Can anyone recommend great hoof supplement? I have horse with super slow growing feet and thin soles. Vet wants to put her in some pour-in pads temporarily to let her try to build up some sole, but her feet grow sooooooo slow I think it will take forever. I have already tried Smart Hoof for 8 months and Smart Circulate for 3 months and saw no improvements.
I really like the Regen-X EQ cream that you put on their feet. It’s expensive, but it’s made a big difference in the quality of my mare’s feet. I’m not sure they grow any faster, but they are definitely healthier. I paint it onto the walls, sole, and heels every day and rub it in a bit.
I like Kauffman’s Integri-Hoof, and I think it was rated pretty highly by Horse Journal at some point. I didn’t buy it because of that, but I feel like it has helped the horses I use it on more than some others I have tried.
[QUOTE=Char0308;8278800]
Can anyone recommend great hoof supplement? I have already tried Smart Hoof and Smart Circulate for 3 months each and saw no improvements.[/QUOTE]
Have you tried any dietary changes, too? That can have a big impact on hoof quality (ex. reducing sugars).
That said, I have been pleased with the impact of basic supplements like Hilton’s Hoof and Health (which is similar to Source). I don’t think it’s the only thing helping my mare’s feet (probably diet is a bigger factor), but I think it is contributing. I also think reviewing whether your horse has basic vit/min needs covered by their diet is worth doing.
Foundation–bought through a veterinarian or on their website (which puts you in contact with a nearby vet). Really, I haven’t found anything, in 20-some years, that compares. It’s pricey to buy, but you feed only about an ounce a day.
While looking up the website addy for Vetri-science, Foundation’s mfgr, I found that All-pet carries it, along with a few of the large pet supply outlets.
Farrier’s Formula double strength made a HUGE difference for my young horse.
I use and really like SmartPak Smart Hoof Ultra pellets and Keratex topical hoof hardener.
Horseshoer’s Secret is great. I prefer the concentrate over the regular. Another favorite is Uckele’s Hoof Biotin.
I’ve heard good things about Focus HF for hoof quality.
AAKG and jiaogulan can help hooves grow faster.
My horse has terrible feet and Grand Hoof + MSM has transformed them
I’ve heard great things about Kombat boots.
I think I may give the Farrier’s Formula Double Strength a try; it has same ingredients as most mentioned, plus bunch of other minerals and vitamins. Helpful that I can just add it to her smartpak of MSM and GUT supplements. Also pellet is helpful as she is picky especially about powders and granules.
[QUOTE=Char0308;8278800]
Can anyone recommend great hoof supplement? I have horse with super slow growing feet and thin soles. Vet wants to put her in some pour-in pads temporarily to let her try to build up some sole, but her feet grow sooooooo slow I think it will take forever. I have already tried Smart Hoof for 8 months and Smart Circulate for 3 months and saw no improvements.[/QUOTE]
Yes. The best quality grass hay you can buy.
The shelves at your local Co-Op are full of things that promise the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars along with a First Class round trip ticket for two" when it comes to improving horn quality. In reality I don’t know of any supplement that can demonstrate that it can improve significantly on what nature has already provided.
Put another way, an owner can degrade what nature provides; there is scant evident they can improve on it where hoof quality is concerned.
G.
I started feeding biotin to my two about a year ago. The farrier had me cut back on one of them as her hooves were growing quite quickly. Presently, the farrier is trimming/resetting every 4 weeks. My 2 have responded very well to this supplement. Cost: $5 per month. I buy it from the feed mill.
Hilton Herbs Hoof and Health! Best product that I have put my horse on. His hooves grew out really fast, and while they were very good to begin with, my farrier keeps commenting on how much he loves the hooves after I began the supplement. An 8 # tub lasts several months so very cost effective and my horse dappled on it!
The best quality hay one can buy/grass one can grow should be a given 
The problem is “the best quality” is not always possible or feasible. Around here, super red clay soil is high in iron, which means forage is low in copper and zinc. It won’t matter how much copper and zinc there is in the soil, high iron will decrease its uptake into the forage.
One might live in a highly Se-deficient area - forage won’t have enough.
Hay-only diets are low in Vit E and maybe also Vit A.
Some horses have honest digestive issues and don’t make enough of their own biotin.
All those things affect hoof quality. Nature does not always provide everything
That said, I do think too many people try to add things to a diet that needs to be, and can be improved, instead of changing the base diet. A diet high in sugar is probably going to cause a B deficiency. It can also cause hind gut issues which interfere with nutrient absorption. Feeding 1/2lb of a regular feed, instead of a good ration balancer, might be the difference in great feet (more copper, zinc, lysine, methionine, etc).
Oh, also wanted to add that I love Farriers Fix hoof oil! I know it isn’t a supplement, but it has become my favorite hoof dressing.
Lori T. I just started using farrier fix and plan to keep using it on exterior of hoof, but Vet really wants pads on my horse for a while to see if we can get some sole growth. I thought I would also try a couple supplements to try and speed up things if possible; but going into winter months not sure anything will help as the growth slows even more then
Keep in mind that most hoof topicals - especially if they are petroleum-based - do more harm in the long run, as they can degraded the protective outer hoof material.
when I got my last horse year and a half ago he had been sitting in a field for a few years, so needless to say, his hooves were not ideal. Started on Horseshoer’s Secret (was going to go with Farrier’s Formula but the HS was cheaper, and 25% extra in bucket) and also started MSM. On his second hoof growth cycle since then and WOW, what a difference. I’m a trimmer so quite critical about my own horse’s feet- and I’m absolutely loving the hoof he has now.
That said, I’ve seen enough hooves and queried enough owners to know that what works for one may not be the best solution for the next. But happy with this combo. Also can put in another YAY for the Farrier’s Fix hoof oil- love it.
