Another factor that many people don't think about is that wild horses typically live to be about 10 years old, where as domesticated horses typically live to be about 25 years old. As the animals get much older the require more care and human intervention.
@@janeythompson1834 I don't know where these numbers are coming from, but they are way off. I fully expect to be riding my horses until they're 25 to 30 or more. The record for a horse's age is 52, but there have been many horses who've threatened that record. Good grief, the horses in the Olympics must be at least 9 years of age in order to compete. A horse aged 10 to 14 is in the prime of life, and not close to the end of life.
Forgot to mention how wild horses use certain terrain to wear down their feet. My aunt never had to shoe her horses because they had access to a river bed with lots of shale & flat rocks, so the horses would just use that to scrape their feet and were totally fine (Also worth mentioning; she didn’t ride her horses, so that could’ve also affected things)
@Smokey&Ella Barrel Racing none of the horses at the farm I rode at had them either just some of the fancy horses we would board and that’s mostly because they would race
I was thinking exactly this too. I have walked my dog almost every day and didn't have to clip his nails, because walking grinds them down. He lost one leg do to cancer, and we don't walk as much, and his nails now have to be clipped.
I don't quite get what your comment is trying to say? Shoes aren't used to wear down the hooves, only protect them. The reason you need to trim the hooves is because _with shoes_ they _don't_ wear down and so you need to manually keep them at an appropriate length. Terrain does play a role in why a domestic horse can go without shoes so that might be what your aunt has talked about and you've just misunderstood why it matters? All terrain will wear down a horse's hooves but in wet environments, the hoof gets soft and very prone to splitting while in dry environments the hoof hardens instead, thus becoming more durable. The problem with grass, soil and mud isn't so much that it's soft but that it's moist so a rocky substrate like the riverbed you described is great since rocks are dry and won't submerge the hooves in moisture. Other environmental factors also matter as well as how the hoof is worn down so your aunt could've been explaining something else, this is just my best guess
Additionally, wild horses don't usually run around on roads, including cobblestone, cement, and/or asphalt. Most wild horses will be trying to roam around on dirt and grass, which tend to be less abrasive on their hooves. Plus, they are not trained to constantly work all day; wild horses will meander for grazing, and run only when survival is at stake, or they're just trying to play.
Mr. Thorn Pack, Your comment was the most intelligent response I have ever heard about Horses. It's refreshing to see there are still people like your self out there. GOD Bless. 💪
Wild horses actually do travel across rocky terrains all the time, and that’s what really helps their hooves to file down naturally. The rocky terrain plus the amount of miles they travel per day naturally file their hooves so they don’t need trims or shoes. If you’ve ever seen a horse pawing on a concrete ground, I’m sure you’ve seen where they’ve managed to file off some of their own hoof
The surface they walk on is the biggest factor, I'm surprised he didnt mention it. My neighbors knew jack shit about horses, got some thinking itll be fun. Took one riding on poorly secured sadles down the road. Hoof cracked really bad (i think there was damage before this ride, but im not much of a horse person myself so i dont really know) horse freaked out and ended up killing his rider. His saddle slid as the horse freaked out, and he got his head stepped on.
Just to clear some things up… 1. Not all domestic horses have shoes. Typically shoes are added at the recommendation of a vet or farrier for medical reasons or because of the work a horse is in (ex: traveling rocky terrain often would typically mean shoes for a horse that seems to have trouble handling it without shoes). Most equestrians agree that it’s best for both the horse and your wallet to avoid shoes if possible, but sometimes they’re necessary. Some horses also only have shoes on their front feet and not on their back while other horses have shoes on all four feet. 2. All domestic horses still have their feet trimmed. The reason wild horses don’t need their feet trimmed is because they travel enough to wear down their feet on their own, but it’s nearly impossible for domestic horses to do that because most people don’t have 40 miles of pasture to let their horses traverse and graze in daily. Riding does not wear their feet down enough to skip getting a hoof trim. I’m not discounting or contradicting anything said in this video, just adding some extra information for anyone who’s interested!
Yeah my grandpa's ponies don't have shoes - so we try to not ride them on asphalt roads, only dirt track, so it's not uncomfortable for them/wear their hooves down too much
@@5castles893 think about it? I’ve always knew what they were for so I wouldn’t have the same thought process. You can hear horses without shoes too just not as loud.
