By Pam Gamble
The Mid-South Horse Review canvassed several farriers to get their recommendations on keeping horses’ hooves healthy. We asked them: (1) What topical hoof care treatments do you recommend? (2) What nutritional requirements do you recommend for healthy hooves? (3) Do these recommendations vary when changing breeds and disciplines? (4) What common problems do owners have with their horse’s hooves and how do they remedy them? (5) What common misconceptions do horse owners have about hoof care?
Following are their answers. We regret that we were not able to get in touch with all farriers before press time.
Harold Elder, Graduate Mid-south Horseshoeing Academy, Hunters and Jumpers
1. “Any oil based product is good when the hoof is dry.”
2. “Biotin 800Z made by Kaeco, and Hoof Power by Delta.”
3. “Not really.”
4. “The horses’ feet are either too wet or too dry. When the season changes and the dry season is here, the owner should use the hoof oil two to four times a week. This can be difficult when the horse is being boarded and is not on the customer’s property.”
5. “People should not forget the importance of regular maintenance trims.”
Greg Speltz, Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School, Hunters and Jumpers
1. “I recommend Hoof Disinfectant by Life Data Labs, because it is natural and allows the hoof to breathe. This product can be used about three times a week to retard bacteria and fungi. When I have a hoof in which repairs have been made, I like Edward Martin, an English product, because it has a waxy base and seals the hoof more, but still allows the hoof to breathe.”
2. “A good balanced diet is necessary, but Farrier’s Formula by Life Data Labs is what I recommend if extra nutrients are needed.”
3. “No real variations in the type of horse that I shoe.”
4. “The biggest problem that we have in this area is excess moisture. Moisture is the enemy. It leads to poor quality
hooves, lost shoes, broken down heels, abscesses, etc. and allows bacteria to grow.”
5. “People think that aluminum shoes in-and-of-themselves make their horse move better. Also, people don’t realize that a healthy horse needs more frequent trimming in the spring and summer months, especially performance horses. A combination of the longer days, which make the hoof grow faster, and increased use during this time make more frequent trimmings necessary. One of the biggest misconceptions is that hoof care is the sole responsibility of the farrier. The care given to the horse by the caregiver during the shoeing period is just as important as the shoeing itself.”
Allen Vermillion, CF, AFA, Certified Farrier, Graduate - Mid-South Horseshoeing Academy, Past Vice President - Tennessee Professional Farriers Association
1. “Horse owners all the time ask this type of question. I respond with the horse and owner in mind. The typical answer is: most all hoof topical hoof dressings are good, but some are for more specific uses. If you bathe your horse often, then a lanolin based ointment (such as Hoof Flex) will be better to repel some of the moisture and still remain effective for the hoof. Too much moisture is worse than too little on a hoof. If your horse is in a very dry situation, such as a dry lot/pasture, stalled mostly, ridden on pavement or sand arena, then an oil-based hoof dressing (such as Fiebings) is more advisable, as it penetrates the hoof more. Your horses existing hoof condition is very important in itself. If your horse maintains a steady combination of moisture/dryness, then it will need less dressing. If it stays cracked, then more frequent applications are needed. Rule of thumb? At least once a week. There are also products that help strengthen horse hoof walls, such as when they are crumbly, or just plan thin (such as Tuff Stuff) I find most crumbly hoof walls are the result of too much moisture, as when they are left in a muddy lot or pasture for too long. Again, too much moisture is worse than too little! The owner has a part in care. I will recommend a hoof regimen, give instructions, and come back to redo the horse’s hooves, yet see no improvement. The owner might say ‘I put it on right after you left last!’ So please pay attention to your farrier's recommendations!”
2. “Most horse’s hooves do just fine with proper nutrition provided by the manufacturers of horse feed. Some need supplements to help them grow a healthy hoof, and most all the supplements for that requirement have Biotin. I have seen great improvements in horse’s hooves in a six month or longer period when horses are on a supplement with Biotin. It also provides better quality coats on horses. The horse can only metabolize a certain amount of Biotin, so overfeeding only wastes the product. If your horse does not grow a proper amount of hoof, or has shelly, thin walls, any product with Biotin should help. Read the directions on the supplement. The key is proper and continual use of the supplement.”
3. “Each horse's hoof has the same components that allow it to function and do its job. However, man has requested the equine to do many things that nature did not intend it to do, such as running, jumping, pulling, climbing, etc. Some horses have better hooves than others (thick walls, soles, sole concavity, etc.); others have worse feet (thin walls, soles, low heels, etc.) The main thing is to communicate with your farrier about what you intend to do with your horses. Provide him/her with as much information on your horses as you can, such as previous history, any lameness issues, etc. Ask questions and use common sense. Above all, regular farrier/owner maintenance is crucial in maintaining healthy hooves.”
