Hoof supplement?

[GoldenWillow]

I'm wondering if J would benefit from a hoof specific supplement. He's barefoot and over the last 4 months his hoof quality doesn't seem quite as good as usual. He has previously needed front hoof boots at times when going on rough hardcore tracks, fine on every other surface, but for the last 6 months he's been fine without and this hasn't changed. He's started with some very slight, hairline cracks and has a couple of chips out which although nothing really is not usual for him although he did have seedy toe a few years ago. He was last trimmed 4 weeks ago and does seem to have good growth which is keeping up with his workload.

He's out overnight on a track and paddock system and fed silvermoor lite haylage when in with hi fi molasses free for pollenex supplement. He won't eat salt in his feeds and although he has a salt block available I've never seen him use it. I've searched for previous recommendations but am struggling as ideally need a pelleted one as, despite being a dustbin of a cob, he's incredibly fussy about what is in his feed. The pollenex is one of the few powdered supplements he'll consider eating. I am conscious that he has no other supplementation and is on relatively restricted grazing throughout spring and summer,he had benefit advance up until he was 8? but then decided he didn't like it and after a few more uneaten trials I gave up. Our field is slightly low in selenium but other than that was well balanced when I last tested a few years ago.

I was thinking of formula 4 feet but am very open to any options or suggestions.

Farrier is coming next week so I will ask him what he thinks but would like any thoughts?

 

[HelenBack]

It sounds like he won't eat a lot of the hoof supplements that are often recommended but the Equimins Advance Complete pellets could be worth a try. You only feed a small amount so could feed them from your hand but they do stink so he might not like them!

Otherwise Spillers Lite and Lean balancer seems to be one that I see recommended and it has a decent spec and is quite palatable. I feed Baileys Performance Balancer and really like it but it has alfalfa in it which I know some people don't like.

 

[GoldenWillow]

Thank you I'll have a look at those and thank you for the heads up that the Equimins stink, on past performance I don't think he's likely to eat them.

 

[Casey76]

Personally I would go with either ProEarth or Forage Plus for a hoof supplement; if you need a pelleted one, Forage Plus do one.

I’d rate both of them, but I‘ve always used ProEarth myself.

 

[GoldenWillow]

Thank you, I looked at ProEarth first as I have seen them recommended but couldn't find a pelleted one. I'll look at Forage Plus, I think a pelleted one has more chance of actually being eaten rather than joining the list of supplements he won't eat.