What do you look for in a horse? Is it Breed? Is it color? Is it size? Is it conformation? How about the hooves? The old saying “No hoof – no horse” is undeniably true. You can’t saddle up and ride a horse with sore feet.

Until recently, I didn’t think much about hooves as being a primary determinant for selecting a horse. You just keep the horse shod with new shoes every six to eight weeks and pick whatever breed, color, size, or conformation you want.   Just feed-em, shoe-em, saddle up and ride.

Then, I started noticing my five-year-old Morgan horse (Captain Morgan). Captain’s hooves must be as hard as steel. We live in an area with rocky soil. Rocks protrude through the surface of the ground at some places. Some places rocks cover the ground. Some places the ground is covered with cobbles and small boulders. Captain Morgan’s hooves have never been shod or even trimmed yet they look as they have recently been trimmed (I do examine the hooves and clean away the dirt and rocks that may be lodged in the grooves). I have taken him on trail rides through the Ozarks in Missouri, the Kiamichi mountains in Oklahoma, the Texas Hill Country and other rocky areas with no damage occurring to the hooves.  (You can find accounts of some of these rides in my blog horsinforpleasure.blogspot.com.)  My other horses are APHA paints. Their hooves will not hold up to this treatment. In fact, the paints frequently lose a shoe or two before being re-shod.

Around here (Northeast Oklahoma), I usually pay $50 to $55 each time I have a horse shod. You may pay more or less in your area. If your horse is shod on a six week rotation, you will pay more than $400 per year and around $325 per year on an eight week rotation. What if your horse doesn’t need shoes? Can you use $325 or $400 each year? With this money you could buy a new saddle or go on another trail ride or fix that broken corral gate.

But how do you find a horse with such hooves? Unfortunately, I don’t have a reliable method of doing this. I have seen a fair number of horses and Captain Morgan is the only horse I’ve been associated with hooves like these. I mentioned this to Charlie, the guy who shoes my other horses and he said he had once owned such a horse. His expression was “never shod and never struck the ground with a sore hoof”.   Charlie said this type of hoof was sometimes called “mule hooves”.   In fact, I own a mule with such hooves and this mule has gone to the same trail rides as Captain Morgan, also unshod. But not all mules have such hooves. Charlie owns a really good mule with hooves that require shoes for rough terrain.

Mustangs live in the wild without shoes. Everyone who has ever watched an old western movie knows that the Comanche, Apaches, Sioux, or whatever nation of indigenous Americans rode horses without shoes. How did these horses manage to cover all manner of terrain without shoes? Is it natural selection? That is, horses with good hooves survived while horses with inferior hooves perished and were eliminated from the gene pool. I don’t know the answer to this but I plan to research the matter. Watch for  “Hoofin it – Part 2”. Meanwhile, please visit my blog, horsinforpleasure.blogspot.com.

Hoofin’ It – Part 2

In “Hoofin It – Part 1” I mentioned that I would do research to find if there is a way to determine if a horse has hooves that can function without shoes. In doing so, I have stumbled on an entire movement by some horse experts dedicated to promoting “barefoot” horses. 

The first site I found was Australian Equine Barefoot Movement (AEBM) http://www.aebm.org.au. I was surprised to find this topic being discussed on such a scientific manner. This site has several articles arranged as steps to converting a horse from shod with steel shoes to barefoot. The articles are:

• The Decision (to go without shoes)
• Barefoot Benefits (is it actually better than shoes?)
• Rehabilitation (correcting the problems caused by steel shoes)
• Natural Lifestyle (how horses survived over the years without shoes)
• Getting Started (how to go from shod to barefoot)
• Hoof Boots (promotes boots that can be put on for temporary protection)
• Barefoot Trimmers (how to find a qualified person to trim hooves)
• Barefoot Performance (barefoot horses competing in events from dressage to cross country and endurance)

The information on this site was encouraging. It didn’t help me find a means to find a horse that doesn’t need shoes. However, maybe all or most horses can do without shoes if given the chance and proper care.

