My new ottb currently gets 6 lbs triple crown complete (split am/pm) alfalfa am/pm, free choice hay during the day and pasture when available. Needs to put on about 50lbs. I ordered some flax and vitamin e for him since he tested low. I want to get him on a hoof supplement, may try to transition him to barefoot in the future. His feet look ok right now but ppe x rays indicated mildly thin soles. Would California trace be too much with his grain? I liked it since it has copper zinc and biotin, and the extra vitamin e. If that’s not a good choice what would you recommend? I’d love to get him to forage based but just want to put this weight on him first, he’s always been on grain and a harder keeper
I have both my mares on California trace and I love it. They’re each on (amongst other things) 3.5lbs TC complete as well (although we’re switching to senior the next time I get grain). Im considering going to the trace plus, but am trying to justify the added price. FWIW, my farrier did comment on my mares hooves and asked if I had started any new supplements. Both are OTTBs, one is barefoot and the other has a full set.
I’m currently using Mad Barn’s Copper Zinc supp and a touch of extra Biotin (in the form of human pills). I feed Purina’s Omega Match ration balancer (has good amounts of Biotin, Vit E and Omega 3). I feed hefty amounts of alfalfa for extra calories to my retiree. I switched to this feed regimen after a foot crisis with my retiree earlier this year (deets below).
My riding horse with historically good feet routinely impresses my farrier with how much foot he can grow in 4 weeks. Recent podiatry x rays show no issues whatsoever.
My retiree with historically gosh awful feet is rehabbing from a founder, laminitis, navicular, scary thin soles, giant sub solar abscess episode. Vet is calling him a miracle as his prognosis to return to pasture soundness was declared “very poor” even considering my willingness to keep him on pain meds and orthopedic shoes or medical boots in his retirement. He’s bopping around the paddock with my riding horse this morning feeling frisky and looking good with no pain meds 
He does have to wear shoes w a double pad on the “bad” foot currently.
CA Trace is a forage balancer, not a hoof supplement. If at some point you are able to transition to a forage-only diet or drop below the 6lb minimum feeding requirement of the TC Complete, adding CA Trace could be an option. In the meantime, feeding that on top of a full ration of Complete would be overdoing it.
I’ve had good luck with adding Uckele’s copper and zinc (they have powder or pellet options). If you’d prefer a straight hoof supplement, I like Farrier’s Formula.
1 Like
Nu-Hoof Accelerator. Better level of needed ingredients than Farriers Formula.
And, I am glad Amy3996 pointed out that if you add CA Trace to what you’re already giving you are going to overdo it.
If you want to DIY then using copper, zinc, and biotin by themselves. What hay is he eating? I’d be adding alfalfa if you aren’t already.
1 Like
I have mine on California Trace Plus and it has made a huge difference in hoof health! However my horse is on a completely forage based diet so not sure if it would be too much with feed so it wouldn’t hurt to check with your vet or a nutritionist about it.
If it is too much, SmartPak has their SmartHoof and SmartHoof Ultimate supplements that have biotin, copper, & zinc
Exactly. 6 pounds of TC plus California trace is not balanced. I feed TC balancer gold, and Ukele copper and zinc. My young growing horse is on TC Senior, with the appropriate amount of balancer gold. . I have my horses tested for selenium once a year and they are all in a high normal range, which is exactly where I want them. We are in a low selenium, high Iron area.
