While some people think it is a macabre spectacle, horse lovers cherish their taxidermy horse hoof paperweights as trophies. By preserving a hoof the memory of a favourite horse is kept alive. Or rather, preserved. Army horses had identification numerals which were burned into three out of four of their hooves. The near hind bears the horse’s army number, the near fore his squadron number and the off fore has the regiment’s initials. It is highly unusual to split the hoof in half as is the case here as most horse lovers view this as disrespectful, whereas cutting a hoof off a dead horse is seen as a sign of true affection.