Skip to content

How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves (Updated 2024)

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves - Their hooves stay trimmed by the amount of travel they endure on a daily basis. According to TheHorse.com, "horses living in the wild tend to have the healthiest hooves because they are constantly on the move, covering great distances over varied terrain." This constant movement forces the horses' hooves to spread apart and wear down evenly. In contrast, domestic horses often have less-than-ideal hoof health because they are typically confined to stalls or paddocks and don't get enough exercise. As a result, their hooves become misshapen and can develop problems like cracks, chips, and abscesses. While it's important to provide domestic horses with regular hoof care, remember that nothing can replace the benefits of a good workout. So get out there and give your horse a chance to stretch his legs (and trim his hooves)!

How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves – As a general rule wild horses travel many miles every day. They traverse rough surfaces that naturally wear done (trims) their hooves. Wild horses are always out on the run. Wild horses cover long distances every day on tough gravel. The unfriendly terrains help in shaping hooves thus preventing overgrowing. Hooves grow faster and longer probably more than human nails. Domestic horses do not have such a large roaming range.

How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves?

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves? – Wild horses maintain their own hooves by moving many kilometers a day across a variety of surfaces. This keeps their hooves in good condition as the movement across abrasive surfaces wears (‘trims’) the hooves on a continual basis.

Unshod domestic horses rarely move enough to wear down their hooves correctly and the hooves of shod horses do not wear at all as horseshoes prevent any wear from occurring. How do Wild Horses Maintain Their Hooves/ in the Wild

Check Out Amazon’s Resources for Raising and Training Horses

While you have to trim the hooves of your domestic horse, the wild horse doesn’t need trimming. Wild horses are always out on the run. Wild horses cover long distances every day on tough gravel. The unfriendly terrains help in shaping hooves thus preventing overgrowing. Hooves grow faster and longer probably more than human nails.

Australia Wild Horses – wild horses

This happens faster in domestic horses because they are rarely moving. Even if they move, owners are always careful about where the horse will step. In this case, the growing hooves are never exposed to the hard ground for trimming.

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves – This is why you have to consistently visit the farrier. Wild horses in the wild cover miles and miles in a day and wear their hooves much more than domestic horses do even in a 24-hour turn out the situation in a field.

As the outer hard part wears down the inner soft sole absorbs more of the pressure and distributing it keeps the hoof from wearing down as quickly.

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves - How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves? Most people are unaware that horses trim their own hooves. It's a natural process that happens as they travel over different types of terrain. The amount of travel and the type of terrain play a big role in how often they need to have their hooves trimmed. For example, horses that live on soft pasture land won't need their hooves trimmed as often as those that live on rocky terrain. The same is true for horses that are used for riding or working; they'll need their hooves trimmed more often than those that are simply kept as pets. However, all horses need to have their hooves trimmed on a regular basis to prevent them from becoming overgrown or misshapen. Left untrimmed, hooves can crack and break, which can lead to pain and lameness. Therefore, it's important to have a qualified farrier trim your horse's hooves every six to eight weeks.
hoof care – wild horses – horse’s hooves

This keeps the whole foot from wearing down too much except in extreme situations like when a foal or young horse with softer and smaller hooves involves a Mustang Roundup wears too much of its feet away and becomes lame.

Do Wild Horses Need their Hooves Trimmed? (Trimming)

In the wild, horses have to walk on rough terrain and so their hooves are naturally worn down. They do not need to have them trimmed. A Horses Hoove grows depending on the type of terrain it is walking over. It may need to be trimmed every six months or so if being kept in a stable and not allowed out into grassy fields.

A Horse’s Hooves are made up of keratin, which grows continuously throughout their life just like human hair and fingernails – they have no blood supply and so the cells that die at the top of hooves are naturally replaced by new ones from below.

This process is called ‘Perosis’ and means that over time horses need to have their feet trimmed regularly because if left unchecked, it can cause pain and long-term damage to your horse’s legs.

