Quick barefoot supplement question

[ann-jen]

My old mare (22), has been shod all her life. I took her hind shoes off 2 years ago. She is currently on haylage and small feed of chaff and pro-balance. She has good feet, but her frogs have been deteriorating over the last few years to the point that they are no longer weight bearing. On discussion with the farrier, we have decided to try taking her fronts off for a while/permanently to allow them to recover. she has a little thrush which I'm treating. Her turn out is a little limited at the moment due to the endless mud but is still out for a few hours every day. She's still active, but no longer competes, mostly hacking when I can get to the yard in daylight hours and the rest of her exercise is in the school. She is mildly arthritic.
My other horse is barefoot and has been for some time. She is on pro-hoof and micronized linseed. She had very poor feet, which are better but I was starting from crap with her, whereas feel I'm starting with decent feet on the old mare. So I'm wondering whether I would be ok to stick with pro-balance as her supplement or whether I should change them both onto pro-hoof. The old mare is a very good doer and also 'hot' so don't want her on shed loads of feed, but any thoughts re her diet would be welcome. TIA.

 

[supsup]

Well, you could probably answer your own question if you compare the list of ingredients between Pro Balance and Pro Hoof. The added things in Pro Hoof are B vitamins, yea-sacc (yeast to aid fibre digestion) and slightly higher levels of essential amino acids, biotin and vitamin E than in Pro Balance. Mineral levels are pretty much the same.
The extra stuff in Pro Hoof might come in handy for a horse with compromised digestion (the yea-sacc might help, and B vitamin levels might be sub-optimal) or that is under more stress or in higher levels of work (vitamin E and selenium levels - antioxidants - slightly higher, higher essential amino acid levels). But if your mare seems in good health and is only in light work, then she may not need the extra. I don't think the receding frogs would be helped much by a supplement change.

 

[catkin]

Personally I would give an oldie a supplement with the 'extras' - their systems are often slowing down a bit however healthy they are. You are also making a change which will require great nutrition and at a time of year where a bit of extra help is useful for all horses. However, you know you horse best so be guided by her.

 

[ann-jen]

Thanks for the comments guys. Will use up her pro-balance and see what her feet look like then, and then decide whether to just switch them both onto pro-hoof or stick as we are.