Hoof Function

Every time the barefoot hoof hits the ground it expands. When it is lifted off of the ground it contracts. Every time the hoof expands, it fills with blood. When it contracts, the blood is forced out of the hoof and back up the leg. This expansion and contraction mimics the actions of the heart pumping blood. This takes a lot of the work off of the main heart and allows the horse to work harder and recover faster. This circulation in the foot feeds the hoof wall with nutrients that helps create a tough outer wall.

When the hoof hits the ground, the downward pressure is supported underneath the foot by the frog, the sole and the bars. Notice I did not include the hoof wall in the above description. The hoof wall was never meant to support the horse. The hoof wall acts more as a container to keep all the inside components in place. It is our responsibility to keep that hoof wall out of the way of hoof function. Also, when the barefoot hoof hits the ground, the expansion, the digital cushion and the frog act as a shock absorber. Without this natural shock absorber in place, the energy is then transferred up the leg into other joints, tendons and ligaments.

And there is simply nothing better for traction than the barefoot hoof. Horses in the wild have been seen going places that our domesticated horses would never dream of going. That is because the wild horses have been allowed to develop a hoof that truly functions based on the needs of the horse... a.k.a. Not humans! Please watch the video link below to see a barefoot horse trotting on pavement.

Hoof Function