This guy looks goofy with that hat on his head any way , I never rode my horse on concrete or on gravel road an I didn't ride a horse with a saddle on his back either
I had a horse as an adolescent and young teenager. She was 3/4 Quarter Horse and 1/4 Arabian. I only rode a couple hours a week. Sometimes on pavement; sometimes on grass/dirt. We never shoed her. We did have a ferrier trim her hooves a few times a year. She was an awesome horse. I miss her 😢
We had a horse that came from a herd of wild mustangs and he was the only horse that would out of no where just go booking it full sprint across the field atleast once a day, I began to notice after awhile that his hooves were always well shaped rather than getting to long or uneven they were always chipped to near perfection. He was fixing his hooves by getting the zoomies 😂😂😂
My cows live on turf year round and do the same thing. Their hooves are chipped perfectly. I rarely have to fix a hoof, but the other big dairies with cows inside have to have the trimmer come regularly.
@@baconsuzy Yeah, unfortunately, most of the places people live aren't really well suited for keeping cattle outside year-round. Up where I live, doing that would result in a herd of cowcicles. Lots of people keep their herds outside as much as possible, but that still leaves almost half the year when it's just not safe.
Plus in addition to the genetics that lead to better hoves the walking and running on hard ground toughens the hoof. Folks who adopt mustangs from out west note that their feet are like iron when they get them but in a year the feet are just like all the other horses in their area.
Well sort of right , as a professional farrier with 25yrs experience i would explain it like this . If a horse is wearing down his natural hoof faster then he can grow new hoof doing domestic duties . Then the horse will require shoe protection . You can ride horses barefoot with no problems , it’s not the weight it’s the wear factor .
Yeah but you got to remember when you start adding shoes to their feet especially Young Horses their heels contract and their frog gets smaller and that's the pump for the blood to the heart so you just cutting down on your running /riding time if you keep putting shoes on them so you should be like the standardbred guys and breed your horses with no white feet & no white legs and you can run them without shoes if you have to and they run on some pretty hard Survices those Trotters and Pacers the same as them wild Mustangs so it's not all in the wear factor it's somewhat in the breeding Factor but if you work with thoroughbreds and racehorses nobody looks at their feet, so so this old Gal blower $ 8 million on a filly in her last work before she raced her feet were so bad she fractures a seismoid and breaks her neck when she goes down so she made her money with the insurance company but nobody explained to the proprietor the possibly her feet were not in the best of shape and putting a shoe on them didn't fix it and that poor ole woman lost 8 million dollars!!!
Though extra weight would add to the wear factor, it just might not be enough to require shoes depending on other variables like the hardness of that particular horse's hooves and the kind of surface the horse is walking on.
@@LifeintheWest What horses would be comfortable with a really stocky build guys riding on top. I am 5 foot 9 260 pounds I have a little bit of gut because I am a powerlifter.
That is somewhat true but the most important thing is terrain and exercise. Horses that live in hard, dry, rocky environments get harder feet. The same horse’s feet will become soft during a wet spring, and rock hard in a dry summer and fall. Horses’ feet adapt, just like ours. For the most part they generally don’t need steel shoes nailed to their hooves.
It doesn't say so but wild horses can 'naturally' take the older growth off the bottom of his hoof, by it wearing down on rocks.. of course a penned up horse (aka their movement is restricted) his hooves keep growing & you trim their hooves if they're domesticated with clippers and files just like we do our nails... or it would be like never trimming your nails and never having anything to file them off. I think the wild horses file their hooves with rocks ..that's what I'm saying
They do get worn down over time, but not that much. Horses in the wild only live about half as long as horses in captivity, so they don’t have as much time to get out of control.
Thank you, ur explanation is right his is not. Cause with that said why don’t tamed horses naturally get harder hooves or be bread to have harder hooves eliminating the need for shoes 🤷🏾♂️
@@kash32289 I think hooves are like fingernails or hair ..they just continually grow so it wouldn't matter how hard they are (by breeding ( I think it's diet too) some people have hard nails, they still have to trim them and file them.. and I don't know the stuff about wild horses because I personally observed it.. somebody I know who is a horse aficionado told me that, and I believe it. I've never seen a horse or any pictures of wild horses that had overgrown hooves 🙂
That's because your horse has been bred with bad hooves. Not every single domestic horse needs shoes. If you take them off and let nature do it's bit, your horses feet will slowly toughen up and you'll no longer need them. The only thing with domestic horses is that because of the field led lives, they don't travel for dozens of miles looking for food so don't wear them down. They will need trimming and bringing back into balance by a farrier, or if you know your stuff, by yourself. I had my heavyweight piebald cob unshod for most of his life and he did just fine. I even rode him 4 to 5 days a week for an hour or two unshod with no problems. My new horse is a tb, but I'm told he won't cope being unshod on his fronts. Because tbs have notoriously bad feet. But in the long run after his feet have toughened up a bit, maybe they'll get stronger.
@@SarahJSwift maybe they will. I normally only shoe the front hooves on my horses. This particular horse just can't make it without, but its also very rocky where I live. Ive had a few that ive been able to get tough enough to go without, but this horse just can't get there.
