3 ms·

I would assume the 3rd groove is from the horse.

• zymhan 3y ago
  Horses don't constantly contact the ground like a chariot/cart wheel
  • deadbunny 3y ago
    Nor do humans yet we create paths with repeated use.
• pbhjpbhj 3y ago
  Yes, but I wouldn't expect it to be a groove. Human hips mean when walking single-file we make a grooved path, particularly in harder terrain as we'll narrow our gait to reduce environmental resistance to travel. Sheep produce very similar paths. But horses are wider at the hip yet have a similarly wide foot .. so I'd expect more of a swathe (wider path, ie not a groove) of damage, with sufficient horses. I grew up in a small village where a significant proportion of people ride, gaps in hedgerows where a number of horses have just passed through (eg a hunt) produce a wide band of hoofprints. But, I've never seen a route mainly used by horsedrawn carts. Most of our bridleways look like slightly wider footpaths, but they're primarily used by pedestrians or bicycles and horse traffic is still relative little. Anyway, ...