Shoeing horses has often been termed a “necessary evil.” Certainly, it is not natural, but neither is the domesticated life most horses must endure. Domestication results in a separation of the horse from the natural environment and lifestyle that directed its evolution. The “unnatural” conditions of domestication usually include wet climates, restricted activity, changes in nutrition and breeding factors, often imbalanced human “training” and, of course, trimming and shoeing. The hoof’s form and function are direct expressions of a horse’s environment, management, manner of movement or locomotion and amount and type of physical activity in addition to the standards of farriery care.

Domestication promotes potentially damaging changes in healthy hoof shape…