@@dalew.6321 that's generally the case. So many people have bred badly, and there's way too many horses with bad confirmation and hooves etc. Unfortunately here in the uk, some of those with bad confirmation actually get placed in shows, if you can believe that. If it's a mare, soon enough they'll breed from her and claim fantastic breeding and many wins etc for the sale. Some breeds like tbs are notorious, as are Irish draughts, and quite a few European warmbloods. They usually have feet too small for the size and have problems with navicular etc. My old boy had double walled hooves, and double mane, tail, coat, double the amount of grease, and was diagnosed with seborrheia oleosa, with hyperkeratosis at the back of his legs due to heavy feathering. Due to this, anytime he was shod in his life, he would more than likely lose a shoe within 4 weeks. Because the nails would go through the area where the second wall was loosely attached. Until the farrier figured it out and then he could keep them on for double. Because of the double wall, his feet were massive. But they were very very strong and hard wearing. His breed was Welsh cob X percheron. Big boned and a very hardy sort. I miss the cheeky sod.
I actually really love how you describe the differences in horse hooves through natsel… And people say that we don’t have any modern examples of evolution… Thank you kindly for the information sir. it was truly a delight.
Surprisingly I have pondered this very subject a time or two and figured that was the reason we started the practice of "shoeing" our horses. Wasn't sure though and now I am thanx to ya sharing some of your knowledge with us thank you sir.
I think it’s kind of like their hooves toughen up getting use the terrain. When I was a kid I would go barefoot all the time. It didn’t hurt, but now I don’t go barefoot very much,and it hurts too, plus I’m heavier.
@@dandymom1709 No they pump blood every time they step. Many horse people are going shoeless as we learn more about the biomechanics of the hoof. It is so important for the hoof to be able to flex.
@@downhomesunset but if the horse is a working horse walking on pavement/concrete similar material daily soon there's no natural hoof left, same for horses walking on small gravel roads, so the shoe protects the hoof and doesn't let gravel penetrate between the hoof wall and create sores and white line separations. I'm sure it would be beneficial for the horse to have that natural flexibility it's less stress for the feet to be shoed in many circumstances. Of course also need good a farrier that actually metalworks the shoes to properly fit the horses natural hoof shape. I follow horse and cow hoofcare channels and that's what I've learned from that. Same shoe logic applies to people too tbh, if your shoes are bad and don't fit your personal foot shape and padding needs, shoebox wideness you're more likely to have foot problems. So if you have wider feet too narrow shoes can cause bunions, not enough padding and you might develop callouses so thick to cause extra pain etc.
The heavier part is the main thing. I go barefoot a lot, and some spots are no go, just because I am heavier than I was when I could walk those same areas. Carrying something heavy really highlights this.
@@erinhayes8552 agree. Natural trim, when done the right way, helps to prevent any difficulties with hooves. Unless a horse has some desease in the hoofe, people should avoid using shoes
Excellent! Ive said this for many years. I used to tell owners exactly same thing. Ive told folks they didnt need shoeing their horses if not needed .Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School grad 1980
I had a pony when I was growing up had the hardest feet. I rode him daily gravel road or wherever absolutely no problem never chipped or cracked or got tender. Not all horses need shoes but most would benefit from them
Also worth noting shoeing can be incredibly harmful in invisible ways. A horses hoof is just like our feet, in that it stretches, bends, and can feel the ground. When you put shoes on a horse you take that away from them which can lead to internal stresses and the horse possibly struggling more to find good footing.
I remember the film In Pursuit of Honor, there was a scene where a lot of the horses had to be put down because their hooves were split through, including the main character's. It was a really emotional scene with limited dialogue.
Thank you for that information. My question how can you tell when a saddle has wore out to where it is hurting the animal. Thank you for sharing the information Feed me more. And your last video with the homestead I agree with you government has killed the little man. All because of the big guy LOL not funny but LOL Feed me more
To be fair, I would say that a horse that has to carry a human on a small strip of metal may be more difficult than one that has to carry a human with shock absorbing feet. But still, some horses are in areas where they technically need shoes with humans, and some aren’t.
There's a lot of people that want to go natural no shoes they put a steel bit and the horse's mouth to put a heavy saddle on his back and I've always seen these people with boots on and then they wonder why the horses feet get worn down shoes are to protect the foot from wearing down when people get on their backs
An additional factor is domestic horses get to have a hybrid lifestyle, often walking on street/asphalt as well as dirt. Wild horses mostly walk on dirt.
I used to work at a horse ranch where the domestic horses were mostly only ridden by small children on soft ground. The only time they got shoed was if they were going to be in a parade and walking on the hard ball.
You have explained what evolution is? Very simple and easy explanation for a lot of people who have misunderstandings of evolution through natural selection.
