Question
Opie is my three-year-old Warmblood gelding (17 hands, 1,300 lb or 600 kg). He’s in moderate body condition now, and he’s a relatively easy keeper. He is outside much of the day, about 18 hours. Because Opie’s pasture is sparse, he’s fed coastal Bermudagrass hay and grass hay pellets. He doesn’t get any grain or concentrate. He’s also given a vitamin/mineral supplement, ground flax, probiotics, magnesium, salt, and hyaluronic acid. My concerns center around his hooves. Opie has “event rings” in his hooves, his hooves lack the normal shine, and he is sometimes sensitive after a trim. Does Opie’s current ration support normal hoof growth and strength?
Answer
Discuss hoof concerns with your veterinarian and farrier as further diagnostics may be needed to determine the underlying cause of the transient soreness following routine hoof care and the presence of event rings.
With that said, hoof rings can develop due to changes in nutritional management, including changes in forage composition. Do you have a consistent source from which to purchase hay, or does the supplier change frequently?
The current mineral supplement should be providing appropriate nutrition to support hoof health, as it contains a high level of biotin and most essential minerals. Are you in an area that has moderate to high soil selenium levels, so grazing and hay supplies adequate amounts? If not, additional selenium may be needed.
Another factor that could be influencing your horse’s hoof health is the amount and quality of the protein and possibly calcium in the diet. A grass-only diet with the specific mineral supplement you’re feeding may be marginal in essential amino acids, such as lysine and methionine, for a large, growing horse. Offering a ration balancer is a great way to supply quality protein, vitamins, and minerals including calcium in one low-intake product. Consider All-Phase, formulated by Kentucky Equine Research. A ration balancer would replace the vitamin and mineral supplement you’re currently feeding.
Because Opie doesn’t consume much fresh forage, a natural-source vitamin E supplement, such as Nano-E, would help him meet his requirements for this important antioxidant. Preserved forages such as hay and hay pellets contain little vitamin E.
Ration balancers are designed to be fed with a forage-based diet to provide optimal nutrition, but some horses may still require additional hoof supplement for best results. How would you rate your horse’s hoof growth? Horses that do not grow much hoof between trims can be a challenge and correcting hoof health focuses on increasing the rate of hoof growth and the quality of the new hoof. Bio-Bloom PS (Bio-Bloom HF in Australia) provides targeted support with high-quality ingredients for noticeable results.
