<Under Development> The Natural Hoof is Shaped by a Horses Past, Heredity, Diet, Movement & Environment…
The ideal natral hoof is modeled after the mustang hoof found on horses wandering in hard, rocky areas like Nevada and Arizona, but in practice, the “ideal” needs to be whatever trim your horse is soundest with.
Horses that live in arid conditions often have thick, hard soles; horses that live on stall mats will often have flat soles even if their hoof would have more concavity on a pea-gravel or loose soil paddock.
On flatter terrain, the hoof adapts as best it can, usually filling in flat with a retained sole and higher bars to provide support.