Crumbly hooves

[airedaliz]

Has anyone had any success using either feed supplements or applications for horses with crumbly hooves? My horse has been shoeless on the backs for quite a while now but has lately gone very footsore on the backs, YO recommended getting shoes back on her and the farrier found enough hoof to get a shoe on ok, but as we all know prevention is better than cure so I was hoping someone has had success in using some treatments either applied or in feed, biotin has been mentioned, and so has limestone flour, also Keratex hoof hardener painted on soles as well. Any input appreciated.

[lh-sc]

When I got Billy (American Quarter Horse, 17 yrs.old at the time) his front feet had been shod. The hooves were very crumbly. For a year I tried Biotin and various supplements. I tried rubbing different things on his hooves. I tried soaking them. I tried giving him vegetable oil. I tried everything people recommended, but his feet stayed crumbly. Finally I just stopped shoeing him, and he has been barefoot for over 5 years. As his hooves grew out it got healthy but it took a year or two before his front hooves were totally nice and hard.

[mindymoo]

My pony went through something similar last year, her feet were awful and my farrier couldnt get shoes on her fronts so she had to go out wearing equiboots. Biotin is the thing you need to be giving her, my mare has been having seaweed and biotin supplement ever since and her feet are much improved. Farriers formula is expensive, you can get lots of supplements with biotin in for less. Mine is made by lincoln i think. Good luck, it will take time though don't forget.

[thoroughlybred1]

Hi,

My Tb suffered from crumbling feet - after 2 or 3 weeks i could literally peel his shoes off him. I went barefoot for 3 months, and the EP put me in touch with Roger Hatch from Trinity consultants who has put him on a supplement plan. His feet are already a lot better, and because he's wrecked his boa hoof boots so quickly, he's having shoes back on so i'll guess i'll know if all this has worked if his feet are able to hold shoes for a reasonable time.

Both the EP and Roger feel that its a nutritional problem rather than poor feet

[mogadoga]

My friends horse was like this when she went barefoot. She used this http://www.thesaddleshop.co.uk/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=13&P_ID=862&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=211

[Bay Mare]

Hi,Both the EP and Roger feel that its a nutritional problem rather than poor feet

It very often is, either that or infection (which can also be diet related).

I'd second Trinity, have heard some very good things about them :)

A lot of barefoot people also use Top Spec Anti-Lam with a lot of success. I couldn't feed Saff enough of it to make a huge difference as it sent her loopy but I know that others have had very good results on it.