Why does my Paso Fino have a different shaped foot than my warmblood?
Horses genetically adapted to different environments early in their evolution. Paso Finos have a very tight hoof because their ancestors lived in rocky arid regions where a tight hoof has an advantage. Draft type horses lived in soft wet climates where a wide flatter hoof was better adapted. But even a softer-hooved horse can adapt to a hard ground given time. It is harder to get a hard-hooved horse to adapt to soft ground. Feral horses adapt to areas like the outer banks of the eastern coast and the harsh western states. But just because they CAN adapt, doesn’t mean that a particular environment is the most conducive to a healthy foot. The outer banks region is not the ideal environment for horses to live. They are stunted and their lifespan is short. Their hooves are flat with long bars and walls which chip and tear off. Horses in the American west have very hard hooves which are thick and well-worn. They live relatively longer lives even with harsh winter conditions and sparse grazi
Horses have genetically adapted to different environments early in their evolution. Paso Finos have a very tight hoof because their ancestors lived in rocky arid regions where a tight hoof has an advantage. Draft type horses lived in soft wet climates where a wide flatter hoof was better adapted. But even a softer-hooved horse can adapt to a hard ground given time. It is harder to get a hard-hooved horse to adapt to soft ground. Feral horses adapt to areas like the outer banks of the eastern coast and the harsh western states. But just because they CAN adapt, doesn’t mean that a particular environment is the most conducive to a healthy foot. The outer banks region is not the ideal environment for horses to live. They are stunted and their lifespan is short. Their hooves are flat with long bars and walls which chip and tear off. Horses in the American west have very hard hooves which are thick and well-worn. They live relatively longer lives even with harsh winter conditions and sparse
