Why do horses need their feet trimmed what happens to wild horses?

Domesticated horses need their feet trimmed because humans have altered their natural environment. In the wild, horses would walk on a variety of surfaces, including rocks, dirt, and grass. This natural wear and tear would keep their hooves at a healthy length. However, domesticated horses are often kept in stalls or paddocks, where they don't have the opportunity to walk on a variety of surfaces. This can lead to their hooves becoming too long and overgrown, which can cause pain and lameness.

In addition, domesticated horses are often fed a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in fiber. This type of diet can lead to laminitis, a condition that causes inflammation of the hooves. Laminitis can also cause the hooves to become too long and overgrown.

Wild horses do not need their feet trimmed because they live in a natural environment and eat a diet that is high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. This means that their hooves are able to wear down naturally and they do not develop the same problems as domesticated horses.

Here are some of the problems that can occur if a horse's feet are not trimmed properly:

* Pain and lameness. Overgrown hooves can put pressure on the bones and tendons in the horse's feet, causing pain and lameness.

* Hoof cracks. Overgrown hooves can also crack, which can lead to infection and further pain.

* Laminitis. Overgrown hooves can also lead to laminitis, a serious condition that can cause the hooves to separate from the coffin bone.

* Founder. Founder is a condition that occurs when the laminae (the soft tissue that connects the hoof wall to the coffin bone) become too weak and the coffin bone sinks down. Founder can be caused by a variety of factors, including overgrown hooves.

It is important to have your horse's feet trimmed regularly by a qualified farrier to prevent these problems from occurring.