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Because the 4 feet, when kept in a natural barefoot state, pump blood back up to the heart as they expand and contract with each step.

When the foot is set down on the ground, it expands and fills with blood. When the foot is picked up, it contracts and the blood is sent back up the hoof to the heart.

Roughly a liter of blood is pumped through the body between each 4 feet every 20 strides. So some may call the feet the other four hearts.

HOWEVER, with horseshoes, the hoof cannot expand, therefore reducing circulation, straining the horses heart more since it lost the use of its "four hearts" and that is part of the reason there is this natural horse, barefoot movement going on.

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14y ago

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