It's not just about the track: The 4 Pillars of Natural Horse Care

Contrary to popular belief, having healthy, happy horses requires much more than just your track system alone. In fact, having a successful track system that produces the results and benefits we seek in our horses requires careful thought and consideration for all areas of their management.

Jaime Jackson created the 4 pillars of natural horse care using the lifestyle of wild and free roaming horses living naturally in the U.S Great Basin as it's model, of which track systems (natural boarding) is just one. Each pillar is vital to the health and wellbeing of the domestic horse, and directly impacts the other pillars in a multitude of ways.

The 4 Pillars:

1. Reasonably Natural Diet

Providing a diet that is near to natural or species appropriate as possible, with free access to hay and various bushes, trees and herbs. It avoids feeding forage, grass or feed that is inflammatory or unnatural.

2. Natural Boarding (Paddock Paradise)

To understand the nature of equines and provide them with a mixed herd to encourage natural social behaviours and dynamics. There are no use of paddocks or stabling, isolation and limited turnout.

3. Natural Hoof Care

The Natural Trim is defined as the humane mimicking of natural wear patterns - to understand what a natural hoof is and trimming to replicate what nature would take and what nature would leave.

4. Natural Horsemanship

Natural schooling, ridden work and groundwork is based on what movements are natural to the horse; nothing is forced.

If you're not getting the results you seek, or your horse is still struggling with a environmental, dietary or hoof care related issue, you may need to re-evaluate and check you're including the 4 pillars of natural horse care into your management.

Why does it matter?

Reasonably Natural Diet:

If we look at the adaptive habitat of the wild horse, their behaviour and lifestyle, we can recognise that they are foragers that browse consistently throughout the day and night, moving from resource to resource. This is why the paddock paradise model works, because when done correctly, this behaviour is mimicked in our domestic horses, albeit in a smaller way.

Although research is still forth-coming on their diet, it is thought that wild horses forage on the likes of rough, low nutrient density grasses (amongst other things) that appear to lack largely in sugars, minerals and nutrients through most of the year. Wild horses will browse and move continuously, deriving a little bit of nutrition from lots of mouthfuls whilst on the go. Jaime Jackson's research on the wild horse diet suggests that domesticated horses largely benefit from being fed a mix of grass-type hays.

A species appropriate diet is a fundamental basic to our horses' health and influences how effective and efficient the track system is. The purpose of the paddock paradise is to facilitate health and soundness in our equines both mentally and physically, which cannot happen if the diet of our horses compromises their health. Laminitis, metabolic disease, grass sensitivities, colic, ulcers and more, will continue to be an increased risk if the diet is not species appropriate, despite one of the key benefits of track systems being that they can be used to prevent and rehabilitate such conditions.

Natural Boarding (Paddock Paradise)

Natural boarding not only refers to use of a paddock paradise track system but whether or not the horses are socialised amongst a herd or with others and are allowed 24/7 turnout. Herd living is one of the key driving forces behind a well-used, functional track system, encouraging movement through natural herd behaviours and foraging patterns. Herd living and turnout is also a key to keep horses healthy in both body and mind, aiding in mental enrichment and stimulation, joint health, gut health, fitness, hoof health, weight management and more. To restrict domestic horses of others or of movement goes against the core values of the paddock paradise and how they choose to live naturally, when allowed.

Natural Hoof Care

Natural hoof care should be provided in conjunction with boarding, diet and ethical handling/training of the horse, which includes the absence of shoes. Horses are born without the need for shoes and in their adaptive environment, travel miles and miles per day to fulfil their various basic needs, self-trimming over abrasive surfaces and stimulating natural wear patterns. Whilst many domestic horses don't have the opportunity to self-trim naturally, we can provide them with hoof care that replicates wear and allows the hoof to function optimally without invasive trimming.

Inappropriate hoof care or shoeing can compromise the hoof capsule by reducing shock absorption, restricting the expansion and contraction of the hoof, restricting flexion and impacting blood flow. Additionally, long term use of shoes can damage the inner soft tissues, weaken the outer hoof wall and cause discomfort or problems with the upper body.

Track systems are known for their ability to increase movement, which directly impacts the health of the hoof and the body. Invasive trimming or shoeing can interfere with the results desired from the track system and impact other areas of their health. Therefore, providing a natural, barefoot trim works in conjunction with the other pillars to create whole horse health.

Where can you find out more?

The AANHCP offers guidelines on diet and feeding for a small donation to their non-profit advocacy organisation.

'Laminitis: An Equine Plague Unconscionable Proportions' by Jaime Jackson is a concise guide to help horse owners take immediate, practical action against laminitis. Everyone should read it whether you have a laminitic horse or not!

‘Paddock Paradise’ by Jaime Jackson explores a revolutionary model for safe, natural horse keeping, hoof care, and the healing and rehabilitation of lame horses. ‘This unique and unprecedented model is adaptable to virtually all size horse properties, regardless of climate, and fits all equine breeds regardless of how they are used'.

The ISNHCP was founded by Jaime Jackson and Jill Willis in 2009 in Lompoc, California (USA) to provide training for natural hoof care practitioners worldwide. Previously, training took place under the banner of the Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices (AANHCP), founded in 2000 by Jaime Jackson. The ISNHCP Training Program is based on the research of Jaime Jackson in the U.S. Great Basin, where he studied the sound hooves and healthy lifestyle of wild, free-roaming horses (1982-1986). Over the following decades Jackson created would become known as the Natural Trim method. This trim mimics the natural wear patterns of the wild horse hoof, which stimulates natural growth patterns as seen among wild horses.