Best feed supplement for healthy feet ?

[Lill]

What is the best feed supplement thing for hardening hooves and making them more healthy?

Blue has always had really cracked back feet, each one has a huge crack that goes up from the bottom to the top and when it gets to summer his feet obviously get drier and sometimes (like now) part of the bit that is cracked will bend upwards and have to be cut off so he currently has a small triangle missing from one back foot.

Amazingly, he doesn't generally go lame on it thankfully

I spent all last summer lathering on NAF hoof moist but have to say i don't think it made any difference

 

[martlin]

I swear by Equistro Kerabol in the feed and Keratex Hoof Hardener on the feet.

 

[Shanny]

Formular for Feet is very good as a supplement.

Also try corniercresant ointment (sorry about spelling!) and Keratex Hoof Hardner

 

[Theresa_F]

Best thing I have found is feeding black sunflower seeds - difference after a year was excellent - all mine are barefoot and have hard feet that hardly ever have a chip in them. You also get a lovely shine to the coat.

Very easy - just stick in the feed. You can get them in the bird feed section of most feed places. I feed mine a coffee mug twice a day - mine weigh 700 and 500k.

In summer I do put on something to keep them with a bit of moisture - aqueous cream which you can get from Boots is cheap and does the trick.

 

[RachelB]

Formula 4 Feet absolutely transformed my mare's feet. She's on TopSpec Lite now which is maintaining their current good condition (F4F didn't do much for her coat and general condition, and the TS is far better for this as she now has a shine in her coat), but if they started deteriorating again she'd be straight back on the F4F. Blooming brilliant stuff

 

[mermiemoo]

formula 4 feet i s amazing! combined with cornucresine or kertaex worked wonders on m y tb

 

[ajf]

Biotin has been great for my boys (much cheaper than alot) and I use Kevin Bacon stuff on feet. Use to use Kertaex but his feet were becoming brittle with it (my chap grows very very little foot). So if you want some kertaex I could send you my left overs!

 

[Ali2]

We use Equimins Hoof Mender as an all round mineral supplement and a biotin provider.

 

[Donkeymad]

Take your pick. Some supplements will work well for some horses but not for others, while other supplements work well for some other horses and not others.
The only effective one I found was a Biotin supplement (Equimins for mine), but many don't find it works for them.
Trial and error I'm afraid.

 

[AnnaJ]

I swear by Pro-Feet by NAFF. Athena's feet are ace since using this!

 

[Quadro]

def use keratex super stuff

 

[pootler]

I feed brewers yeast and have noticed a difference, I actually fed it as a calmer but noticed my horses' feet improve too. Hence I looked in to it as it came as a bit of a surprise. This is what I found, it would also support the use of BOSS for feet too:

Biotin, also know as Vitamin H is part of the B group of vitamins Vitamin B7
The two most widely accepted supplements for hoof improvement are biotin and dl-methionine.

Biotin for hoof supplementation.

Biotin is a B-vitamin, like all B vitamins, biotin is water soluble. That means it is not stored in body fats. Since it cannot be stored, it must be present in the daily diet. Likewise, since it is not stored, if an excess of biotin is given in the daily diet, the unused portion is cast off in the urine.

There are two sources of biotin in your horse's diet - from their food and from biotin produced by the natural bacteria which aid in digestion. Biotin can be produced in the body by certain types of intestinal bacteria or obtained from food. Opportunities for biotin deficiencies in your horse's diet depend on the content of feed ingredients, the natural form in which the biotin occurs and the degree to which your horse can utilize the biotin produced by intestinal bacteria. Since microbial (bacterial) production takes place in the lower part of the digestive tract where little nutrient absorption takes place, not much of this biotin may actually be available to your horse.

These foods contain a significant amount of biotin:

Brewer's yeast
Nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts) and nut butters
Soybeans
Other legumes (beans, blackeye peas, peanuts)
Oatbran

Biotin acts as a co-factor in many of the body's enzymatic reactions. It is essential in your horse's body for the production of fatty acids, glycogen production and for the production of proteins. Biotin is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids (the building blocks of protein).
Biotin deficiencies cause skin lesions, sparse hair growth, dry, scaly skin, and brittle, cracking hooves. Hoof deformities such as dishing and low heels have also been associated with biotin deficiencies. Often, horses with these hoof problems show obviously tender feet and will be unwilling to stride out.