Do horses wear special horseshoes for the Kentucky Derby?

Horseshoes are key to protecting a horse’s hooves during their day-to-day work for farmers and riders alike. But horse racing is a unique line of work, and that requires a unique kind of shoe.

According to Twinspires.com, race horses wear a special kind of horseshoe designed for circuit racing. These shoes are made of aluminum, which are lighter than the typical steel shoes for normal wear, but also don’t last as long. Which makes sense! A lighter but less strong shoe would need to be replaced more often.

MORE: The 11 most ridiculous horse names to ever win the Kentucky Derby.

Plus, riders can typically get horseshoes modified to fit the type of terrain their horse is racing on to gain more traction. So no matter the occasion, a horse will have the right shoe for the job!