Let’s Discuss: The ‘But Wild Horses Don’t Need (Insert Farriers, Salt Blocks, etc. here)’ Argument

Karlie Mitchell STRONGLY disagrees. Do you?

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From Karlie:

Alright Horse Nation, time to bring up an issue that most of us have dealt with at one point or another. We often roll our eyes, argue or get angry at people for this little comment. The infamous “But wild horses don’t get it done.”

Examples:

“I don’t need to trim my horses feet… wild horses don’t get their hooves trimmed.”

“No one cleans a wild horse’s sheath.”

“Wild horses don’t have salt blocks.”

“Wild horses eat snow.”

“Wild horses paw for dead grass in the snow.”

Etc… etc… etc.

Alright people behind these “but wild horses don’t get it done” comments: My horse is not wild. It is a domesticated animal adapted to living a pampered domesticated life. Furthermore the health, quality of life, and lifespan is not the same with a wild horse as with my domesticated animal. The difference is they are basically two different animals.

So here I am agreeing with you; yes wild horses don’t get their hooves done, salt blocks, free choice water, etc. However, my horse is not wild so it lives a much different lifestyle than a wild horse.

Yesterday I truly had a rant with another horse owner I met at a truck dealership who told me you don’t need to clean your horse’s sheath because wild horses don’t get it done. I flat-out argued that a domestic horse and a wild horse are different, so don’t compare the management and healthcare of the two. Crazy, awkward horse girl rant in public place…. achieved.

What do you think, Horse Nation?