The next site I visited was, strangely enough, http://www.barefoothorse.com. (I don’t use the http://www: when going to a website but put it here for those who do.) This site exhorts the wild horse approach. That is, mustangs or wild horses rarely have hoof problems. A reason for this phenomenon is blood circulation to and from the hoof. A steel shoe locks the bottom of the hoof in place, preventing it from flexing in and out. This in and out flexing acts to pump blood upward and out of the hoof aiding the heart in circulating blood to the hoof. The article asserted this amounts to about a gallon of blood total for all four hooves in about twenty strides. This seems to be an astounding amount of blood and I cannot confirm or deny it. However, if even half that amount is circulated versus hardly any, I can see how it would affect the health of the hoof. Another benefit of the pumping action is that the blood in the hoof acts as to cushion the shock of hoof strike much the same as the fluid in a shock absorber helps to absorb shock by allowing fluid to flow through a restrictive orifice. The article asserted that a steel shoe cancels out 75% of the hoof’s ability to absorb shock. 

Barefoothorse.com also stresses that wild horses are free to move about and usually range from ten or fifteen miles per day. This means they are pumping that gallon per twenty strides several times per day. Much is made of giving the horse room to roam, run, trot, play and interact with other horses.

One thing I learned is that the people espousing barefoot horses are strikingly similar to the anti-smoking people. That is, they are militant concerning this issue and are convinced that any shod horse is currently unsound and will eventually become crippled if the shoeing is continued.

Thanks for reading this article. This is about all I can keep focused on for now. I will continue researching hooves and hoof maintenance and barefoot horses in continuing parts of “Hoofin – It”.  Watch for “Hoofin’ It – Part 3”. Meanwhile be sure to visit my blog at horsinforpleasure.blogspot.com.

Hoofin – It Part 3

I started out in Hoofin’ It - Part 1 trying to find a way to find horses that don’t need shoes. In Hoofin’ It - Part 2, I didn’t find this but I did find a whole movement to promote unshod or barefoot horses. I have long thought that horses are better off in the natural state without shoes but I was reluctant to take most horses into rough and rocky terrain unshod. It appears that this may be practical after all.

This started with Captain Morgan, my gelding that will turn five years in May of this year (2010). The Captain has really good hooves. He has never been shod and I have taken him over some very rough terrain. I also have two paints, Jasmine, a 12-year- old mare, and Phoenix, an 8-year-old gelding (son of Jasmine). 

Phoenix was frequently losing shoes prematurely and having problems with cracks in the toes of his front hooves.  I decided to let him go unshod for a while to allow his hooves to grow past the nail holes. I also decided to trim the toes of his front hooves with a rasp to lessen the force causing separation. This is proving successful in that the cracks have diminished as the hooves grow out.

Jasmine, on the other hand, had carried a set of shoes way past normal duration. In fact, I pulled her shoes a few days before reading the barefoothorse.com articles. Having read these articles, I now plan to leave Jasmine barefoot and begin a trimming regimen. Hey, if this works out I can save $700 to $800 per year (refer to Hoofin’ It – Part 1 and calculate for 2 horses).

The articles in the barefoothorse.com website do not stop at having the horse barefoot. Judicious trimming is also recommended. It turns out that the trimming I am doing on Phoenix’ hooves is the right thing to do.  So inadvertently, I did the correct thing. Blind pigs and acorns and all that jazz must have something to it. All of the articles I have read so far recommend frequent trimming, as often as weekly for some horses. This seems to be in areas of soft soils whereas the soil on my pasture is rocky (it isn’t called Rocky Knoll Ranch for nothing). 

Videos are available on the internet showing how to trim hooves for barefoot living, I viewed several through youtube.com.   I recommend these to anyone interested. Search “barefoot horse hoof trim” and scroll down until you find the youtube.com listings.

For Part 3, I researched another website, the horseshoof.com. Articles in this website are in agreement with the two previous websites. All three websites extol the virtues of natural treatment of hooves. That is, they rely heavily on the wild horse or mustang hoof model.

What are the characteristics of wild horse hooves? Here are a few comparisons to domestic horse hooves:

Each of these three websites provides diagrams of hooves showing healthy hooves compared to lame hooves. They also provide photographs for these comparisons. I must admit that I am learning a lot and have a long way to go. I suppose I didn’t know how much I didn’t know. I had always thought that the hooves should be sharp and oval in shape. It turns out that is probably not at all good. Some shoers in this region want to “stand up” the horses on their toes. Research in these articles shows this configuration puts the coffin bone inside the hoof at an angle that causes lameness. I will research this in continuing Parts. Other topics to pursue are hoof boots and shoes made from urethane rather than steel. Watch for “Hoofin’ It – Part 4”. Meanwhile, please visit my blog horsinforpleasure.blogspot.com.