A hoof orthopedic told me once that the massive amount of movement is enough for wild horses to keep their hoofs trimmed, hard and small as opposed to domestic horses, who often have problems with hoofs overgrowing into disabling shapes.
Another factor that many people don't think about is that wild horses typically live to be about 10 years old, where as domesticated horses typically live to be about 25 years old. As the animals get much older the require more care and human intervention.
15 years is a more accurate lifespan of horses in the wild
I'll Google it but I'm thinking 15+ years is about what a domestic horse lives
@@janeythompson1834 horses often live into their twenties as domestic horses
@@janeythompson1834 I don't know where these numbers are coming from, but they are way off. I fully expect to be riding my horses until they're 25 to 30 or more. The record for a horse's age is 52, but there have been many horses who've threatened that record. Good grief, the horses in the Olympics must be at least 9 years of age in order to compete. A horse aged 10 to 14 is in the prime of life, and not close to the end of life.
I google it it's says wild horse can live 15 to 20 and domestic horse can live 25 to 30 😀
Forgot to mention how wild horses use certain terrain to wear down their feet. My aunt never had to shoe her horses because they had access to a river bed with lots of shale & flat rocks, so the horses would just use that to scrape their feet and were totally fine
(Also worth mentioning; she didn’t ride her horses, so that could’ve also affected things)
WoWy!!!
Cool to know bout River…
been watching farriers sawing off gigantic hoofs was ?
But know they must have been caged….
@Smokey&Ella Barrel Racing none of the horses at the farm I rode at had them either just some of the fancy horses we would board and that’s mostly because they would race
I saw wild horses as a kid and they were a lot smaller than domestic horses. So I'd assume that helps a lot.
I was thinking exactly this too. I have walked my dog almost every day and didn't have to clip his nails, because walking grinds them down. He lost one leg do to cancer, and we don't walk as much, and his nails now have to be clipped.
I don't quite get what your comment is trying to say? Shoes aren't used to wear down the hooves, only protect them. The reason you need to trim the hooves is because _with shoes_ they _don't_ wear down and so you need to manually keep them at an appropriate length.
Terrain does play a role in why a domestic horse can go without shoes so that might be what your aunt has talked about and you've just misunderstood why it matters? All terrain will wear down a horse's hooves but in wet environments, the hoof gets soft and very prone to splitting while in dry environments the hoof hardens instead, thus becoming more durable. The problem with grass, soil and mud isn't so much that it's soft but that it's moist so a rocky substrate like the riverbed you described is great since rocks are dry and won't submerge the hooves in moisture. Other environmental factors also matter as well as how the hoof is worn down so your aunt could've been explaining something else, this is just my best guess
Additionally, wild horses don't usually run around on roads, including cobblestone, cement, and/or asphalt. Most wild horses will be trying to roam around on dirt and grass, which tend to be less abrasive on their hooves. Plus, they are not trained to constantly work all day; wild horses will meander for grazing, and run only when survival is at stake, or they're just trying to play.
Mr. Thorn Pack, Your comment was the most intelligent response I have ever heard about Horses. It's refreshing to see there are still people like your self out there. GOD Bless. 💪
Meander
Wild horses actually do travel across rocky terrains all the time, and that’s what really helps their hooves to file down naturally. The rocky terrain plus the amount of miles they travel per day naturally file their hooves so they don’t need trims or shoes. If you’ve ever seen a horse pawing on a concrete ground, I’m sure you’ve seen where they’ve managed to file off some of their own hoof
The surface they walk on is the biggest factor, I'm surprised he didnt mention it.
My neighbors knew jack shit about horses, got some thinking itll be fun. Took one riding on poorly secured sadles down the road. Hoof cracked really bad (i think there was damage before this ride, but im not much of a horse person myself so i dont really know) horse freaked out and ended up killing his rider. His saddle slid as the horse freaked out, and he got his head stepped on.
Might wanna learn something , you even know what a horse looks like
Just to clear some things up…
1. Not all domestic horses have shoes. Typically shoes are added at the recommendation of a vet or farrier for medical reasons or because of the work a horse is in (ex: traveling rocky terrain often would typically mean shoes for a horse that seems to have trouble handling it without shoes). Most equestrians agree that it’s best for both the horse and your wallet to avoid shoes if possible, but sometimes they’re necessary. Some horses also only have shoes on their front feet and not on their back while other horses have shoes on all four feet.
2. All domestic horses still have their feet trimmed. The reason wild horses don’t need their feet trimmed is because they travel enough to wear down their feet on their own, but it’s nearly impossible for domestic horses to do that because most people don’t have 40 miles of pasture to let their horses traverse and graze in daily. Riding does not wear their feet down enough to skip getting a hoof trim.
