Should We Copy or Echo Nature? Oh Yes!!!!

Have you been able to naturally give your horses the physical or mental stimulating area for their well-being. Creating an environment that echoes the wild does a lot for horses both physically and mentally. Keep that overhanging tree for a good back scratch area instead of cutting off that limb.   A good size boulder or old tree stump also works quite well for those much needed belly scratches. A fallen tree or old log does wonders for helping your horse find his balance and teaches him how to use his feet to go around or over obstacles. Balance and coordination are not part of the breeding or instinct, but by learning thru practice, trial and error.  If you take everything out of his living environment, you take out the challenges. Take "nature" out of the environment and your horse only has his water and hay for mental stimulation.  

Mentally horses are very perceptive, curious, and intelligent, so standing in a stall day and night could effectively be considered solitary confiment.  Having nothing else to do, the horse can turn to “vices” such as cribbing, pawing and pacing to relieve his boredom. This can eventually lead these behaviors to become habitual. Once the horse is liberated from his jail, however, many of these vices disappear. Physically horses are built to move, and in the wild will cover a total of ten to fifteen miles a day. When not able to exercise, body circulation is hindered, causing problems in the legs and feet.    Wild Horses travel constantly over different obstacles and different terrains.   Not only does this provide mental stimulation, but also keeps circulation flowing.   As they take a step, the hoof expands drawing blood into the hoof. As the hoof comes off the ground, the hoof contracts and pushes blood back up the leg. This is why the horse has five hearts.  Barefoot horses especially benefit from an all-terrain area, as again this mimics or echoes the wild.   Create the same conditions in their everyday living and just like the wild horse, have the domestic horse move more often. Standing at the water trough or just hanging out at the fence will not create a sound barefoot horse.  

You need to create their area to stimulate and enrich their lives, but that is not the only reasons although they are just as important. Creating this area will also help keep your barefoot horse sound so that any riding area or terrain is not a hazard. Having those rock crunching hooves allows both you and your horse to enjoy being on the trail. The terrain on which a horse lives is part of the conditioning. The terrain should resemble the surfaces that you wish to ride on. If you ride on soft surfaces, such as grass or sand, the terrain is not important. If you want a horse with all- terrain feet so it can be ridden on tough ground, it's terrain should include some rough ground. To ride on rocks,  your horse must live and walk on rocks. 

If space is limited or you board your horse, you can still stimulate them mentally by providing toys or having them turnout with other horses for extended periods of time.  Horses are herd animals and just like humans, they depend on their friends and a little socialization.

Have no control over their living area, but still want to go barefoot?   Hoof boots can help keep your horse sound physically as well. Removing the shoes and letting them go barefoot will allow their circulation to function as nature intended. Hoof boots are perfect for providing protection, traction, and allowing your horse to travel in comfort. Hoof boots with comfort pads work  like nature as well. Comfort pads change the peripheral loading from the walls of the hoof, back to where nature intends it, the whole bottom of the foot. 

EasyCare Inc can help you determine the appropriate boot for your specific needs. Contact us with any question regarding the hoof boots. We can also direct you to our great library of educational links that will help you echo the wild.