Natural hoof care is the practice of keeping horses so that their hooves are worn down naturally and so do not suffer overgrowth, splitting and other disorders. Horseshoes are not used but domesticated horses may still require trimming, exercise and other measures to maintain a natural shape and degree of wear.
Within the natural hoof care philosophy, the term barefoot horses refers to horses which are kept barefoot full time, as opposed to horses who are fitted with horse shoes. The hooves of barefoot horses are trimmed with special consideration to a barefoot lifestyle. The barefoot horse movement advocates a generalized use of barefoot horses, both in non-competitive and competitive riding, often coupled with a more natural approach to horse care. Horses are kept barefoot in many parts of the world, including South America, Mongolia and other industrialized and non-industrialized cultures.
Read more about Natural Hoof Care: History, Benefits of Barefooting, Barefoot Trim, Impact of Horseshoes, Hoof Health, Controversies, See Also
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—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)