I’m not discounting or contradicting anything said in this video, just adding some extra information for anyone who’s interested!
Thank-you very educational 🙂
Yes and I found this very interesting
Old saying: the way to make a small fortune raising horses is to start with a large fortune.
Yeah my grandpa's ponies don't have shoes - so we try to not ride them on asphalt roads, only dirt track, so it's not uncomfortable for them/wear their hooves down too much
Thanks. I always wondered about that.
I realize I totally misunderstood why horses need shoes. Now I know 👍
Same. Thanks for the continuing education!
You mind telling me what you thought they were for out of curiosity?
He thought it was so you could hear them c#ming......think about it
@@5castles893 think about it? I’ve always knew what they were for so I wouldn’t have the same thought process. You can hear horses without shoes too just not as loud.
Domestic horses don't *need* shoes either.
All the horses we get to see in your videos are in top condition. Shiny coats, good weight, hooves in good order. They are calm. Very well cared for.
Does anyone know the breed of that horse
really even tempered too.
I forget how people forget that nature isn't all roses and daisies
"Everyone should grow up on a farm" - my dad
A wise man - Your dad
I agree
Ah yes.. now I finally understand the meaning of that ‘soft-foot’ insult a wild horse once gave me
BAHAHAHAHA 😂
That was funny x
“Do wild horses need shoes?”
*pans over to horse in some fresh ass Nikes*
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Nice !!
Not RED ones?
- WTH is it with people and red 'running' shoes? IMHO they look silly._
@@jabberwocky1707red goes faster
This guy looks goofy with that hat on his head any way , I never rode my horse on concrete or on gravel road an I didn't ride a horse with a saddle on his back either
My hoarse never had shoes. He was aWild boy at heart.lived 20 years happy. Rip Jrboy
I asked myself this exact question years ago, but never thought I'd randomly stumble across a video that would give me the answer!
I'm a wild horse... I don't wear no stinking shoes. 🐎 👟
Hahahahaha
😂😂😂🥰
Nay, no shoes.
Your grammar is perfect 👍
Had two wasps and a cow-killer let me know that free footin' was a bad choice.
I had a horse as an adolescent and young teenager. She was 3/4 Quarter Horse and 1/4 Arabian. I only rode a couple hours a week. Sometimes on pavement; sometimes on grass/dirt. We never shoed her. We did have a ferrier trim her hooves a few times a year. She was an awesome horse. I miss her 😢
I'm sorry but 3/4 of a quarter horse got me grinnin, because I'm thinking of the math. 😅
U were lucky having a horse because now a days only the rich rides a horse
@@SikandarKhan-yn5tf 🤣 no, hard working people own horses too. I have 5 and I am so far from rich.
@@thesingleequestrian413 hahaha bro in my country if u have a horse instead of a Ferrari u r considered rich
@@SikandarKhan-yn5tf ok I got ya. All sorts of people own them here.
We had a horse that came from a herd of wild mustangs and he was the only horse that would out of no where just go booking it full sprint across the field atleast once a day, I began to notice after awhile that his hooves were always well shaped rather than getting to long or uneven they were always chipped to near perfection. He was fixing his hooves by getting the zoomies 😂😂😂
My cows live on turf year round and do the same thing. Their hooves are chipped perfectly. I rarely have to fix a hoof, but the other big dairies with cows inside have to have the trimmer come regularly.
This is correct.
I always wondered about that.
@@baconsuzy Yeah, unfortunately, most of the places people live aren't really well suited for keeping cattle outside year-round. Up where I live, doing that would result in a herd of cowcicles. Lots of people keep their herds outside as much as possible, but that still leaves almost half the year when it's just not safe.
Exactly!! Because animals are fully capable of taking care of themselves once we domesticated them they become dependent on us.
I love this kinda CZcams content - answering questions we didn’t know we had!
Im going to use the line “X works under a different process, called natural selection” from now on. Love the clip too!
Plus in addition to the genetics that lead to better hoves the walking and running on hard ground toughens the hoof. Folks who adopt mustangs from out west note that their feet are like iron when they get them but in a year the feet are just like all the other horses in their area.
No, that's not true.
He's gonna have a line of horses around the block wanting to get shoes after this.
Very well put and informative. People are interested in nature!!
Thanks for answering the question I had playing in my head for a long while now!🤠
I've long wondered that myself.
"GOOGLE GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!"
I know! Always thought but never googled!😄
Well sort of right , as a professional farrier with 25yrs experience i would explain it like this . If a horse is wearing down his natural hoof faster then he can grow new hoof doing domestic duties . Then the horse will require shoe protection . You can ride horses barefoot with no problems , it’s not the weight it’s the wear factor .
Thank you so much! I was hoping for someone to give a better explanation :D
Who has better explanation on horseshoes than a farrier. Thanks
So true!
