Hoof wall growth?

Any tricks, old or new that people know of, have heard of, tried etc to promote hoof wall growth? Is it possible?

Wait for Spring when the grass turns green. They tend to grow foot a little faster.

No magical powders or potions, other than a good diet.

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I am wondering this too. My Dutch Harness Horse gelding had some hoof wall separation… vet wants him in shoes but there is no hoof wall to nail a shoe to. He is essentially walking on his soles. My poor boy :frowning:

Pretty much this, and regular work that puts impact on the hoof. Use of horse increases blood flow in hoof with every stride, helping it grow. Despite claims that various supplements or feeds make hooves grow fast, I have not seen real proof of it.

Horse bodies still react like wild horses when the spring sun light arrives to stimulate their brains. New grass growth and migrating to find enough grass as the season changes, plus starting breeding season, stallions hunting for new mares, means horses need more and faster hoof growth then to survive their travel miles as wild animals. Domestic horses still react this way. All horses will be growing hoof faster in early spring and summer before dense grazing is firmly established for the summer to fall season. Wild or domesticated with feed provided, horse brain says hoof must grow a lot now. The wild horses continue to travel almost daily over “their range” to prevent overgrazing. This hoof growth time span is “a hard wired body response” in horses for survival.

Farriers often change from winter 8 week visits to a 5 week schedule in spring, then going to 6 week schedule as summer hoof growth slows down.

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My horse foundered so we are limiting sugars, not the reason he foundered but staying safe and also the reason I am interested in possibilities for helping hoof wall growth.

Milocalwinnings-can your farrier do glue-on shoes for your horse for a few sessions? That was something we entertained but my horse is ok with the nails. Do you know why his hoof wall has had some separation?

What was the reason for founder, if not too much starch/sugars?

Biotin or some kind of hoof supplement might help. Hoof wall growth is always slower during the cold months. Will speed up with warmer weather & green grass. My horse has plenty of hoof right now, but hasn’t been trimmed since oct 2017.

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We had seedy toe in our mammoth donkey and his wall flaked away we put him on horse shoers secret and it did help, also made mane and tail grow which was a bonus but it helped him hold shoes better as well. I will say the getting shoes on helped that as well,.

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We tossed around the idea of glue glue on shoes but given how muddy it is my farrier really didn’t recommend doing them until it dried up.

I just got hoof boots for him so I’m hoping those will be better than nothing.

Try putting them on Vitamin E and a good fat supplement. Works for my guy. He grows a ton a foot year round.

Glue on shoes stay on just fine when properly put on, even in the mud.

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A good supplement, making sure the hooves are being trimmed to a nice tight wall with a nice short toe will encourage proper hoof growth and time are all you can do.

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Obviously this isn’t the answer for every horse, but I also have a horse that has benefited from this. I started him on Vitamin E because he just looked lackluster about a year and a half ago. That, and he is a nonsweater…we had a few issues going on. He has never had amazing feet, and we have had a few challenges there over the years as well. He does live on a biotin supplement, but the only change in the last year has been adding in the vitamin E…he has the most beautiful feet to work with now. They look healthy, no cracks, he has foot for the farrier to work with, he goes a full 6 weeks and clinches are still tight.

It is certainly worth a try! Can’t hurt!

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Smart hoof circulate and isoxsuprine.

How much vitamin E are you using for what weight horse? Thanks!

^ this ^

He is 1200 lbs, has been on 2 scoops(so 2,000 IU) of Kentucky Performance Products Elevate a day since August.

Thank you! :slight_smile:

Thanks everyone.

He’s on a bunch of supplements already, one with Biotin, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Cobalt, Methionine, and L-Lysine but I think I will increase the amount of biotin. Also on 2,500 IU vitamin E and 1mg of Se(KER product), omega horseshine and an amino acids supplement, gelatin…not sure if I’m forgetting something. He gets all the grassy hay he will eat from my farm and it’s been analysed. I’m wondering if he needs more protein.

He pulled the front right twice in the last two weeks and that’s his “bad” hoof. Some damage to the hoof this second time so we’ll see what the farrier says this afternoon when he comes.

He can’t have alfalfa or soy. I’m going to speak to my vet about hemp oil…

Hemp oil does not have protein for hoof growth.

Hemp seed POWDER does though, I used it for around a year on an old Arabian mare. Her hooves grew quicker (especially in the Spring) and the quality of the horn was better. Her coat also improved greatly, and she started growing muscles. Hemp seed powder has all the essential amino acids and it also has the hemp oil, though in lesser amounts than the pure hemp oil.

Not looking at the hemp oil for extra protein. I looked at the hemp hulls/fiber etc and am going to speak with my vet about it but they contain some naturally occurring iron. We have trying to limit any extra iron intake as well even if it is just naturally occurring.