shout at children and forced at wife point to my nieces birthday party. Which manifested itself as a pony party in a orchard. Surrounded by squealing children, fresh air and parents I discovered that this is not my natural environment. I got talking to the horse owner, Amanda Keech, and inevitably I brought up the Hippo sandal.
She thoughtfully considered my description of the artifact, as a child bobbed along on a pony, and described a modern version that had recently come onto the market.
As you can see this is a shoe that fits over the horses hoof and provides a cushion like a humans running shoe. Could this be the reason why ancient horses did not suffer from many of the endemic diseases that modern horses suffer from, like shin splints?
November 18, 2011
CENTURION
Unofficial blog for Lunt Roman Fort 
2 responses to “Hippo Sandal Reborn”
Rob Moseley
November 20th, 2011 at 17:57
I don’t see how the hipposandal would cushion the hoof in the way these modern hoof-boots do. Maybe it was somehow lined with leather? I don’t know what “shin splints” are. Is it a disease or a bio-mechanical problem?
CENTURION
November 20th, 2011 at 23:06
Shin splints are a shattering of the lower leg from repeated impact. They occur in both humans and horses the only difference is that they put the horses down. What I imagine in that the binding connecting the horse to the shoe forms a shock absorbing layer. But yes I agree, from the piece of metal in the museum you could not see it cushioning the hoof.