Natural Hoof Care
A lot of research has been done lately (see Library) on the hooves of wild mustangs living in America. These mustangs have healthy, strong hooves with which they walk, trot and gallop 20 to 50 kilometres a day on hard surfaces with rocks and stones. Growth and wear are in balance. The hoof and leg problems that shod domesticated horses so frequently experience, are practically absent in the wild. The wild horse’s hoof mechanism works perfectly and as a result they have hard hooves, strong legs and optimal blood circulation.
The hooves of wild mustangs have short heels, the frog has passive ground contact to function as shock breaker, and the horse’s weight is evenly distributed over the ground-bearing surfaces, i.e. the soles of the four hooves.
This wild horse model we use when we trim the horse’s hoof. As domestic horses do not have the necessity and opportunity to walk over distances of 20 to 50 kilometers every day, we need to imitate natural wear by trimming the hooves regularly to keep them in their natural shape.
All our horses go barefoot. Some of our horses have come from quite challenging backgrounds as they were shod and stabled, and most had fairly severe hoof issues when they came to us, but are either in excellent shape or are well on their way now.
What is important in natural hoof care is that it extends to the complete lifestyle of the horse. This lifestyle includes: 1. Natural living conditions: this means freedom of movement (no box-stall confinement) - optimally living in a pasture or paddock for 24 hours a day/7 days a week in the company of other horses. Horse clothing (bandages, wraps, blankets, etc) is to be avoided. 2. Exercise: next to the exercise horses get by living in herds, the horse needs to be (freestyle/liberty) trained, hand-walked over hard surfaces or ridden as much as possible, aiming for the natural amount of movement of a minimum of 15 kilometers per day. 3. Nutrition: mature grass and hay form the main food of horses. If grains are fed for extra stamina or weight gain, just a little oats can't be beat. In this manner, the barefoot hooves become strong, healthy, and fully functioning, and the entire immune system of the horse is strengthened naturally.
The hoof mechanism can be defined as the natural expanding or spreading of the hoof as it undergoes weight bearing during the hoof’s support phase, and, the reciprocal contracting of the hoof as it unloads during its flight phase. This mechanism pumps the blood around the hoof and is thus essential for blood circulation, not only in the hooves and legs, but in the end also throughout the horse’s body. A barefoot hoof is capable of flexing as needed depending on the terrain. The frog and heel bulbs perform an important role in absorbing shock. The lateral cartilages and digital cushion move blood through the foot and actually upward into the heart. All these functions are compromised when a horse is shod. The use of horse shoes and/or confinement causes diminished or hindered blood flow and impacts the hooves and the general wellbeing of the horse in various harmful ways.
Educated in the Netherlands, Anna is a practitioner of natural hoof care herself, trimming the hooves of our own and other people’s horses.