Hoofin’ It – Part 4

In “Hoofin’ It – Part 3, I mentioned I would look into horse boots and urethane shoes. This is a popular topic as I learned. Several companies are providing these boots with varying results. It appears that boots became commercially available sometime in the 1970s. Initial results were nothing to brag about. Boots came off. Boots twisted. Boots chafed the horses’ hooves and lower legs. Wear life wasn’t good.

Human ingenuity being what it is, the boot-makers kept trying to improve their product. The result is today several commercial boot-makers are providing quality boots that fit well, wear well, and protect the hooves well. New materials have become available and the boot-makers have taken advantage of these technological advances. The same urethane used for skateboard wheels is used for the soles of these boots. Unfortunately, as in all manufactured items, the quality of the boots is not uniformly excellent from one boot-maker to the next.

Three categories of boots are currently being used:

1. Soaker boots
2. Therapy/Rehab boots
3. Riding boots

Soaker boots are a light-weight boot that encapsulates the hoof. These boots extend above the corollary band and are built to hold fluids inside. The fluids can be anything from plain water to a variety of medications. These boots are lightweight and are not intended for riding. They can be used dry to keep the hoof dry or protect an injury from dirt and contamination while a wound heals. Generally soaker boots are the least expensive of the three categories and will cost $20 to $40 per boot (not set of boots).

Therapy boots are somewhat heavier than soaker boots. These boots also extend above the corollary band but may have holes in the sides for ventilation or drainage. Therapy boots are not generally meant for riding but can be used for turnout into the pasture. Therapy boots are generally more expensive than soaker boots, ranging from $80/pair to $120/pair.

Riding boots are just what the name implies. They are used for riding. These boots are rugged with highly durable soles. Generally riding boots do not extend above the corollary band. Riding boots are expensive ranging in price from $110/pair to $150/pair. Not all boots are recommended for all disciplines of riding or distances. Each boot-maker has recommendations for the various models in the product line.

Hoof boots are intended to protect unshod or barefoot hooves. Most boot-makers void any warranties if the boot is worn over a shod hoof. Keeping the hoof in proper trim is important because hoof growth will change the fit of the boot. The boots are meant to fit snugly on the hoof without gaps just as a good athletic shoe fits your foot to avoid discomfort or chafing.

Keeping the boot on the hoof is obviously important. Each boot-maker has his own method of attaching the boot and these methods vary greatly in its effectiveness. Use your imagination and some boot-maker has probably tried it. Some methods are:

• Wires
• Velcro Straps
• Buckles
• Glue

Among these methods the variety is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of the boot maker.

Generally horse boots are not intended for extended wear. These boots are intended to protect the hooves for a particular use and then removed to allow the horse to live barefoot in its normal environment. Boots are generally reusable multiple times as long as they remain in good condition. The exception is the glue-on boots which usually get only two installation and removals.

In addition to protecting the hoof, boots can provide greater traction on hard surfaces than steel shoes or bare hooves. This is due to the gripping ability of the material (urethane) used in making the sole plus the tread patterns (similar to tire tread patterns). Traction can be detrimental if it allows the horse to overstress tendons and muscles while making sharp turns.

Some websites that provide information on hoof boots are in the following list.

Annalar16.tripod.com provides a comparison of three brands of boots

All-natural-horse-care.com provides information on types and functions of boots

Equisearch.com

Naturalhorsetrim.com

From what I can tell, the two main things to look for in a horse boot are Function (what do you want it to do) and Fit (size really matters). The fit around the hoof wall is important to keep dirt, sand, and rocks from getting between the hoof and boot causing chafing and discomfort to the horse.

I spoke with a man who does horse massages at endurance events. Tom follows the route during the day and collects the boots that have been lost by horses in the competition. He returns the boots to the owners. Tom says the owners are careful to put their name and contact information on each boot.

Thanks for reading this article. Please visit my blog at horsinforpleasure.blogspot.com. Watch for “Hoofin’ It – Part 5”.

