Barefoot Supplement/Balancer tips please!

[MickeyFinn22]

So my boy went barefoot in February and on the whole is doing great. His feet are strong but flaky. I know this is also down to the very dry summer conditions and I use hoof products accordingly. However upon further research I am wondering I'd he can build some sole strength and better hoof wall with some biotin, vitamin A & E and possibly a bit more protein.

I've also gathered that supplements and balancers are a minefield. He is a very fussy so and so, a good doer and is in medium work. Mostly laid back but don't want anything that could send him wappy.

I've seen 3 balancers so far that I am considering adding to his feed of A&P veteran light and dengie meadowgrass. He only gets this in a fairly small portion to get brewers yeast and linseed down him for his sweet itch (mild). The 3 balancers are:

-Baileys Performance no. 19
-Saracen Shape Up
-Spillers daily balancer

But I am open to any suggestions! TIA

 

[Zoeypxo]

The two most reccomend are progressive earth and forage plus.
If hes a fussy eater he may not eat the progressive earth one though

 

[MickeyFinn22]

The two most reccomend are progressive earth and forage plus.
If hes a fussy eater he may not eat the progressive earth one though

This is it, I've tried a few powders and ge just curls his lip

 

[Exasperated]

For what it’s worth: Welsh D stallion with fantastic feet; hacking / roadwork most days; lives on grass, Baileys low cal balancer, odd apple, carrot or slice of salted bread, with steamed hay any night he might be stabled.
And looks Builth Wells-ready.
The balancer is basically to pretend he’s having something from a bucket.....
Can’t guarantee hooves owe anything to the balancer rather than his own genetics, but I have tried both Progressive Earth and Forage Plus in the past, to no obvious avail.
Winter months: has irregular additions of magnesium oxide and vitamin E, mag ox often also seen as ‘calming’, but doesn’t dampen this lad’s enthusiasm.
It can become expensive and frustrating trying equine supplements for anything, so good luck!

 

[MickeyFinn22]

For what it’s worth: Welsh D stallion with fantastic feet; hacking / roadwork most days; lives on grass, Baileys low cal balancer, odd apple, carrot or slice of salted bread, with steamed hay any night he might be stabled.
And looks Builth Wells-ready.
The balancer is basically to pretend he’s having something from a bucket.....
Can’t guarantee hooves owe anything to the balancer rather than his own genetics, but I have tried both Progressive Earth and Forage Plus in the past, to no obvious avail.
Winter months: has irregular additions of magnesium oxide and vitamin E, mag ox often also seen as ‘calming’, but doesn’t dampen this lad’s enthusiasm.
It can become expensive and frustrating trying equine supplements for anything, so good luck!

Yeah my boy lives on grass and is just careful on harder surfaces but doesn't bruise or go lame. He only really gets what he gets for the sweet itch stuff in the first place. It's a nightmare isn't it? in the winter he is turned out with ad lib haylage (good quality) and has the same stuff in a large net at night, along with the same feed.

 

[lynz88]

If you don't need an all round balancer, I would go PE. I'm about to give Equimins AC a try as it's been recommended on here

 

[MickeyFinn22]

If you don't need an all round balancer, I would go PE. I'm about to give Equimins AC a try as it's been recommended on here

Oh yes I had forgotten about Equimins AC! I have considered before but again thought it's another powder for him to turn his nose up at. HOWEVER I am currently sat next to him and it would appear he has decided that if I have a greater chaff ratio and essentially make the allen and Page practically dry it is *chef's kiss*

 

[lynz88]

You can also get it in pellets. I'm lucky that mine was a pig in another life so will eat just about anything.

 

[MickeyFinn22]

You can also get it in pellets. I'm lucky that mine was a pig in another life so will eat just about anything.

Thanks. Will bob that on the list of things to compare and research

 

[tda]

I did once consider Saracen shape up, but on inspection it looks rather molassed so never used it

 

[Horseysheepy]

Equimins AC powder is very palatable I've found.

