How Horses Self-Trim in the Wild and Why You Should Replicate it at Home
Have you ever wondered how wild horses keep their hooves healthy without a hoof professional?
In the wild, they maintain their hooves through constant movement across diverse terrains, using the landscape to "self-trim."
In this blog, we'll explore how wild horses care for their hooves and share tips on how you can apply these natural methods to support your domestic horse.
We'll cover the role of terrain, movement, and diet in hoof health. Keep reading to learn more about how wild horses stay naturally trimmed.
How Do Horses Care For Their Hooves in the Wild?
Wild horses naturally trim their hooves through constant movement across rugged terrain.
The life of a wild horse is tough. They’ll usually travel around 30-60 kilometres daily - or 18-37 miles for our American friends.
The ground they cover is usually quite abrasive as well, which wears down their hooves and helps to keep them strong and properly shaped.
In wet areas, wild horses develop wide, flat hooves to avoid sinking into mud, while in deserts, their hooves become smaller and tougher to handle rough terrain.
Their movement prevents overgrowth and cracks, a “self-trimming” mechanism that domestic horses, typically confined to smaller spaces, don’t get exposed to.
Without enough natural wear, domestic horses need regular trimming.
In the Snowy Mountains of Australia, Brumbies experience some wear from rocky terrain, but without the abrasive sand found in deserts like Arizona or Nevada, their hooves tend to grow longer and flare out.
While the rocky landscape may chip away at this flare, it doesn’t shape the hooves as effectively as desert grit and sand.
As a result, brumbies develop a more rugged hoof shape, compared to the American Mustang which has a rounded hoof edge known as the "Mustang’s roll".
How can you implement natural hoof trimming for your own horse?
While it would be pretty difficult to exactly replicate wild conditions for your own horse, there are a few things you can do to try and mimic the daily conditions that wild horses face.
Set Up a Track System
A track system mimics the movement patterns of wild horses.
By placing water, hay, and shelter at different points along a designated path, you encourage your horse to walk more throughout the day.
Adding various surfaces like gravel, sand, and dirt to the track can simulate natural terrain and promote natural hoof wear.
Introduce Varied Terrain
Just like in the wild, terrain plays a critical role in shaping hooves.
Create areas in your paddock with different textures, such as pebbles, rocks, and harder-packed dirt. These surfaces encourage natural hoof filing and strengthen the hoof structure, reducing the need for excessive trimming.
Even just having some stones or pebbles next to your watering trough will make a big difference over time.
Focus on Nutrition
A diet low in sugar and starch but high in fibre, similar to what wild horses eat can be extremely beneficial.
The majority of wild horses don’t suffer from issues like laminitis or navicular disease, often caused by poor diet, lack of movement, or improper shoeing.
Their natural diet of grasses, shrubs, and tree bark, low in starch and sugar, keeps their hooves strong, reducing the risk of conditions like laminitis.
Feed your horse high-quality forage and consider supplements for essential minerals like zinc and copper. Avoid sugary grains and processed feeds, which can lead to hoof problems like laminitis.
Encourage Movement
Wild horses travel miles every day, which naturally maintains their hooves. While domestic horses have limited space, you can still encourage movement through pasture rotation, turnout schedules, or activities like lunging and riding.
While domestic horses may not be able to trim their hooves naturally, we can support their hoof health by encouraging regular movement on diverse, abrasive surfaces and by providing a natural diet and environment that promotes overall well-being.
Setting up a gravel track to their water encourages walking on tough surfaces, helping toughen their hooves. Riding on gravel roads or rough trails also promotes hoof health.
For horses that are extra sensitive, Scoot Boots help to offer comfort and protection, allowing horses to move on varied surfaces like their wild counterparts.
Our boots provide protection while supporting natural movement, helping domestic horses live healthier, more natural lives.
Want to protect your horses' hooves? Use Scoot Boots!
To help support hoof health, many horse owners turn to hoof boot solutions like Scoot Boots.
Scoots provide added protection on hard or abrasive surfaces and can be particularly beneficial for protecting your horse’s hooves when navigating tough, rocky terrain, shielding them from potential damage and reducing the risk of injury.
Ride anywhere with Scoot Boots, designed by a farrier specifically for barefoot horses to ensure free and natural movement across all terrains.
Perfect for all riding disciplines, Scoot Boots are a dependable choice for rehab and hoof transition. Featuring open toes and side vents for optimal drainage and ventilation, they provide excellent breakover.
If you’d like to make sure your horse is protected, shop our range of hoof boots today.
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