Hoofin’ It – Part 5

In Hoofin’ It – Part 3, I made plans to research hoof boots and soft shoes. Hoofin’ It – Part 4 discusses hoof boots. Part 5 will cover soft shoes. 

I find two types of soft shoe. One type consists of a metal plate attached to the hoof with a soft pad attached to the metal plate. While this shoe provides great traction on hard surfaces and gives good shop absorption, it restricts flexing of the hoof. I am not going to address this type shoe.

The other type of soft shoe consists entirely of the soft material such as urethane. I have had experience with this type soft shoe in that my brother and his wife have had some of their horses shod with soft shoes. These shoes are made from urethane, the same material used for skateboard wheels. This material gives the hoof flexibility that steel shoes don’t provide. Hoofin’ It – Part 2 discussed the blood circulation in the hoof being restricted by steel shoes but not in barefoot. The soft shoes allow flexing to pump the blood through the hoof. The soft shoes I have seen have a bar that covers the frog, giving it stimulation and further enhancing blood circulation. The soft shoes have a closed back configuration rather than the familiar “U” shape of steel shoes.

These horses are thriving with the soft shoes. They have good traction to go along with the protection and shock absorption provided by the shoes. One chronically tender-footed horse has been able to travel over rough terrain with these shoes.

Soft shoes are installed in two manners. Some soft shoes are glued to the hoof. The shoes I have seen are attached with nails. The shoer trims the hoof as he would with steel shoes. The shoes are then nailed to the hoof in the same manner as steel shoes. Attaching the shoes with nails is the one disadvantage compared to barefoot or hoof boots as the nails create holes in the hoof wall. The chance of putting a nail into the white-line exists. Soft shoes can frequently be re-set as they have good wear characteristics.

Soft shoes are intended for extended wear as are steel shoes, compared to limited duration wear for hoof boots. As explained in Part 4, hoof boots are intended to protect  the hooves during riding or for therapy but the horse is expected to remain barefoot for the majority of the time. Small rocks and other debris can get under the shoe due to the increased coverage area and gaps in the material. Most manufacturers of soft shoes recommend inserting caulk or putty between the shoe and the hoof to prevent this problem.

The prices I have seen for soft shoes are reasonable. I believe my brother and his wife pay about $8/shoe. Some listings for soft shoes on website give the price as $24/pair.

Thank you for reading this article. Watch for this series to continue in “Hoofin’ It – Part 6”.

HOOFIN’ IT – PART 6

In Hoofin’ It – Part 1, I started out trying to learn how to determine when a horse can function normally without shoes. By normally, I mean being ridden under moderate circumstances without damage to the hooves. This was brought about by observing my 5-year-old gelding, Captain Morgan, who has never had a shoe or even a trim while being ridden over some rugged terrain. Somehow, Captain Morgan keeps his hooves in good trim through nature.

The conventional wisdom amongst horse people is that black hooves can go without shoes while white hooves need shoes. The guy who has been shoeing my horses agrees with that contention. Is there any truth to this? Incidentally, Captain Morgan, being a black horse has black hooves. My mule, Pete, has black hooves and his hooves do not need shoes. Maybe there is something to the conventional wisdom (maybe si maybe no).

Going to the internet to find information on hoof hardness I found several websites with information about this topic.

The first site I visited was ultimatehorsesite. This site refutes the conventional wisdom. A quote from the authors of this website puts forth their philosophy;

"Personally, our three horses with the best feet have mixed hoof colors; One has four white hooves and tall white socks, the other has all four black hooves, and the third has two black hooves, two white hooves. Our two ponies, with extremely tough hooves, have mixed colors too, with one having all black, and the other having all white."

Maybe this is correct. The color of the hoof is usually an extension of the color of the hair on the leg immediately above the hoof. The hoof wall is actually compressed hair. The hoof inside the wall is much the same from one hoof to the next regardless of the color of the wall. Back in Hoofin’ it – Part 3, I learned the horse should be walking on the white line and the sole plate rather than the hoof wall. The wall should be rounded off in a manner that it does not touch the ground

The next website I visited was athletic-animals. This site has a lot of truthful information. This site emphasizes the nutritional aspect of hoof care. Biotin is recommended as a supplement to enhance hoof growth. A case study of the Lipizanner stallions provides that the use of Biotin over a two year study resulted in greatly improved hoof health for the study group compared to the control group not receiving Biotin. Also emphasized is that because the hoof grows out of the corollary band at a rate of approximately 1 cm (0.4”+/-) per month with the hoof wall being replaced in 10 to 12 months. While nutrition is undoubtedly important and can have great influence on hoof growth, wild horses are not obtaining Biotin supplement to promote their hoof growth. As mentioned in previous articles, wild horse hooves are known to be good.

