ABSTRACT
Paleontologists tell us that many varieties of horses have come and vanished over the course of the creatures's existence. Horses on dry, upland ranges developed small, hard hooves, and horses living in damp meadows came to have large, round hooves. Horses in some environments were small and robust. Only horses that were fitted with the most suitable traits for the environment survived. Many of the equine diseases we have today probably did not exist 10,000 yr ago when horses roamed in small numbers over large areas. Horses that are ridden heavily, especially on hard or rocky surfaces, need to be shod. A groom should clean the horse's feet every time he brushes him. One of the biggest problems created by crowding horses into small acreages is the proliferation of internal parasites. Younger horses are more susceptible to parasites. Even a horse in a paddock may need more exercise than that of running up and down the fence.