How often Should Horses Hooves be Trimmed? ( Natural Hoof Care)

In domesticated situations where horses may not get a lot of exercise or opportunities to go through varied terrains, it is advised that their hooves be trimmed by a professional farrier every six-twelve weeks at least.

This will help prevent the horses from developing long toenails which can lead to a condition called laminitis. Trimming is not painful for the horse and is usually done while they are standing in their stall.

Trimming hooves on wild horses or feral horses can be more difficult because many of these animals do not have owners who care for them, so some may go years without being trimmed by a professional farrier. These types of horses tend to wander through areas that vary in terrain, which helps to keep their hooves at a healthy length.

Horse Hoof Frog (Wild Horse Hooves)

The sole of the horse in domestic horse also needs trimming although. The rubbery center called the frog generally is no longer considered to need trimming under most circumstances. Mustangs have thicker soles in general than your more pampered thoroughbreds for instance.

This is probably due to the type of use they get similar to the way your feet get tougher and thicker in the summer if you go barefoot often, but also because through breeds have worn shoes to protect their feet for generations and a Mustang with a weaker foot wouldn’t survive to breed.

See Our Guide – 10 Ways Horse Farmers Make Money

Why horses need shoes this needs to be clear, wild horses don’t need shoes, natural hoof care. They have natural protection against unfriendly terrains. When talking of horse hooves, it is about your horse in the stable, First, it is not used for long distances and hard gravel. Also, whenever it is carrying you, all the weight is exerted on the hooves.

US Wild Mustangs – horse’s hooves

Shoes help reduce the tension between the horse hooves and the ground. It is often strenuous for domestic horses because they only carry you or run for distances occasionally.

Additionally, domestic horses tend to have weaker hooves because of inadequate exercise and staying in damp grounds. While you might be doing your best to maintain the nutrition of your horse, there is a high likelihood you are missing some crucial nutritional components.

In such conditions, a horse would need shoes to protect it from splitting if you intend to ride on a hard surface for long. The splitting might not happen on the first day but continuous exposure to such environments without protection causes wear and tear that will eventually lead to hoof splitting.

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves - How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves? 
Their hooves stay trimmed by the amount of travel they do every day. Most horses in the wild will walk around 15-20 miles per day over different types of terrain. This exercise helps to keep their hooves healthy and strong. If a horse is not getting enough exercise, then their hooves can become too long and weak. This can lead to health problems and make it difficult for the horse to travel. So, if you want to keep your horse's hooves healthy, make sure they are getting plenty of exercise.
horse hooves / horse hoove / horses hooves

After How long should I go to the Farrier? (Horse Hooves)

Hooves need regular care – natural hoof care. First, you won’t like the sight of your horses with overgrown hooves. Besides, it affects walking, it might be uncomfortable to the point of pain. It is worse if you want to ride it on a hard surface. Also, hooves are more than the external effect.

They are connected to internal tissues; ligaments and tendons will be affected, which means with time your horse won’t move. If this exceeds two weeks, you can guess the effect on other parts of the body.

Now that you can’t be riding the horse every day over long distances on hard surfaces like the wild horses, you need to schedule regular visits to the farrier. Hoof care is not only for unshod horses, even your shod horse needs regular foot care and maintenance.

Hooves should be trimmed naturally as horses move in the wild and hard surfaces. Now that you love your horse and want it to stay in a stable, you should be natural. Go the extra mile to care for its hooves.

Abrasive surfaces would have prevented hooves from overgrowing and affecting the ligaments but keeping it in a damp environment enhances growth. You have to trim it.

When you decide to buy shoes for your horse, you should also set apart money for a farrier for visits in at least 4 weeks intervals. Shoes do not prevent hooves from growing. It only protects the horse from abrasive surfaces, which are crucial in shaping the hooves.

You will be shocked at the length and appearance of the hooves after several weeks. A farrier is the only way to restore your horse’s health. Yes, health because it is uncomfortable and it might be extending to the functionality of tissues. Be sure to set regular appointments with a nearby and professional farrier to keep the hooves in shape.