Yeah but you got to remember when you start adding shoes to their feet especially Young Horses their heels contract and their frog gets smaller and that's the pump for the blood to the heart so you just cutting down on your running
/riding time if you keep putting shoes on them so you should be like the standardbred guys and breed your horses with no white feet & no white legs and you can run them without shoes if you have to and they run on some pretty hard Survices those Trotters and Pacers the same as them wild Mustangs so it's not all in the wear factor it's somewhat in the breeding Factor but if you work with thoroughbreds and racehorses nobody looks at their feet, so so this old Gal blower $ 8 million on a filly in her last work before she raced her feet were so bad she fractures a seismoid and breaks her neck when she goes down so she made her money with the insurance company but nobody explained to the proprietor the possibly her feet were not in the best of shape and putting a shoe on them didn't fix it and that poor ole woman lost 8 million dollars!!!
Though extra weight would add to the wear factor, it just might not be enough to require shoes depending on other variables like the hardness of that particular horse's hooves and the kind of surface the horse is walking on.
Finally an answer to a question I've had since I was a kid.
Been a question for me for a long time. Thank you for the info.
I always wondered about that....thanks!!!
You are welcome.
Same here...I wondered about American natives who rode horses without shoes....
I'm still a bit doubtful...
@@LifeintheWest What horses would be comfortable with a really stocky build guys riding on top. I am 5 foot 9 260 pounds I have a little bit of gut because I am a powerlifter.
That is somewhat true but the most important thing is terrain and exercise. Horses that live in hard, dry, rocky environments get harder feet. The same horse’s feet will become soft during a wet spring, and rock hard in a dry summer and fall. Horses’ feet adapt, just like ours. For the most part they generally don’t need steel shoes nailed to their hooves.
Dude just described the process of evolution, a infamously slow process, as "pretty soon." 😂
Questions i didn’t know i needed answers for. ❤
😂😂. Glad I could help.
@@LifeintheWest It’s now logged under Equine Facts in my mind palace.
My thoughts exactly ❤
Thanks for your very interesting videos, Trinity !!
Love your vids. You make city slickers feel ok about asking questions like this! I miss being on the farm and out in the fresh air.
not a country guy but always wondered this. thanks for the post
It doesn't say so but wild horses can 'naturally' take the older growth off the bottom of his hoof, by it wearing down on rocks.. of course a penned up horse (aka their movement is restricted) his hooves keep growing & you trim their hooves if they're domesticated with clippers and files just like we do our nails... or it would be like never trimming your nails and never having anything to file them off. I think the wild horses file their hooves with rocks ..that's what I'm saying
They do get worn down over time, but not that much. Horses in the wild only live about half as long as horses in captivity, so they don’t have as much time to get out of control.
Thank you, ur explanation is right his is not. Cause with that said why don’t tamed horses naturally get harder hooves or be bread to have harder hooves eliminating the need for shoes 🤷🏾♂️
@@kash32289 I think hooves are like fingernails or hair ..they just continually grow so it wouldn't matter how hard they are (by breeding ( I think it's diet too) some people have hard nails, they still have to trim them and file them.. and I don't know the stuff about wild horses because I personally observed it.. somebody I know who is a horse aficionado told me that, and I believe it. I've never seen a horse or any pictures of wild horses that had overgrown hooves 🙂
@@janeythompson1834 true I see what ur saying, but he just explained how natural selection breeded that out
@@kash32289 that's something in the species you can't breed fingernails not to grow... No
Holy sh1t I was thinking about this at 3am after watching Yellowstone! Thank you
God I love when people embrace how cool the science in their jobs can be
Thank you, Sir. I've always wondered that.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom ❤
I know a few people who need to hear this. I have a horse that wouldn't make it down the driveway without shoes and a rider on.
Yep.
That's because your horse has been bred with bad hooves. Not every single domestic horse needs shoes. If you take them off and let nature do it's bit, your horses feet will slowly toughen up and you'll no longer need them. The only thing with domestic horses is that because of the field led lives, they don't travel for dozens of miles looking for food so don't wear them down. They will need trimming and bringing back into balance by a farrier, or if you know your stuff, by yourself. I had my heavyweight piebald cob unshod for most of his life and he did just fine. I even rode him 4 to 5 days a week for an hour or two unshod with no problems. My new horse is a tb, but I'm told he won't cope being unshod on his fronts. Because tbs have notoriously bad feet. But in the long run after his feet have toughened up a bit, maybe they'll get stronger.
@@SarahJSwift maybe they will. I normally only shoe the front hooves on my horses. This particular horse just can't make it without, but its also very rocky where I live. Ive had a few that ive been able to get tough enough to go without, but this horse just can't get there.
