What to feed for hoof growth?

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SillySausage

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I currently have a teenage Italian TB who has paper thin feet which have not grown well over the winter. We are already applying products to her feet, but the farrier recommended feeding her something too.

I am already aware of Farriers Formula, but wanted to ask if anybody else had any further recommendations?
 
I think you should be aware that applying hoof products will not improve feet ......... they need to grow stronger.
You don't say size or work but a balanced diet which has ALL the minerals required is a better bet than a supplement.
Having said that, I suggest you now start feeding pro hoof [ebay], you need to take a week to get up to the recommended amount, and feed it for 30 days, by this time you should see a growth/event ring as new horn grows down from coronet band.

For a 15.2 TB horse not at grass full time,
I suggest 100-150 gms linseed meal [charnwood milling]
plus balanced minerals and vitamins, start with pro hoof, then pro balance in summer once things are better.
Feed non molasses chaff, and go for a high fibre lo sugar [NO MOLASSES or MOGLO] diet.
I feed NON molassed sugar beet pulp, NOT nuts, they are flakes, also known a Speedy beet and Quick beet.
Don't think that a handful of pony nuts will be enough even in summer, you should feed minerals all year, as the hoof growing in August will be on the ground 6-8 weeks later.
If you post what you are feeding now, including forage, plus exercise regime, it would help.

High fibre nuts are available, are available, but in your case it looks like you need to kick start hoof growth.
Make sure the shoes are replaced regularly 6-7 weeks, and think about removing them for a few months to let the feet grow naturally.
 
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She has Keratex applied twice a week as advised by both the farrier and vet (who unfortunately have been seeing her on a regular basis over the past six months!).

She is 15.2hh and on an increasing workload after a long period of time off. She is currently well muscled with a small 'belly' but has only been in work approximately 3 months now, our sessions are now up to approximately 30 minutes hard trot/canter work. At the end of May she will start playing polocrosse tournaments most weekend at a moderate to high level (and therefore will need to be very fit), however with her previous injury I am taking it day by day as to when she is ready to take up competing that often.

She is currently on Alfa A Oil and just pony nuts, but the nuts will be changed to Pasture Mix once she is fitter. She is fed ad lib hay with a small handful of haylage.

She is doing very well on the feed she is currently on and so I don't really want to alter that too much. I am sure that once she returns to grass I will see a vast improvement but sadly we have been badly affected by the floods and our fields are still under water.

Hope that helps?
 
This is her yesterday if that is of any help, thought obviously she has tack on!

IMG_0608_zps39a31a14.jpg
 
The name "pasture mix" is delightful, but it is often a high cereal product. Change the diet form high cereal to hi fibre, this will help the feet!
Your current diet is not working, the feet tell you, and the farrier tells you.
 
Low sugar high fibre well balanced diet. Farriers formula (or good quality balancer) may help but sometimes/often there are metabolic issues such as too much, or sensitivity to, dietary sugars (including in grass and hay) or metabolic disorder such as Cushings. If diet changes don't help then don't rule out Cushings. It takes time to grow thicker soles so no overnight cure.
Here are some links that might help.

http://www.hoofrehab.com/WhyThinSoles.html
http://www.hoofrehab.com/HorsesSole.html
http://www.hoofrehab.com/Diet.html
 
MrsD123 said:
High fibre nuts are available, are available, but in your case it looks like you need to kick start hoof growth.
Make sure the shoes are replaced regularly 6-7 weeks, and think about removing them for a few months to let the feet grow naturally.
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed this end bit. She has just had her shoes back on after 9 months of them off on farriers advice, and she is regularly trimmed every six weeks.

So you suggest I change her diet to:

Speedy/Quick beet, linseed meal, pro hoof and non molassed chaff?

Then replace to high fibre nuts once her hoof growth has increased, and pro balance rather than pro feet once in the summer?
 
amandap said:
Low sugar high fibre well balanced diet. Farriers formula (or good quality balancer) may help but sometimes/often there are metabolic issues such as too much, or sensitivity to, dietary sugars (including in grass and hay) or metabolic disorder such as Cushings. If diet changes don't help then don't rule out Cushings. It takes time to grow thicker soles so no overnight cure.
Here are some links that might help.

http://www.hoofrehab.com/WhyThinSoles.html
http://www.hoofrehab.com/HorsesSole.html
http://www.hoofrehab.com/Diet.html
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will read through those links this evening.

The top of her feet are looking good, it is just the bottoms that are not so good. He says as her feet are weak he will only trim them back a little each time or they wont cope, but that if I can assist her hoof growing then it will be better all round.
 
SillySausage said:
Sorry I missed this end bit. She has just had her shoes back on after 9 months of them off on farriers advice, and she is regularly trimmed every six weeks.

So you suggest I change her diet to:

Speedy/Quick beet, linseed meal, pro hoof and non molassed chaff?

Then replace to high fibre nuts once her hoof growth has increased, and pro balance rather than pro feet once in the summer?
Click to expand...
I think it depends how you like the feed regime, and how she is getting on, convenience/cost etc. There should be no loss of condition due to change of diet. For me I find it easier to be in control of the input, which means chaff non mol/beet and minerals, some people manage fine on hi fibre nuts, but as you are having problems then I think you have to start with a full on belt and braces approach.
The grass unfortunately is not going to help, as spring grass, lovely and green as it is, is higher in sugar than hay, and is probably also too low in magnesium.
Magnesium is very important in the diet, and one of the reasons to feed minerals at the recommended rate, and is one of the boosted minerals in pro hoof [ebay].
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Progressive-Earth/Metabolic-Laminitis-Prone-/_i.html?_fsub=1679013018
 
Ive not read all the replies but I use Top Spec comprehensive balancer which has all the vits and minerals they need which includes biotin.
My ISH has TB hooves and the hoof wall is great but the sole isnt too good and very bruised at the moment from the wet weather and now hard ground :( I use Kevin Bacon products for the outside, very unlucky with the weather I think. My farrier has said his hooves has improved so much over the past couple of years so I must be doing something right :)
 
My understanding is that Biotin is questionable in a good diet. The horse will manufacture its own biotin, therefore if supplementation works, it indicates the diet is not providing all the dietary needs of the horse.
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/16881/biotin-does-it-work
If you look in to the barefoot diet recommendations, you will find that boosting the diet with balanced minerals will help sole growth, provided exercise is added in to the equation. Lots of people have underlying thrush at this time of year, again diet is important.
Personally I would never again have shoes on a horse behind, and would be happy to tweak my exercise regime to fit with the horses requirements.
I shod all my horses for forty years before I found out about diet on here!
Have a look at Rockley farm blog site, it is a remedial farm, what they don't know about feet is not worth knowing.
 
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