<Tr> <Td> Karel Dujardin, 1622--1678: A Smith Shoeing an Ox </Td> </Tr> <P> Working oxen usually require shoes, although in England not all working oxen were shod . Since their hooves are cloven, two shoes or ox cues are required for each hoof, unlike the single shoe of a horse . Ox shoes are usually of approximately half - moon or banana shape, either with or without caulkins, and are fitted in symmetrical pairs to the hooves . Unlike horses, oxen are not easily able to balance on three legs while a farrier shoes the fourth . In England, shoeing was accomplished by throwing the ox to the ground and lashing all four feet to a heavy wooden tripod until the shoeing was complete . A similar technique was used in Serbia and, in a simpler form, in India, where it is still practiced . In Italy, where oxen may be very large, shoeing is accomplished using a massive framework of beams in which the animal can be partly or completely lifted from the ground by slings passed under the body; the feet are then lashed to lateral beams or held with a rope while the shoes are fitted . </P> <P> Such devices were made of wood in the past, but may today be of metal . Similar devices are found in France, Austria, Germany, Spain, Canada and the United States, where they may be called ox slings, ox presses or shoeing stalls . The system was sometimes adopted in England also, where the device was called a crush or trevis; one example is recorded in the Vale of Pewsey . The shoeing of an ox partly lifted in a sling is the subject of John Singer Sargent's painting Shoeing the Ox, while A Smith Shoeing an Ox by Karel Dujardin shows an ox being shod standing, tied to a post by the horns and balanced by supporting the raised hoof . </P> <P> Oxen can pull heavier loads, and pull for a longer period of time than horses depending on weather conditions . On the other hand, they are also slower than horses, which has both advantages and disadvantages; their pulling style is steadier, but they cannot cover as much ground in a given period of time . For agricultural purposes, oxen are more suitable for heavy tasks such as breaking sod or ploughing in wet, heavy, or clay - filled soil . When hauling freight, oxen can move very heavy loads in a slow and steady fashion . They are at a disadvantage compared to horses when it is necessary to pull a plow or load of freight relatively quickly . </P>

What were oxen used for in the bible