Natural hoof care
[1] Horseshoes are not used, but domesticated horses may still require trimming, exercise and other measures to maintain a natural shape and degree of wear.
The mere standing on these will come to precisely the same thing as if for a certain portion of the day the horse were, off and on, stepping along a stony road; whilst being curried or when fidgeted by flies he will be forced to use his hoofs just as much as if he were walking.
Nor is it the hoofs merely, but a surface so strewn with stones will tend to harden the frog of the foot also.More recently, Jaime Jackson, who studied wild and domestic horse hooves, promoted the modern variant of natural hoof care in The Natural Horse: Lessons from the Wild (1992).
[8] There is some research, but no scientific double blind studies, which indicates that removing horseshoes and using barefoot trimming techniques can reduce or in some cases eliminate founder (laminitis) in horses and navicular syndrome.
[9] It is generally agreed upon by most natural hoof care practitioners that the management of the animal (diet and boarding conditions) are the most important components for the success of the horse to be barefoot.
The terrain should be varied, including gravel or hard surfaces and a water feature where the hooves can be wet occasionally.
Diet & nutrition is very important too, as changes in feed can directly affect hoof health, most notably seen in cases of laminitis.
A healthy diet for horses currently with or prone to laminitis is based on free access to hay that has been tested for carbohydrate content and found to be less than 10% WSC + starch, appropriate mineral supplementation, and no grain.
Feeds and forage with high levels of sugar (carbohydrates) correlate with higher risk of clinical or subclinical laminitis and with other hoof ailments.
[14][15] Modern research by individuals such as Jaime Jackson and Tia Nelson have studied feral horses to observe the way in which their natural foraging and roaming affects their hooves.
Opponents of the barefoot movement argue that domesticated horses are routinely put through abnormal levels of activity, stress, and strain, and their hooves undergo excessive wear and shock.
