What can I feed to strenghten hooves?

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missshell

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Farrier has commented that my horses hooves aren't the best. Hes on biotin but it hasn't helped really. Any ideas what I can feed him?
 
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I'm not sure that there is anything which is guaranteed to help. I use biotin but also regularly paint hooves with Lifedata Hoof Disinfectant and also Kevin Bacon Hoof Ointment. This way I hope to keep at bay the bacteria which can lurk in he old nail holes but also keep hooves in optimum condition, certianly as best I can!
 
I use this:

http://www.feedmark.com/Product.asp?Product=Benevit+Advance

My Standardbred is barefoot, hacked regularly on the road as well as doing endurance (without boots) and has amazing feet.

I'm also using it with two horses I look after, both had poor feet; prone to cracking and soft soles. Both are showing a dramatic improvement in the quality of hoof growth - the new growth has a totally different look to it.

(And no I don't work for the company:D)
 
Farriers formula (or formula 4 fee)t has worked amazingly with my boy :). Expensive but worth it - could you ask your farrier what he would reccomend? I also anti bac his feet daily.
 
Look into diet, sersiouly if you have a fully balanced diet you shouldn't need any more. I feed topspec balancer and all the horses feed are top class. If you feed farriers formula etc it's a fully balanced supplement which is often lacking in alot off horses diets where as if they were fed a balanced diet to start with you wouldn't need the hoof supplements.
 
It's often not so much a case of what to feed. It's often a case of what not to feed.

A diet high in starch and sugar but lacking in minerals is often a cause of poor hoof growth.

If you want to buy off the shelf - Farrier's Formula now have a double strength one that may help, mixed in something like Fast Fibre, Speedibeet or Alfa A mollasses free.

For condition, added micronised linseed will do the job.
 
Kevin Bacon's hoof supplement worked wonders on my appy mare and she had awful feet! The issue in finding the right supplement is that the only thing that will help is what they are deficient in so it may take you years to find one that helps because hoof grows so slowly. Sorry, I know it's quite depressing but sadly true :(
 
Oberon said:
It's often not so much a case of what to feed. It's often a case of what not to feed.

A diet high in starch and sugar but lacking in minerals is often a cause of poor hoof growth.

If you want to buy off the shelf - Farrier's Formula now have a double strength one that may help, mixed in something like Fast Fibre, Speedibeet or Alfa A mollasses free.

For condition, added micronised linseed will do the job.
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Agree with this, low sugar and starch and make sure it's all fully balanced.

The farriers formula is actually double concentrate so not double strength. You feed half off the normal amount so the bag lasts twice as long.
 
healthy hoof - hi biotin - murph had so many probs 3 yrs ago - started him on this and wow so damn fine but just look for a feed that it is high biotin and talk to blacksmith please so important - mine as been brill suggested full bar shoes on front but none on back - now hes shod every 6 weeks has healthy hoof and full bars and been sound for 2 yrs - thank you mark x
 
Formula 4 Feet has worked wonders for my boys feet we just celebated a full 6 weeks without a farrier visit!
I also use NAF rock hard on his soles once a week and on his nail holes too.
I use Kevin Bacon dressing every day too they are so much better.
Hope it helps.
x
 
Thanks for the replies :)
I think ill try the hoof oil and maybe a balancer. Thankfully hes always sound *touch wood* and keeps shoes on *touches wood* but they are quite crumbly around the nails.
Farrier said not to bother with formula for feet as its expensive and not worth it in his opinion.
 
My old tb had atrocious feet. Despite what others have said on this thread, if your horse does have inheritantly bad feet a balanced diet won't cut it.

If you are sure the diet is correct - low starch/suger and balanced - then a supplement would help. Personally I found the NAF profeet to have the best effect. You could actually see the change of thickness and quality of horn.

Every farrier has a different opinion on what supplement does and doesn't work, so in this case it may be worth taking your farrier's advice with a pinch of salt. My farrier didn't rate any supplement at all, but had to admit the profeet made quite a difference.
 
thatsmygirl said:
Agree with this, low sugar and starch and make sure it's all fully balanced.

The farriers formula is actually double concentrate so not double strength. You feed half off the normal amount so the bag lasts twice as long.
Click to expand...

Actually I was advocating feeding a double dose rather than the recommended dose on the box.

Forage analysis are indicating lower levels of copper and zinc in UK so far. There are differing levels of all minerals depending on the soil, but low copper and zinc appear to be consistent throughout.

The only guaranteed way to improve general and foot health is to have forage analysed and balance the diet accordingly.

Not every horse owner is going to want to do this so as we're using guess work, double strength Farriers Formula would do the job of correcting an imbalance.

In the long term though it would be cheaper to go the analysis route!:)
 
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