@@dalew.6321 that's generally the case. So many people have bred badly, and there's way too many horses with bad confirmation and hooves etc. Unfortunately here in the uk, some of those with bad confirmation actually get placed in shows, if you can believe that. If it's a mare, soon enough they'll breed from her and claim fantastic breeding and many wins etc for the sale. Some breeds like tbs are notorious, as are Irish draughts, and quite a few European warmbloods. They usually have feet too small for the size and have problems with navicular etc. My old boy had double walled hooves, and double mane, tail, coat, double the amount of grease, and was diagnosed with seborrheia oleosa, with hyperkeratosis at the back of his legs due to heavy feathering. Due to this, anytime he was shod in his life, he would more than likely lose a shoe within 4 weeks. Because the nails would go through the area where the second wall was loosely attached. Until the farrier figured it out and then he could keep them on for double. Because of the double wall, his feet were massive. But they were very very strong and hard wearing. His breed was Welsh cob X percheron. Big boned and a very hardy sort. I miss the cheeky sod.
@@SarahJSwift I had a horse who would pry her shoes off on a fence. Doing a lot of damage in the process.
I actually really love how you describe the differences in horse hooves through natsel…
And people say that we don’t have any modern examples of evolution…
Thank you kindly for the information sir. it was truly a delight.
I've often wonder this over my life span of six decades. Truly, we learn something every day. Thank You for the long awaited education.
Wild horses don’t typically run on manmade surfaces too, they tend to stay on the softer running courses 😅
Really great info as always. Thank you for your time man. You don’t have to put out this content but we appreciate that you do. 🎉
You bet. Love doing it.
Wow, have to show this vid to the wild horse that always comes to our store asking for shoes. Thanks! 👍🏻
Thankyou. I actually wondered about their hooves in the wild. I love your program.
He's got HARD hooves, he's got HARD hooves. He's got 'hot apple pie in the sky' hooves...
LOVE this episode. More horse owners need to hear
Except that horses only need shoes in certain situations- not the norm. People just wanna shoe their horses for some reason.
Surprisingly I have pondered this very subject a time or two and figured that was the reason we started the practice of "shoeing" our horses. Wasn't sure though and now I am thanx to ya sharing some of your knowledge with us thank you sir.
I met a couple of distinguished wild horses who did use shoes - Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelieu shoes, in fact- but only for formal dinner parties.
Thank you for answering that question. I ask that about 2 wks ago. It's something I've never thought about until I started watching your videos
I think it’s kind of like their hooves toughen up getting use the terrain. When I was a kid I would go barefoot all the time. It didn’t hurt, but now I don’t go barefoot very much,and it hurts too, plus I’m heavier.
Hooves are basically toenails. It is mostly genetics the same way our toenails are.
@@dandymom1709 No they pump blood every time they step. Many horse people are going shoeless as we learn more about the biomechanics of the hoof. It is so important for the hoof to be able to flex.
@@downhomesunset but if the horse is a working horse walking on pavement/concrete similar material daily soon there's no natural hoof left, same for horses walking on small gravel roads, so the shoe protects the hoof and doesn't let gravel penetrate between the hoof wall and create sores and white line separations.
I'm sure it would be beneficial for the horse to have that natural flexibility it's less stress for the feet to be shoed in many circumstances. Of course also need good a farrier that actually metalworks the shoes to properly fit the horses natural hoof shape. I follow horse and cow hoofcare channels and that's what I've learned from that.
Same shoe logic applies to people too tbh, if your shoes are bad and don't fit your personal foot shape and padding needs, shoebox wideness you're more likely to have foot problems. So if you have wider feet too narrow shoes can cause bunions, not enough padding and you might develop callouses so thick to cause extra pain etc.
@@downhomesunset the frog pumps the blood. The hoof capsule is keratin like your nails and hair
The heavier part is the main thing. I go barefoot a lot, and some spots are no go, just because I am heavier than I was when I could walk those same areas. Carrying something heavy really highlights this.
I always wondered about this but never looked it up! Thank you!!
I've been wondering this for so long but was too lazy to look it up. Now YT recommends it to me.
It is important to say that some domesticated horses can go all their lifes without shoes 😇
Both my two horses ate barefoot. No problems. I do have a farrier trim and check their hooves regularly.
My mare never wore shoes
My 5 yr old gelding has never had shoes, nor will he.
@@erinhayes8552 agree. Natural trim, when done the right way, helps to prevent any difficulties with hooves. Unless a horse has some desease in the hoofe, people should avoid using shoes
@@erinhayes8552 just emptied his sack with no regard smh
Wow, never knew that and thank you for educating me.