4. “The problems are many. From horses having just plain bad feet, abscesses, lameness issues, inability to retain shoes, thrush, the list goes on. They try many ‘remedies’ before calling a professional, such as a veterinarian or farrier, and then when we do get involved, the recovery period can be much longer, sometimes not at all. It is imperative for the horse owner to acquire as much knowledge as possible from their qualified Veterinarian & Farrier. It also just as imperative for the customer to know the capabilities of that knowledge; they need to know when to call a qualified professional for help.”
5. “Remember the saying, ‘No Foot, No Horse’? Do not take that lightly! Maintenence! It is a must concerning an equine’s foot. You might get away with no trimming/shoeing for a while, but it will catch up with you, just like not changing your oil. ‘Pay me now or pay me later’ is a good concept. I hear so often, ‘I don’t know why he's lame; I had him shod only six months ago!’ When I leave your barn, I should have arranged an appointment to come back. The hoof is a living, changing, growing part of the horse and must be cared for. I hear often, ‘The wild horses don’t get farrier service.’ Guess what, when they get to where they can’t walk, they die!”
Gary Stevens, Oklahoma Farrier College and former apprentice at Mid-South Horseshoeing Academy
1. “I recommend used motor oil. I have researched it and been using it since the 1980’s. Other treatments will start drying the hoof after 3-4 weeks. Then the hoof gets brittle.”
2. “A good balanced diet is usually sufficient.”
3. “No.”
4. “Thrush is a problem. Not trimming frequently enough especially in spring and summer is a big problem. A farrier must educate their customers on better hoof care.”
5. “They don’t realize that the horses have to have regular maintenance, especially in the warm months. Have a good day!”
Jerry Cothern, Lookout Mountain School of Horseshoeing
Barrel horses, draft horses, trail horses
1. “I recommend Sole Pack and Rainmaker”.
2. “Hoof Power by Delta. Basically, most horses that have good nutrition don’t need extras; but when they do, they need Biotin.”
3. “No”
4. “The hoof is too wet, then too dry. Frequent application of topical treatments is necessary during dry season.”
5. “Many horses need more regular maintenance than what they are getting. Frequent trims are necessary, especially for performance horses, but don’t ignore your pasture horses and your broodmares.”
Daniel Bishop, Eastern School of Farrier Science, Dressage, Hunters & Jumpers
1. “I recommend Keratex & Effol.”
2. “Omega Horseshine, Lamina Saver for extreme cases and for rapid hoof growth are the products I recommend. We feed the Omega to our personal horses and it’s a great multi-purpose supplement that aids not only in hoof care, but also coat, muscle soreness, etc.”
3. “I recommend this for all breeds and disciplines of riding.”
4. “The most common problems I see are hoof cracks on unshod horses from the unstable weather environment we live in. Thrush Buster & White Lightening are two great products in treating cracks to remedy or treat possible white line disease in these cracks. Effol is a good hoof care product that will not remedy but will help in keeping a good moisture balance in the hoof, therefore, keeping a healthy solid pliable hoof.”
5. “Misconceptions are: if the shoes are on and tight, then horses doesn't need to be shod in the 4-6 week time frame.”
Stacy Steward, Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School
1. “Keratex. It helps seal the hoof ,which is necessary since horses are turned out so much in this area.”
2. “A good balanced diet is usually sufficient, which varies from horse to horse depending on how much work that they are doing. Every horse’s diet should be based on high quality forage.”
3. “Yes, some horses are more high maintenance, such as thoroughbreds.”
4. “It is either too wet or too dry. The weather and the condition of the stalls will dictate whether the hoof needs an oil product or a sealer.”
5. “A lot of owners think that a horse has to have shoes. Some horses are more comfortable without shoes. Often they don’t need shoes or only need shoes up front. When I pull horses’ shoes, I do it in the winter when the ground is softer so they won’t be as sore during the transition period.”
James Luttrell, North Texas Horseshoeing Institute, Hunters and Jumpers, Drafts
1. “I don’t really recommend any topical treatments. The exception is a hoof sealer, which replaces the outer coating, called the periople of the hoof, which is often rasped off while the horse is being shod. The periople is a barrier which keeps the moisture balance in the hoof. I think oil based products can actually contribute to the breakdown of the hoof over time, especially if there is there is a buildup of this product.”
2. “Feed them right, from the inside out; a healthy body has a healthy hoof. What I mean is that a healthy diet comes first. Then if the horse still has poor feet, use the Biotin products that are on the market. Do a little research as products change all of the time, but Life Data’s Farrier’s Formula is a good place to start."
3. “Yes. For example the old foundation quarter horses had very good feet. When they started crossing with the Thoroughbred the walls got thinner and much poorer. In general, horses with Thoroughbred blood tend to be more problematic.
