As a professional hoof care provider and teacher I see hundreds of post that fuel the debate over the use of the Wild Horse as a model for hoof care. Whether
you are a farrier, trimmer, or horse owner emotions can run high, especially
with all of the media play the wild horses are receiving as of late.
Many hoof care professionals have looked to these wild horses to develop a model for trimming the domestic horse's hooves.
 |
| Feral Abaco Barb |
I too have explored the
possibility of using the hooves of the wild horse as a model for the treatment of the domestic horse hoof. My research evolved into a study of environment and how the hooves of the wild horse developed as a result of
breeding, diet and overall environment. But even before I went afield to work
among feral horse, I had disqualified the feral horse
hoof as a model, this because of the law of physics; F = M x A.
 |
| Shoeless |
Remember, I am discussing the development of a hoof model for the treatment
methods of the domestic horse. What is a model? In the practice of Farriery or
hoof care the model defines the foot, not simply the hoof. Indulge me while I offer
an analogy; I really would love to own a Ferrari. Years ago there were kits to
transform a Pontiac Fiero into a Ferrari look alike. With this kit I didn't
need to know the mechanics of the Ferrari to build a car that looked like one.
But, the reality is that it would not perform like one if I simply mimicked the
way it looked. I know that this comparison is a bit simplistic and silly, but
it does make a point.
Developing a model that must deal with the increased forces generated by
domestication requires knowledge of the internal structures of the foot. That
is where the definition Structure + Function = Performance comes into play.
There are several theories on energymanagement and foot function that have helped in the development of a model
for the practice of farriery. The feral hoof model however came out of the
search for a model without the forethought of foot function within a domestic
environment. As a result, those proponents of the natural trim model have been
searching to find foot function theories to support its use in the treatment of
the domestic horse for over twenty years. The more we learn about the equine
foot and foot function the more we learn that its health is governed by a few
steadfast laws, and one is F=M x A.