Never thought I’d see the day where a man in a cowboy hat explained the basic principle behind evolution to me
Okay I am in love with all your all of your horses
Excellent! Ive said this for many years. I used to tell owners exactly same thing. Ive told folks they didnt need shoeing their horses if not needed .Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School grad 1980
Thank you your really a great font of info
When we choose to breed horses we need to breed the healthiest to the healthiest. Don't purposely breed horses with bad feet or bad legs etc.
Yes please! Pretty doesn't matter a whit if the horse ain't healthy.
Same can be said for dogs. The pug and chihuahua need to bred out of existence
@@jamesonrosen1773 Pugs. old english bulldogs, frenchies...basically all the brachiocephalic dogs... need to go.
Well they think they can always put a shoe on them and correct the problem but that isn't always so & the old adage is: "no foot no horse"!
I had a pony when I was growing up had the hardest feet. I rode him daily gravel road or wherever absolutely no problem never chipped or cracked or got tender. Not all horses need shoes but most would benefit from them
"They are not carrying humans." Laughed at that for some reason. Makes sense. I grew up riding them and they are majestic animals.
Also worth noting shoeing can be incredibly harmful in invisible ways. A horses hoof is just like our feet, in that it stretches, bends, and can feel the ground. When you put shoes on a horse you take that away from them which can lead to internal stresses and the horse possibly struggling more to find good footing.
I don't know what you call them metal things. All of my horses wear Jordans!
Thank you! Thank you! I'll see myself out now 😂
Cute cute lol
Dude is living the good life.
Cowboy bob pulling out natural selection like he just discovered the internet
I have always wondered about that. Thx for sharing!
Man I love this short he explained why horses need shoes and how natural selection works, I liked that allot !
"Wild horses,
Couldn't drag me away.
Wild, wild horses,
Couldn't drag me away."
Ain't got no traction
Gino Vanelli.
Thank you! I have always wondered how wild horses took care of their hooves.
I remember the film In Pursuit of Honor, there was a scene where a lot of the horses had to be put down because their hooves were split through, including the main character's. It was a really emotional scene with limited dialogue.
I always wondered why wild horses didn't need shoes. Now I know. Thanks from NYC!
Very interesting 🤔
Cool lesson thank you and thank God for Wild Horses 🙏🐴
I always wondered about that, thank you for answering that person's question
Thank you for that information. My question how can you tell when a saddle has wore out to where it is hurting the animal. Thank you for sharing the information Feed me more. And your last video with the homestead I agree with you government has killed the little man. All because of the big guy LOL not funny but LOL Feed me more
If the saddle is hurting the horse :) it'll let you know, by throwing your ass on the ground.
To be fair, I would say that a horse that has to carry a human on a small strip of metal may be more difficult than one that has to carry a human with shock absorbing feet. But still, some horses are in areas where they technically need shoes with humans, and some aren’t.
Great info! I’d always wondered about that very fact! Thank you!
Very interesting video! I've always wondered about this. Thanks for sharing this video with us 👍 🐴
There's a lot of people that want to go natural no shoes they put a steel bit and the horse's mouth to put a heavy saddle on his back and I've always seen these people with boots on and then they wonder why the horses feet get worn down shoes are to protect the foot from wearing down when people get on their backs
Thank you for answering that-I always wondered
Thanks! I've been wondering this!
An additional factor is domestic horses get to have a hybrid lifestyle, often walking on street/asphalt as well as dirt. Wild horses mostly walk on dirt.
I used to work at a horse ranch where the domestic horses were mostly only ridden by small children on soft ground. The only time they got shoed was if they were going to be in a parade and walking on the hard ball.
Very great info! Keep up the great work❤
Thank you sir for the education!!!!!🤘I had no idea.
Thank you, always wondered the answer to that question.
I remember seeing a skeleton of a horse in a museum once and was floored to discover that they only have 4 toes....on their whole body.
Cleanest cowboy I have ever seen
That's like asking if a Bison needs a coat.
Thank You. I always wondered about that.
Never gave it a thought, but it really makes sense! 😊
I always wondered this thank you!!!
That’s so informative , thanks
Most of the time my old mare had front shoes but no rear ones. In the winter she had all four in snowshoes w/spikes.
Thanks for the information blessings chief
I’ve wondered this my whole entire life! Thank you 😊
Do not believe everything you see on the internet, most of what he said is total bs
They aren't wild, They are feral domesticated horses.
You have explained what evolution is? Very simple and easy explanation for a lot of people who have misunderstandings of evolution through natural selection.
I always wondered this thanks for the info.
A hoof orthopedic told me once that the massive amount of movement is enough for wild horses to keep their hoofs trimmed, hard and small as opposed to domestic horses, who often have problems with hoofs overgrowing into disabling shapes.
That "pretty fast" is about 6million years of evolution
I love how you explain evolution. Kudos