“If your horse has less than perfect feet, maybe he should not go barefoot. Only horses with good feet can go barefoot. Conformation varies from breed to breed and so do their hooves. Drafts, as an example, have large flat feet. Clydesdales, especially, are prone to have quarter cracks.”
4. “Horses are getting too much exposure to the dew at night. It wears the outer coating, the periople, off the hoof. It’s like putting a board in the rain every night followed by a day of bright, hot sun, eventually that board will warp and split. Also, horses that stomp at bugs all day are very hard on their feet. What should they do? Be vigilant with the bug spray. Also, keep a close eye on the dew. You may want to consider keeping (continued on p. 10) them inside some or using a dry lot.”
5. “People don’t trust their farriers. If you don’t trust him/her, find another one that you do. Looking over someone’s shoulder is the worse thing that you can do, not matter what the job is. People blame their farriers if the horse doesn’t go right. The trainer/vet/farrier/rider all have their jobs and their areas of expertise, but they must work together. If you find a good farrier, take care of him. Bring him a cold glass of water now and then.”
Mike Ward, Backyard, pleasure horses, Hunters & Jumpers, Dressage horses
1. “For external care, Keratex is a hoof hardener. It is good for barefoot horses and helps to retain shoes, too.”
2. “For poor hooves, there are several hoof supplements on the market. All have basically the same ingredients. Biotin is the most important. I recommend feeding for long term maintenance.”
4. “The most common problem I see is white line disease in donkeys. I trim 1 to 2 donkeys a week and I see white line disease in 90% of the donkeys I trim. Owners need to learn the symptoms and what it looks like. Don’t wait too long to treat it. There are topical treatments like Thrush Buster. Good trimming is important; expose the white line to the air. In horses, the biggest problem is that it’s hard to hold shoes on because the hooves expand and contract so much due to the weather conditions – dry then rain. This loosens the clinches. Owners need to learn to recognize loose clinches and get them repaired soon. It is important to maintain a hoof care plan. Follow the farrier’s advice on intervals; some recommend 6 to 8 weeks for shoeing; some recommend 8 weeks for trimming. Hooves grow slower in winter, so these intervals can be adjusted seasonally. When owners let the hooves go too long without care, they get in bad shape. Then it’s hard to get them back into good shape in a short period of time.”
David Cutler, BWFA, AFA Certified Farrier
1. “A lot of products are gimmicks, made just to be sold. Most claim to restore moisture, but the only way to do that is by what the horse ingests. If the product is alcohol-based, it will dry the hoof. I use natural products. To toughen the sole of the feet, I use pine tar or iodine. For the top of the hoof, I use vegetable oil or sesame seed oil or olive oil. They help maintain moisture without drying the hoof.”
2. “If you read the labels, most supplements have the same vitamins and minerals as quality feed. I find that hooves grow the most in the spring and fall when the pastures are good. For my horses, I may supplement with alfalfa to give them higher protein. Some supplements are probably good. I have tried several on my own horses and haven’t noticed a difference in their hooves.”
3. “The biggest difference I see is between Tennessee Walking Horses and Quarter Horses. Tennessee Walkers have higher heels. Working Quarter Horses should not be standing on their heels. I take the heels off, level with the frog, and still maintain a 55-degree angle. You don’t want the hoof to be too steep. Anything steeper than 55 degrees, you’re doing damage. If you have hoof angles at 60 degrees or more, you can end up with broken bones. In trimming, all breeds have the same formula. The angle from the point of shoulder to the withers determines the angle of the hoof. It’s math! All trimming should be based on the anatomy of the individual horse.”
4. “The highest problem in this area is foundered horses. The natural grass in this area has too high fescue content and most hay pastures have fescue. Owners are not regulating the horses’ feed enough. I also see front leg injuries; this is related to how the hooves are trimmed.”
5. “That hoof care is the sole job of the farrier. I’ve seen owners who go 8 weeks between farrier visits without so much as even cleaning out their horses’ feet. Feet should be checked regularly by the owner. This will prevent a lot of problems. I also see a lack of knowledge in owners. Most hoof care information is available in books and owners can learn the same thing that farriers do.”
David Wentz, Certified Journeyman I Farrier, Natural and Therapeutic shoeing; roping, barrel, cutting, pleasure, jumping
1. “Hoof Shield, which is available at Mid-South Farrier Supplies.”
2. “Hoof Power, whose main ingredient is Biotin.It also has alfalfa in in it, so the horses like the taste and they will actually eat it. Too many supplements, the horses won’t eat.”
4. “Horse owners use too much shavings in the stalls and are not keeping the stalls clean, which causes white line disease. I don’t have a problem with shavings if they are kept clean. This time of year horses get wet and then the hooves dry out too much in the shavings.
Recommendations for Healthy Hooves