The following information is quoted from athletic-animals.

“Biotin is a B vitamin. Like all B vitamins, Biotin is water soluble, and not stored in the body. It must be taken in on a daily basis. Biotin comes from the diet in varying amounts, and some is produced by natural bacteria in the large intestine of the horse. The large intestinal microbial population produces some biotin, but there is very little, if any, absorption of biotin from the large intestine, and, more importantly, if horses are on a high grain diet, the production of biotin may not even occur because of the high levels of acid in the gut from the grain diet.”

The next website I visited was barrelhorseworld. This site has several very recent entries discussing a type of shoe known as Natural Balance. (It appears this shoe would enhance breakover.) This shoe is steel with a flat looking front compared to the curved front on most other shoes. The original commenter discussed the hardness of her horses’ hooves giving the shoer fits and attributed the hardness to their diet of 4 flakes of afalfa plus Omelene 200 and flax and minerals plus beet pulp. This exotic diet is definitely not available to wild horses. The shoer told her the horses didn’t need shoes with hooves that hard.

I visited a website titled thelongridershorseguild. These people regularly ride distances of over 1000 miles. One such account chronicled a 1970 journey from South Africa to Austria (12,400 miles). The ride was done using barefoot horses purchased locally in South Africa. The riders figured that shoes and shoers wouldn’t be available along the route so the horses would be better off if they were already accustomed to barefoot. The horses were given strap-on shoes for one day as they crossed a ridge of volcanic rock. At first, the hooves wore faster than they grew but as the journey progressed the hooves hardened until they were so hard when they reached Austria the new owner had to wait an entire year before the shoer could trim them with a rasp and nippers. The riders wanted horses with dark hooves but actually settled with one horse with “a white hoof” but that horse had hoof problems and was used only for carrying a light pack.

One day, several years ago, a trainer I was using for a young colt told me he could tell the temperament and trainability of a horse by looking at the whorl or cowlick on the horse’s forehead. I looked at him incredulously and he laughed saying that was BS but it sure would make his work easier if it were true. Just as you can’t judge a horse by its color or the cowlick on its forehead, you can’t judge the hooves by their color. So much is involved, diet, heredity, terrain conditions, living conditions, exercise, and many other influences that you can’t tell how a horse’s hooves will wear by the color or any other easy method. Almost any horse can be nurtured into barefoot living given time and proper care and time to regenerate the hoof. If you’re going to use your horse daily for long distances over paved roads (such as Amish), it will probably need shoes as the hooves will just not keep up with the wear.

Well, there you have it. I haven’t learned how to pick a horse that won’t need shoes. Maybe none need them. For sure some don’t. I think that some will always need them. But the search has been educational and entertaining to me and I hope to you as well. Thank you for reading this article.

Hoofin’ It – Part 7

This article portrays myths, opinions, conventional wisdom, and even some truths regarding horses’ hooves. I have been doing research on this topic based on characteristics I noticed on the hooves of one of my horses. The information in this article is a compilation of articles found on the internet by searching “horse hoof myths”.

The most prevalent myth I have encountered involves white hooves vs dark hooves. Much conventional wisdom says that dark hooves are stronger than white hooves.

Horsechannel provides information from a master farrier and a PhD researcher on horse hooves. Both agree there is no difference in hardness (strength) between dark hooves and white hooves. They assert that the color is determined by the color of the skin (or hair) above the corollary band. The researcher concedes that some paint horses have brittle white hooves but Appaloosas feet are strong regardless of the color. An added comment is that some horses have striped hooves corresponding to the color of the leg immediately above the corollary band.