 

[lynz88]

I did once consider Saracen shape up, but on inspection it looks rather molassed so never used it

A lot of Saracens feeds are and annoys me that it's the feed that the yard has locked themselves in a deal with them.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My boy has done well on Baileys Lo cal. I’ve not yet tried the performance version. He’s got good strong feet according to the farrier and all I supplement extra is magox and salt

We had a bad bout of concussion laminitis last Nov after a bad frost that has taken us until April to sort out but the vet told me I had him on a good balancer to support him through it and he hasn’t lost any sole depth or wall strength.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Neither of mine will it pro earth hoof supplements, and many report them not palatable. Equimins are good!

 

[criso]

I make up my own blend with just the minerals we need and Copper and Zinc and Magnesium in particular are not palatable so anything with decent levels of those tends to taste nasty.

I built up and found things to hide it in bit it was a struggle at first.

 

[HelenBack]

Mine is on the Baileys No.19 and it seems to work for him. He's been barefoot about five years now I think, although he has been retired the last couple of years.

I was already feeding the balancer before he went barefoot and then shortly afterwards I did try the Forage Plus balancer for a while. His feet seemed to get worse as did his coat condition and energy levels. I put him back on the Baileys and everything improved again so I've just stuck with it.

Nowadays I don't know how much is down to the balancer and how much is just that his feet have improved with being bare for so long. They were terrible when shod so I wonder if it was the shoeing that caused the problems as much as anything.

 

[j1ffy]

Mine is on Oxydane which I feed in copra and add extra magox and salt. He’s been rock crunching this summer but was a bit more careful on stones during the wet winter we had.

 

[MickeyFinn22]

I make up my own blend with just the minerals we need and Copper and Zinc and Magnesium in particular are not palatable so anything with decent levels of those tends to taste nasty.

I built up and found things to hide it in bit it was a struggle at first.

Yes, I am wondering about Tring a couple of handfuls of just pony nuts or something to entice him if I went down that route!

 

[MickeyFinn22]

My boy has done well on Baileys Lo cal. I’ve not yet tried the performance version. He’s got good strong feet according to the farrier and all I supplement extra is magox and salt

We had a bad bout of concussion laminitis last Nov after a bad frost that has taken us until April to sort out but the vet told me I had him on a good balancer to support him through it and he hasn’t lost any sole depth or wall strength.

I need to go back to bobbing Epsom salts in. I will have a look at the low cal

Aww hope he is OK now!

 

[MickeyFinn22]

Mine is on the Baileys No.19 and it seems to work for him. He's been barefoot about five years now I think, although he has been retired the last couple of years.

I was already feeding the balancer before he went barefoot and then shortly afterwards I did try the Forage Plus balancer for a while. His feet seemed to get worse as did his coat condition and energy levels. I put him back on the Baileys and everything improved again so I've just stuck with it.

Nowadays I don't know how much is down to the balancer and how much is just that his feet have improved with being bare for so long. They were terrible when shod so I wonder if it was the shoeing that caused the problems as much as anything.

Ok thanks that's worth knowing! I think there is a large element of his feet still adapting bit I was just hoping to make it a tad easier for him. Worth knowing possible coat dulling on forage plus as his skin is so itchy in the summer!

 

[Exasperated]

Yeah my boy lives on grass and is just careful on harder surfaces but doesn't bruise or go lame. He only really gets what he gets for the sweet itch stuff in the first place. It's a nightmare isn't it? in the winter he is turned out with ad lib haylage (good quality) and has the same stuff in a large net at night, along with the same feed.

It’s not uncommon for them to ‘shorten up’ a little riding on tougher surfaces if barefoot, so long as he’s not bruising or lame that’s ok, and you could always use hoof boots if a longer or more challenging ride is expected.
Thankfully, we’ve no itchy ones atm, that does fill up the tack room shelves!
Personally, had little success feeding anything for sweetitch (other than industrial quantities of antihistamine tablets), but benzyl benzoate tends to deter the biters and is quite soothing, or Avon Skin So Soft bath oil if you prefer a nicer scent.
If you’ve found something which works for your horse - well done you! That’s the Holy Grail.
My best call is Boett blankets, or De Meulenkamp rugs, you don’t get to see your horse grazing over the summer because they’re so burqua’d up, but no endless lotions and potions either, just comfortable animals with full, glossy manes and tails.
Anyway, sounds like you’re managing things pretty well!

