Farriers formula, Formula4Feet or Hoof Mender - which is better?

Kallibear

Kallibear

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Last year we rescued a small pony with severe laminits. He's now lost all the weight required (almost 100kg!) and hasn't had a bout of lami since (due to correct management). His feet however are totally ruined and last week he developed a severe abcess. Until then however, he'd been totally sounds and hoonied about the field like a loon.

After xrays (showing a full 15degree's of rotation in both fronts and slight foundering in one
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- it's amazing he was sound ) he's been to see a specialist farrier. He wanted to put imprint shoes on him but at £120 a pair (and needing front and backs done
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) every 4-6 weeks, that's just not an option. But barefoot trimming will work just as well, providing we can keep him comfortable after severe trims, whilst his feet heel. Booting and padding him up isn't a problem, but I now want his feet to grow and quickly and as strongly as possible, so that's where supplements come in.

The choice seems to be between three: Farriers Formula, Formula4Feet or Hoof Mender. Price doesn't matter (still a damn sight cheaper than imprint shoes, and he's only ikkle so doesn't need much) so which is best? Experienced (and better still comparisions) of the three much appreciated.

And just because he's cute - here's little Fudge, demonstrating quite how obese he was when we got him. The people who did this to him (a riding school) should be shot
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.

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He's already on TS Antilam but I want something more specific for foot growth.

He doesn't actually seem to be that prone to laminitis thank gods (having managed to get out of his muzzle and gorge himselve a couple of times with no raised pulses). The only reason he got it before was the bastards who let him out onto dairy pasture
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He's 12.2hh shetland X for f*** sake - why on earth would anyone who knows anything about horses (a RS no less) think that that's ok??!
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Keeping laminitis at bay doesn't seem to be a problem, I just need his feet to start growing at super speed!

p.s why aren't you in bed like normal people?
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I know exactly where you're coming from, I rescued a pony 7 years ago in the same situation, fortunately he had very good feet; I fed him Forumula 4 Feet for around 6 months then changed to just plain Naf biotin, which I still use.

Good for you, and with your care and love, I'm sure the he will be fine; lucky pony
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I had an ex racehorse a few years ago and he had awful feet, the blacksmith used to dread shoeing him, over the years I tried everything, the only one that worked on him was NAF Hoof and Hide and I used NAF Hoof Moist on his feet. After 7 months of doing this the change in his feet was very noticeable to the point that the blacksmith even commented on his feet saying that they had improved and by the time I sold him his feet were as they should be and he even went barefoot for a while as he injured his knee.
 
Feeds and supplements are always individual - what works for one may not work for another. Start with the cheapest, see if it works, if not move on to the next one!
I had my fat mare and a fat laminitic cob on Formula 4 Feet last year. The cob recovered (miracle as we thought we'd lose her becuase we left her owner to call the vet and she left it for 24 hours..v vet said it was the worst case he'd seen in literally years) and my mare's feet looked super after only a few months. Farrier and vet both commented on how rock solid they were and how fast they were growing!
So I would find which is cheapest and go from there
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Cornucrescine is very good at improving hoof growth and quality. Its messy, but worked wonders on my nails at the same time!

I would consider a feed balancer such as lami-lite instead of feeding 2 supplements, you could feed the one.
 
My mare had an attack of laminitis last year - the first and hopefully last time - following advice on treatment and management from the Laminitis Clinic she now follows a strict diet of Happy Hoof, Speedibeet and Formula 4 Foot. She is back on 24/7 turnout, back in work and *touches wood* showing no signs of lami. The people who make F4F will send you a sample to try - helpful as it is relatively expensive - mine is not fussy and loves it so I get the big 20kg sack which lasts for 3 months as it works out the most cost effective - would last longer for you as you would be feeding a smaler amount.

Have to say that the Laminitis Clinic and my farrier have tuerned my horse around - my vets advice (a well known horse practise) would have probably crippled her. The Laminitis Clinic have plenty of info on their website and their advice line is also very good - they are specialists in Laminitis and its management and the vet who 'made' F4F and Farriers Formula is the man behind the Laminitis Clinic.

This spring she also has the Global Herbs Laminitis Prone supplement in her feed.

Fudge is very cute - poor little boy being allowed to get so fat!! At least he is on the mend and being managed well. Fingers crossed he keeps well.
 
As silmarillion said, different things work for different horses. non of the expensive ones worked for one of my mares, but Equimins Biotin did. I agree with starting with a cheaper product and work your way up.
 
[ QUOTE ]
forriers formula and formula4feet were invented by the same man..

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

I question that. Farrier's Formula was invented by Dr. J. Frank Gravlee and Formula 4 Feet by Robert Eustace in collaboration with Dr. David Frape.

If they had any common interest then I don't think the testimonials on the Formula 4 Feet website would discredit Farrier's Formula like they do. Although they remove the name, count the asterisks ******** *******.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
forriers formula and formula4feet were invented by the same man..

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

I question that. Farrier's Formula was invented by Dr. J. Frank Gravlee and Formula 4 Feet by Robert Eustace in collaboration with Dr. David Frape.

If they had any common interest then I don't think the testimonials on the Formula 4 Feet website would discredit Farrier's Formula like they do. Although they remove the name, count the asterisks ******** *******.

[/ QUOTE ]

My farrier told me that the man who invented Farriers Formula didn't like it when the people who actually make the stuff changed some of the ingredients for genetically modified ones. He said that the man then invented Formula 4 Feet.

I have been using Formula 4 feet for about 6 months and there is a clear line on my horse's feet which I am convinced is down to that. The hoof looks much healthier.

Mine didn't like the taste to start with but soon got used to it. I just added water to help soften it and mix it in with his feed.
 
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