Populararticles has an article by Amy P. Cunningham. This author provides a couple of rhymes regarding hooves and then refutes them saying that science has proved that the only difference is the pigmentation. The rhymes are as follows:

 "One white foot, buy him. Two white feet, try him. Three white feet, look well about him. Four white feet, do without him." 

"Four white feet, and a long white nose, knock him on the head and feed him to the crows."

Ultimatehorsesite offers several interesting nuggets regarding hoof color.

One white foot, buy him.
Two white feet, try him.
Three white feet, be on the sly.
Four white feet, pass him by.

One white foot, keep him not a day,
Two white feet, send him far away,
Three white feet, sell him to a friend,
Four white feet, keep him to the end.

These two rhymes say just the opposite. This article goes on to say that there is no reason to believe either rhyme is true or that either hoof color has anything to do with hoof strength.

Applehorseshoeing briefly discusses hoof color vs strength. This article states “Truth: Many studies have shown that pigment does not at all cause increased hoof strength, and lack of pigment does not cause a weak hoof.”

The article goes on to say that a crack or a chip is easier to notice in a white hoof than in a dark hoof. (Author’s note: This may account for the bias against white hooves.)

I found other myths on the Horsechannel site.

Myth: All horses need hoof supplement added to their feed. This is pretty easy to refute as wild horses certainly don’t get a supplement and they have good hooves.

Myth: Horses get thrush from standing on wet ground. This may be true for horses standing in a wet stall full of manure but fortunately for me in the spring, it doesn’t happen.

Myth: Hot shoeing (hot fitting) hurts the horse. I haven’t had a horse hot shod for more than 50 years. I do remember that the horse wasn’t damaged by that treatment.

Myth: Oil Products seal in moisture. Generally, oil-based products applied to the wall of the hoof tend to soften the wall. When applied to the corollary band, these products can provide nourishment to the hoof as it grows.

Myth: A piece of gravel can work its way up from the bottom of the hoof to the corollary band. The “gravel” is not actually gravel, it is an abscess. These abscesses can form inside the hoof wall and actually work their way up to the corollary band and break out allowing the abscess to drain.

Myth: Factory shoes have 4 holes per side and each hole should have a nail. The actual reason for the extra holes is to allow the shoer to adjust the location of the nails to find solid hoof wall to hold the nails. This makes up for nail holes or other fissures in the hoof wall. Some shoes have way more than 4 holes per side.

Myth: Barefoot horses need farrier attention more often than shod horses. Almost all hooves grow at about the same rate. If your horse is barefoot because you are allowing the hoof wall to grow out past the nail holes, it may be prudent to do a light trimming with a rasp frequently to keep the feet in balance.

Hoofin’ It – Part 8

What about hoof-building supplements? I have tried them and have always been disappointed. But now I know why. I expected the results to be much quicker acting. Now I have learned that the effects of the supplements start at the corollary band and take ten to twelve months to reach the bottom of the hoof. So unless you continue the supplement for ten to twelve months and beyond, the supplement will be wasted.

The cracks or defects in the hoof wall will not be healed by a hoof supplement, they must grow out to the bottom of the hoof and either wear off or be trimmed off. Think of your fingernails. If you smash a nail the result will be a dark nail and may even cause a hole in the nail. The darkness and the hole will remain until the nail grows out past the quick and the roughness can be trimmed away. A similar thing happens when the horse sustains an injury in the corollary band. This will result in a blemish in the hoof wall that will remain until it grows out the bottom of the hoof.

What do hoof supplements do for the hoof? Generally, supplements provide biotin, methionine and zinc to the horse’s diet. These are building blocks for connective tissue, skin and hair, and most importantly for this discussion, hooves. No shortage of supplements exists, I easily found twenty supplements on the internet, most descriptions are complete with a listing of the ingredients, before deciding that enough is enough. Many more supplements are out there that I did not investigate.

The primary ingredient is biotin. Most of the supplements I researched contain 15-20mg of biotin per dose. Dose sizes vary from brand to brand, but each brand tends to include this ratio of biotin per dose. (Some super biotin supplements provide 30mg per dose.) Biotin is actually generated in the horse’s large intestine. I learned in “Hoofin’ It – Part 6” that biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin and as such cannot be stored, making it necessary to obtain daily. Biotin generation can be retarded if the diet includes too much grain. The grain causes excess acids that deter biotin generation. Additionally, absorption of biotin from the large intestine is very low. 

