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Chipping hooves and tenderness

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  WickedNag 
#1 ·
I got Red at the end of May. He's a large Quarter Horse with smaller-sized feet, so I know I'll always have to keep an eye on him with the risk of navicular.

His feet are "okay". I do notice that his front hooves tend to wear off on the outside first (he must walk more on the outside of his hooves) and that they will crack/chip off. His back hooves are usually okay.

I am taking him to the farrier tonight, even though there's really not much to trim because most of them have chipped off. I will be asking him about shoes on the front feet and his opinion.

Also, he is a little bit tenderfoot when it comes to walking on gravel or rocky trails. I have a lot of riding area so I just avoid those areas in general, but still have to ride there sometimes. AGain, this is why I think shoes on the front feet may help him.

Has anyone had success with any hoof supplements to help chipping hooves?

I looked into Silver Lining Herbs and that is SO expensive. :shock:
I also looked at Formula 707 which I can actually manage their prices, possibly.

Right now, nutrition-wise, he is on pasture 24/7. He gets a small can (the small tomato sauce cans) of Purine Molene 200, mostly just as flavor for 1 scoop of Equine Saver. He also gets to munch on hay for a few minutes a day, mostly as a treat. I just recently added a few handfuls of pure alfalfa hay as a treat for after a ride, and extra protein.

I don't have an actual picture of just his chipping hooves, but this is Red.


Taken last week






Taken around June

 
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#2 ·
I started Gracie on Horseshoers secret about 4.5-5 months ago and switched grain. I buy the big bucket of Horsehoers Secret from SmartPak, I think it costs about .20 cents a day to feed. She is growing hoof faster now, still nailing to pre-supplement wall though. I bought Keratex and that made a big difference on getting her shoes to stay on. Last shoeing went to 8 weeks, rather than losing them in 2 weeks. Also I started using the Keratex on Stilts who is barefoot just on the front, much less chipping and helped with the tenderness. It is about $38 for a little jar of it but it lasts quite a while. The thing I love is that it doesn't have to be applied everyday after the first week or two.

Probably stating the obvious, but I imagine how much your shoer takes off and the interval between trims due to growth will also make a difference as to the amount of chipping. Mine are six week intervals, but sometimes longer due to scheduling conflicts and it makes a difference when their feet are growing fast.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Very quickly(ha!), chipping is not necessarily a problem at all & generally just means the hooves could do with more frequent trimming &/or keeping a bevel or 'roll' to the outer wall.

If you only ride on gravel or such occasionally & your horse is fine elsewhere, and particularly if he may have some joint imbalance, I wouldn't generally think shoes would be best for him(more convenient for you maybe), but you might consider getting hoof boots to put on him on the occasions you're on rough footing.

Unfortunately the pics show very little. He looks a bit overweight & diet is very important to hoof health. Possibly pigeon toed? His feet also don't look particularly small for his size, but perhaps you're comparing them to stretched, flared feet? They look neat, from what can be seen.

Oh & re what supps, yes, well balanced nutrition is another important factor, but it depends on the specific diet inc. pasture/hay as to what supps may be best for a particular horse. Doing a diet analysis can save you money in the long run & ensure your horse is getting what it needs. Also I have found that you tend to get what you pay for with supps, so while something may seem too expensive per bag, it may be economical because it's so much more concentrated or such. I personally love feedxl.com for all of that.
 
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