Wild Horses of Nevada – horse owners – horses hooves

History of Horseshoes / Hippo Sandals

Removable iron horseshoes are known as “hippo sandals” may have been invented by the Roman legions. Horses were shod with nailed-on horseshoes from the Middle Ages to the present, though well-trained farriers also performed barefoot trimming for horses that did not require the additional protection of shoes.

Horse Barefooting

It has become standard practice to shoe most horses in active competition or work. However, there is a growing movement to eliminate shoes on working horses.

Advocates of barefooting point out many benefits to keeping horses barefoot and present studies showing that improper shoeing can cause or exacerbate certain hoof ailments in the horse. Damage from improperly fitted and applied horseshoes can be seen in a gradual distortion of hoof shape, along with other ailments.

Hoof soles are often sensitive when going barefoot after a long period of having been shod (because they are not thick enough through callusing). It can take weeks, months, a year, or more, depending on the horse’s prior condition, before a horse is sound and usable on bare feet.

During this transition period, the horse can be fitted with hoof boots that protect the soles of the feet until the horse has time to heal and build up callouses, though these boots, especially when not properly fitted and used, can cause hoof damage as well.

How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves - How do Wild Horses Trim Their Hooves? Their hooves stay trimmed by the amount of travel they make every day. Wearing down their hooves keeps them healthy and prevents any major problems. It's amazing to see how something so simple can keep these magnificent creatures healthy and able to roam free.
wild horses / horses hooves

Wild Horses – Hoof health

The two things which can directly affect the health of the hoof are diet and exercise. Observers of wild horse populations note that the equine hoof stays in notably better conditions when horses are in a herd situation and are free to move around 24 hours a day, as wild horses do, permitting good circulation inside the hoof. 

It is recommended that horses be allowed to walk at least 5 miles per day for optimum hoof health. The terrain should be varied, including gravel or hard surfaces and a water feature where the hooves can be wet occasionally.

Diet is very important too, as changes in feed can directly affect hoof health, most notably seen in cases of laminitis. Even some lots of hay may be high enough in sugar to cause 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.

Other Important Tags

  • generally cover several kilometers a day across various surfaces
  • by running over rugged ground many miles a day
  • running and walking long distances daily over abrasive terrain
  • running and walking long distances daily over abrasive terrain
  • their hooves trimmed
  • regular trimming

Feeds and forage with high levels of sugar (carbohydrates) correlate with a higher risk of clinical or subclinical laminitis and with other hoof ailments.

Natural hoof supplements can be used as a boost to the immune systems of horses when concerned with laminitis or other hoof ailments. D-Biotin supplements, often including the sulfur-containing amino, are commonly known natural supplements that are effective for managing hoof health.

Final Thoughts – How do Wild Horses Maintain Their Hooves/ in the Wild

While many of us are not fortunate enough to have horses in the wild, it is worth noting that they do know how to clean their hooves. Wild Horse populations range across North America and beyond, but what does a wild horse do when its hoof needs trimming?

Its natural instinct kicks in and the animal will find an appropriate surface on which to stand. After finding something solid enough for support, the horse will then bend at the knees, raise one front leg off of the ground while keeping his weight on three legs, and rub his hoof against rocks or other objects until all dirt falls out. The act of self-trimming can help prevent injury from sharp objects such as stones or sticks!

Wild Horses run great distances which the horses by the travel wear down the horse’s hooves do not need trimming. Domestic horses walk on hard surfaces and do not get anywhere near the amount of exercise that their wild horse counterparts do. That is why they need frequent visits to the Horse manicurist – Farriers.

Horse Breeder Associations

Horse AssociationCountryLink
Blacksmith Association of North AmericaUnited StatesABANA
Applacia Charter of BlackSmithUnited StatesAACB
Horse Breed Associations ResourceUnited StatesEQUUIS
United States Horse Breeder AssociationUnited StatesUSSHBA
Horse Farms - Horse Breeders - Blacksmith
How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves (Updated 2024) 1
How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves (Updated 2024) 2
How do Wild Horses Trim Hooves (Updated 2024) 3