Why Don't Feral Horses Need Trimming?
Horses were on this earth long before man developed tools to trim their feet. How did they manage to avoid crippling foot problems? The answer is exercise, and plenty of it. It has been estimated that wild horses cover a minimum of 20 miles a day, far more than any domesticated horse does. That much exercise will cause excess dead wall to chip off or be worn down. This process is called "self-trimming."
Minerals Help Grow and Repair Tissue
Adequate and balanced mineral intake is critical to the repair and growth of all tissues. There is no single mineral that adds to hoof quality more than another. The important thing to remember about minerals is that more is not better. If the diet is adequate, excess minerals won't help and may actually cause problems. The solution to mineral problems that might be influencing the feet is simply to get the whole diet balanced. Otherwise, it's pure guesswork.
Zinc is a common ingredient in hoof supplements, but it's not because of some special affect it will have on the foot. It's because zinc is a common dietary deficiency. So is copper, which is crucial for the formation of connective tissue. Be suspicious of zinc and copper deficiencies if you begin to see reddish/rusty discoloration of dark hairs.
Biotin is a B vitamin commonly used in hoof supplements. This is based on some equine studies that found improved growth and hoof quality, although to varying degrees. Since biotin is important for the health of skin and coat as well, this isn't too surprising. The usual dose is 10 to 20 mg/day. If the horse is also being heavily worked or on a high-grain diet (pasture and hay are the major sources of B vitamins in a horse's diet), supplementation with a multiple B vitamin may also help. In fact, a strong case could be made for vitamin C and vitamin A too. Once again, an adequate and properly balanced diet is the real answer and will virtually eliminate any hoof growth or quality issues that are tied to nutrition.
As mentioned above, the hoof's ability to retain its internal moisture and avoid excessive uptake of water is related to an outer barrier of fat. This is what gives healthy hooves a slight sheen. The horse can manufacture all the various types of fat he needs (triglycerides, cholesterol, etc.) from other materials in the body. There is no dietary required level of fat, except for the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that the body cannot manufacture itself. Requirements have not been firmly established, but we can take our clue from the horse's natural food: fresh grass. Grasses have roughly 6% fat, and a ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 of at least 4:1.
When hay is cut, dried, and cured, the fragile omega-3 fatty acids are lost, as are some of the omega-6s.
Flax is the only commonly available high-fat supplement that contains the essential fatty acids in proportions similar to fresh grass. Supplementing with 4 to 6 ounces/day of ground flax seed will replace the lost fatty acids for horses that are not on fresh pasture.
Other Hoof Care Issues
There is much confusion about moisture and hoof health. Some say a wet environment is harmful and dry is better. Others say feet should be soaked every day. Still others say the worst thing for the hoof is going back and forth between wet and dry, as when hooves are exposed to moisture from dew then dry out over the day. The truth of the matter is that healthy horses' hooves are very adaptable to their environment. Arabians do splendidly in the harsh, dry desert, while the wild horses of the Camargue in France spend their time in marshlands.
While moisture-or the lack of it-gets blamed for a lot of hoof problems, the real culprit is usually nutrition or poor trimming practices. For example, going too long between trims sets the horse up for chipping and breaking. Rasping of the hoof capsule removes its moisture barrier. Failure to get the foot landing evenly leads to overloading of one side and improper breakover of the foot, increasing the risk of chipping and cracking.
When horses are kept under very dry conditions, their hooves naturally compensate by becoming very dense, to withstand the hard ground. This does make them difficult to trim, but there's actually nothing wrong with the feet. While most horses' feet are exposed to moisture in some form during the day, this is not necessary for the hoof to have a normal, healthy moisture level. The hoof is designed to keep outside moisture out and inside moisture in.
Domesticated horses may have more problems under constantly wet/muddy conditions than feral horses do simply because trimming the feet inevitably removes their protective layer. The horse's hoof may absorb more water than it normally would and the softer walls may spread more, leading to traction on the white line, even infection gaining access to the white line with the result of either white line disease or abscesses. However, keeping the feet well trimmed at all times is still far preferable to leaving them alone, since this will eliminate any stressful mechanical forces on the feet. If your horses have a dry area that they can go to for at least part of the day to allow the feet to dry out and mud to fall off, this should be adequate protection for their feet. If you're still having problems, a hoof sealant can be applied to areas that were rasped after the horse is trimmed.
Standing in manure or urine is another matter entirely. Unfortunately, few domesticated horses have enough room to move around to completely avoid getting manure packed into their feet. But if they can move around so that it dries and falls out, fine. Otherwise, thrush is likely to result. Horses that aren't loading their feet properly because of incorrect trim or a pain issue are at the highest risk. For this reason, picking out the feet on a daily basis-including a visual and "sniff" inspection for thrush or thrush odors-is important to maintain healthy feet.
Exercise is important to all parts of the horse, and the feet are no exception. When the horse's weight comes down through the hoof, the hoof naturally expands a bit and pops out any material packed into the foot. This action also leads to any excessive dead sole build up being shed. Exercise encourages good circulation, stimulates growth, and activates a thicker wall and frog and a denser digital cushion. However, the catch here is that these good things will only happen if you are providing a correct diet and the trim is allowing the hoof to function mechanically in the way it is supposed to function.
Finally, there are even more hoof lotions, potions, paints, and dressings than there are hoof supplements. But do you really need these things? If the hoof is properly nourished and trimmed, you won't even be considering the use of any of these products because you simply won't need them. However, if you're still in the process of getting your horse's feet healthy, they may be of some use to you.
