“No foot, no horse.” Anyone who has owned a horse has heard it hundreds of times. Numerous competition or riding days are lost due to problems associated with hoof condition but few equestrians understand what is needed to promote hoof health. You can apply all the hoof dressing you want but if your horse isn’t getting the nutrients he needs, you may as well paint his hooves with cement.
“No foot, no horse.” Anyone who has owned a horse has heard it hundreds of times. Numerous competition or riding days are lost due to problems associated with hoof condition but few equestrians understand what is needed to promote hoof health. You can apply all the hoof dressing you want but if your horse isn’t getting the nutrients he needs, you may as well paint his hooves with cement.
Nutritional factors play a huge role in hoof health. Without proper nourishment, horses tend to have poor hooves and coat condition because of the deficiencies within the body. It is vital that nutrients are not only present in the horse’s the horse’s system to use. On the most basic level, horses need good-quality protein for hoof soundness. Protein delivers essential amino acids that hooves need, such as methionine and lysine. In order to grow properly at the cellular level, the hoof requires a precise supply of important nutrients, including water, energy, protein, calcium, zinc, manganese, selenium, copper, vitamin A, vitamin E and biotin.
Copper, zinc and manganese are the main microminerals that have an important role in hoof growth and quality. Horses turned out on forage alone may be low in zinc and copper. Similarly, horses that are stabled and fed conserved forage may not be ingesting enough of these important microminerals. Zinc is perhaps the most important for hoof growth, as it is required for cell reproduction and repair of epilethelial tissue. It is also needed to make collagen and keratins through enzymes, which help produce the structural tissue of the hoof. Many horses with poor hoof quality have been found by researchers to have suboptimal zinc content of the hoof. Copper is also important for its role in an enzyme that builds disulphide bonds in keratin, providing strength to the hoof wall. It is also needed for cross-linkages in collagen (dermis) and elastin (blood vessels).In addition, manganese is required for internal structures within the hoof capsule such as joint cartilage synthesis and elastic connective tissue.
With the myriad of equine feed products and supplements on the market, how can you find which is best for your horse’s needs? Sometimes it’s as simple as reading the label on your feed bag. Bioplex® organic trace minerals, an Alltech product, are included in many premium horse feeds and supplements. They may also be purchased as a top-dressed product.