 

[MickeyFinn22]

It’s not uncommon for them to ‘shorten up’ a little riding on tougher surfaces if barefoot, so long as he’s not bruising or lame that’s ok, and you could always use hoof boots if a longer or more challenging ride is expected.
Thankfully, we’ve no itchy ones atm, that does fill up the tack room shelves!
Personally, had little success feeding anything for sweetitch (other than industrial quantities of antihistamine tablets), but benzyl benzoate tends to deter the biters and is quite soothing, or Avon Skin So Soft bath oil if you prefer a nicer scent.
If you’ve found something which works for your horse - well done you! That’s the Holy Grail.
My best call is Boett blankets, or De Meulenkamp rugs, you don’t get to see your horse grazing over the summer because they’re so burqua’d up, but no endless lotions and potions either, just comfortable animals with full, glossy manes and tails.
Anyway, sounds like you’re managing things pretty well!

Yeah never lame! Luckily sweet itch is only mild, but the brewers yeast seem to help a bit but otherwise he has a big horse show SI rug on, full fly mask and is doused in fly spray on the regular benzyl seemed to work a little, but I have found a clay based one that has been more effective. Yeah so far, so good. Fingers crossed it is consistent!

 

[Griffin]

Mine has always done really well on Spillers balancers. That said, if you have a fussy horse, just feed them what they will eat and add in a vitamin and mineral supplement to it.

I think that the barefoot community is often needlessly disparaging of any feed that is zero sugar and not hand mixed by elves during a spring dew! If you consider the amount of sugar they are actually consuming in a balanced or a handful of chaff/mix with molasses as a carrier for supplements, it's a really tiny amount of their daily intake.

 

[Sprogladite01]

Both of mine are barefoot and on baileys lo cal, plus brewers yeast and seaweed/rosehips (they are on restricted turnout due to lack of grazing). They both have excellent, rock crunching feet and have to see a farrier every 5 weeks minimum for a trim. They both get exercised across a variety of surfaces too which I think is a big part of keeping their feet in good shape. Neither have ever needed boots or anything like that and I don't use any sort of hoof products either unless specifically needed.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Orbi is on biotin as my farrier advised the only things proven that actually does work for feet are biotin and seaweed

 

[criso]

Mine has always done really well on Spillers balancers. That said, if you have a fussy horse, just feed them what they will eat and add in a vitamin and mineral supplement to it.

I think that the barefoot community is often needlessly disparaging of any feed that is zero sugar and not hand mixed by elves during a spring dew! If you consider the amount of sugar they are actually consuming in a balanced or a handful of chaff/mix with molasses as a carrier for supplements, it's a really tiny amount of their daily intake.

It's less about sugar as lack of active ingredients. There are products from the big names ( not just balancers, there are joint supplements the same applies to) that when you analyse levels of active ingredients, you're not getting much for your money

It can be quite difficult to compare too because rather than list the amount delivered in the daily ration, they they list % per kg which is tricky to calculate.

 

[MickeyFinn22]

Both of mine are barefoot and on baileys lo cal, plus brewers yeast and seaweed/rosehips (they are on restricted turnout due to lack of grazing). They both have excellent, rock crunching feet and have to see a farrier every 5 weeks minimum for a trim. They both get exercised across a variety of surfaces too which I think is a big part of keeping their feet in good shape. Neither have ever needed boots or anything like that and I don't use any sort of hoof products either unless specifically needed.

I forget about seaweed! His new yard does have varied terrain even just doing day to day jobs. I maybe need to be a tad more patient too!

 

[MickeyFinn22]

Orbi is on biotin as my farrier advised the only things proven that actually does work for feet are biotin and seaweed

I had forgotten about seaweed! I have seen feedmark do a mix of those...

 

[nettle]

Neither of mine will it pro earth hoof supplements, and many report them not palatable. Equimins are good!

Mine will eat pro earth balancer if I add a bit of linseed. Also it really helps if you start off with half a teaspoonful and build up to the recommended amount.

 

[MickeyFinn22]

Equimins AC powder is very palatable I've found.

Worth knowing thanks!