A secondary ingredient in most supplements is methionine. Most supplements contain 1500-4000mg of methionine per dose.

The third most common ingredient in supplements is zinc. Most supplements contain 100-300mg of zinc per dose.

Most supplements contain a variety of active ingredient or fillers. However, biotin, methionine, and zinc are the primary ingredients in the supplements I reviewed.

The cost of adding these supplements to your horse’s diet ranges from $0.41/day to $1.17/day depending upon the supplement selected. 

A few of the hoof supplements I found are liquid. It appears that these supplements are applied either to the hoof wall or to the corollary band. One brand prescribed application to the corollary band, the hoof wall, and the frog. A clean, dry hoof is necessary for these applications.

Here are some things you want to consider when selecting a hoof supplement.

·         What is the condition of my horse’s hooves, does it actually need a supplement?

·         Will I actually continue the supplement for the full 10-12 months required to obtain the full benefit and then keep it up?

·         Is the supplement given to the horse via diet or external application?

·         Am I ready to spend $0.41 to $1.17 per day to supplement my horse’s hooves?

·         If you decide to add a supplement to your horse’s diet, check out the amount of biotin, methionine, and zinc per dose to make sure you are getting the most for your money. 

A side benefit to supplements is that most promote good skin and hair. This should be obvious as the hoof is mainly compressed hair and connective tissue. I say obvious, but in my focus on the hoof, I wasn’t looking for the benefits to the coat. But even I couldn’t help but notice the assertions by the manufacturers that their supplements benefit the coat as well as the hoof.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it was informative or at least entertaining.

Hoofin’ It – Part 9

This article will discuss a disease of the hoof known as laminitis. Following articles will discuss thrush and other hoof diseases.

Laminitis (also called Founder)

This is probably the most dreaded disease of the horse hoof. It is debilitating to the horse and can be a recurring problem in susceptible horses. In extreme cases, it may lead to the horse being put down. This is not a disease caused by bacteria or other germs. It cannot be treated with antibiotics. Fortunately, it is not contagious.

Three phases of laminitis are categorized by veterinarians:

1.       Developmental

2.       Acute

3.       Chronic

Developmental Laminitis is the period between when the causing factors start and when the horse becomes lame. Most laymen won’t be able to recognize this stage until the horse becomes lame. An experienced horse vet may recognize it but chances are the horse won’t be taken to the vet because the owner doesn’t know there is a problem until seeing lameness.

Acute Laminitis is the period between the start of lameness and complete breakdown. Factors that may influence the length of time for this stage are:

·         Black walnut shavings in the bedding (8-12 hours) (Author’s note: I have black walnut trees in my pastures with loads of nuts but the horses are not confined in black walnut bedding.)

·         Carbohydrate overload (30-40 hours)

Chronic Laminitis occurs when displacement of the coffin bone has occurred but the laminar cells are not yet dying (necrosis). Horses having had the disease progress this far are likely to have recurrence if they recover from this occurrence.

The most common cause of laminitis appears to be carbohydrate overload.   Most often, this comes from a horse getting too much grain or high-carbohydrate feed. Occasionally an overabundance of lush forage in the pasture can be the cause. A friend of mine has a Missouri Foxtrotter mare that foundered on pasture grass. The mare has recovered but must be kept from overgrazing while in the pasture. One solution being used to prevent overgrazing has been to put a muzzle on the horse to allow some grazing but slow it down enough to avoid problems (sort of like a restrictor plate used by NASCAR). The vet told my friend that the mare is very susceptible to recurrence and her daughter, also owned by my friend, should be watched as well.

Horses particularly susceptible to laminitis include ponies, heavy breeds such as draft horses, and overweight horses. Sometimes extended heavy work on hard surfaces can cause laminitis. Another cause listed is allowing the horse to drink too much cold water following hard exercise.

The best way to prevent laminitis appears to be regulating the horse’s diet. Don’t overfeed with grain. Avoid pasturing the horse on over-rich grass. In general, just use common sense and don’t allow the horse to eat too much. In extreme cases, you may need to isolate the horse in a barren lot and feed only hay. 

Thanks for reading my article. I hope it was entertaining and informative. Look for others in my “Hoofin’ It” series.