Hoof supplement effects? Pics.

[little_critter]

My boy has been on a hoof supplement for around 2-2.5 months now
I think I can see a clear change in the horn quality. Does this look to fit the addition of the hoof supplement? Or is it just coincidental summer hoof growth?
Just to add, he’s not barefoot, just unshod on one hoof at the moment due to a bruised sole (he removed his padding overnight). I can see similar changes on all 4 hooves.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Possibly 50:50 supplement combined with grass and barefoot. Looks nice and healthy - are you going to try a winter barefoot and see how things progress?

 

[expanding_horizon]

Depends if you normally get a seasonal event line. If not I’d think the supplement is a likely explanation.

 

[little_critter]

Possibly 50:50 supplement combined with grass and barefoot. Looks nice and healthy - are you going to try a winter barefoot and see how things progress?

He’s only been barefoot on 1 foot for a month. Shoe is going back on tomorrow. He would not cope barefoot.
I can’t remember if we usually get an event line each summer

 

[ycbm]

What supplement did you start?

The horn looks thicker but that also looks as if it would be extremely fast growth for a shod horse in 8-10 weeks. Did anything else happen a bit before that? Pramox wormer, antibiotics, heavy sedation, change of lifestyle or location?
.

 

[little_critter]

He’s on Horses First Hoof First.
He would have been sedated in June to have his teeth done.
Nothing else has changed.

 

[ycbm]

That's biotin and methionine. In theory, horses make enough biotin of their own but he wouldn't be the first horse reported to improve on a biotin supplement. So in the absence of anything else, I'd probably assume it was the supplement if he grows the same amount of foot, or more, in the next 8-10 weeks.
.

 

[little_critter]

Thanks, I’ll keep an eye (at least now I have photos to compare to). I’m generally a bit of a sceptic when it comes to supplements so like to see that it’s actually having an effect and I’m not wasting my money.

 

[BMA2]

Ycbm...could I please ask why you ask about antibiotics.

 

[BMA2]

As in...

I've never thought about that having an effect on anything apart from where is had supposed to treat and guts etc. Just interested

 

[ycbm]

Ycbm...could I please ask why you ask about antibiotics.

Because I've had barefoot horses produce event lines after a course of antibiotics. I assume it's because of the effect on the gut biome, but I don't know for sure.
.

 

[expanding_horizon]

As in...

I've never thought about that having an effect on anything apart from where is had supposed to treat and guts etc. Just interested

Change in diet /Antibiotics/ wormers/ ill health / taking shoes off / horse moving to living out etc all can cause event lines in feet.

 

[Landcruiser]

Change in diet /Antibiotics/ wormers/ ill health / taking shoes off / horse moving to living out etc all can cause event lines in feet.

As can weather/seasons, stress, change in workload or management, ulcers etc etc.
Looking at the hoof OP, I can't see a real difference. There are plenty of event lines higher up but also lower down but harder to see as the farrier has rasped the wall.

I had a little look at Hoof First. Glucose???? It's not something I would be giving to my horses, sugars should be kept to a minimum. Do you feed an all round vit/min supplement as well, as this one is very limited?

Description​

Unique formula promotes the growth of strong healthy hooves. Double strength biotin with essential vitamins and minerals to increase hoof structural integrity and induce cell regeneration.

• Benefits
• Ingredients
• Additional Information

Benefits​

• Strongest hoof product on the market
• Contains all the essential vitamins and minerals to produce a healthy hoof
• 40mg of Biotin per 25g rate
• 2kg provides 80 days supply

Ingredients​

Contains per 25g scoop:

• Biotin 40mg
• Methionine 3,000mg
• Lysine 1,000mg
• Copper 75mg
• Zinc Oxide 700mg
• Vitamin B1 50mg

Other Ingredients:

• Dicalcium Phosphate
• Kaolin
• Glucose

 

[Orangehorse]

I would also say that it is the effect of removing the shoes.

 

[little_critter]

I would also say that it is the effect of removing the shoes.

Unlikely, one shoe had been off for 3 weeks at the time the photo was taken. Similar growth can be seen on the other 3 shod feet.
Im confused now, I did a lot of comparing supplements before settling on that one….and now I’m not sure why I felt it was the best choice (I suspect based mainly on biotin levels). I’ve only just bought another 2kg tub but when that’s finished I may swap to Forage Plus or Pro Earth.

 

[smolmaus]

A friend did a dissertation on biotin bioavailability and I'm pretty sure 40mg/day is above the absorbability limit for most horses. Good marketing (strongest is a good word, and not technically wrong) but you're probably paying for wastage there. Not sure I would be worried about glucose if its a little bit for palatability but personally I'd skip this one for overdosing biotin and as landcruiser said, being a fairly limited range of vit/mins.

I also don't like kaolin. Another friend worked with it for geotechnical engineering applications and the raw stuff has a list as long as your arm for toxicity precautions. Gives me the heebie jeebies, though I know its in a lot of ulcer preventatives