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"thinnest hoof wall I've ever seen!" Not good to hear from your farrier:(

2K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  RubieLee 
#1 ·
Got my ottb in April. Had the first guy out to trim him in may. This guy told me my horse "has the thinnest hoof walls he's ever seen". Keeping in mind this guy also told me my horse has stiffle popping and wouldn't be rideable. Whatever he's fine. He's great actually but his hooves do suck. Had a new guy come a few weeks ago. Love this guy. Trimmed him beautiful but he's now chipping along the walls again. I don't dare take him on the slightest rocky path to even get to all grass paths. New farrier said he can't get shoes on him til he grows out a bit but if he keeps chipping that'll never happen. It's really screwing with my trail riding:-( he suggested biotin supplements but I've heard more harm than good. Is there a way to test for any deficiencies before treating for them? Any other suggestions? Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Im curious to hear what bad things youve heard about biotin? I havent heard any, so youve got me thinking...

Im sure there is testing for deficiencies, but itll be expensive and probably wont be worthwhile. Its more than likely hes chipping because its dry out, hot out, the bugs are bad...making him stomp his really dry feet...causing chipping. My horses feet are looking horrible right now too. It is what it is.

Biotin isnt going to help right now. It takes 6 months or more to see results because of hoof growth.

You might want to look into hoof boots. That way you dont have to shoe him, trail riding wont tear up his hoofs, and he wont be tender while working. (If he has thin walls, im imagining hes tenderfooted) also make sure your using a good fly spray so he will *hopefully* stomp less from the bugs. Or fly leg wraps and a fly sheet.

Overflow your water trough. While hes drinking, moisture will soak in and help his feet.

And you may want to look into a hoof dressing such as "rainmaker" or similar products thatll moisturize the hoof and prevent it from drying out.
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#3 ·
Yes he's extremely tender! Funny too... I took the pony out today and left the gate wide open as well as the water trough overflowing! Took the kiddos to the pond and came back to the two horses (thankfully!) playing in the trough and puddles around it and totally ignoring the fact they could've run free. :lol: I guess only thing I heard about biotin is that if you overdo it the horse quits Absorbing it at all... Who knows. Could be completely false. Hubby saw boots at the tack store and mentioned it might be a good idea. They're reasonably priced so why not?
 
#4 ·
Well, technically you cannot overdo biotin. It is a complex b vitamin. B vitamins are water soluble, which means the horse will use what it needs and excrete the rest. Which is really nice since it cant build up in the body and there is no issue with overdosing.

Biotin is really cheap too. I get biotin crumbles for like 14 dollars from ValleyVet.com and it lasts about 1 month.

Hoofboots would be perfect for him. You can get back out on the trails and his feet wont suffer. He will have more confidence under saddle too because he wont be achey.

When my farrier told me to purposely overflow the water trough. I laughed and told him ive been doing it for years. ****. :oops:
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#5 ·
Hahahaha biotin and boots it is! Along with reckless water trough filling. I'm gonna try real hard to remember to shut the pasture gates though. Dang I do that a lot! Sucks when your six year olds (yep there's two) round the trail head and yell "oh my gosh the gates open!... And the water trough is overflowing!" whatever kids, you left your biles out... And you left the lights on. So eat it.
 
#10 ·
Biotin's great - what you seem to see as a negative (they stop absorbing once they have the required amount) is actually a big positive, basically you can't overdose as the horse only uses what's needed and gets rid of the rest. Obviously follow the instructions on the container, for economical reasons as much as any!

Brock had dry, brittle hooves when I got him so I used Hoof Prime dressing twice a week, both on the sole and the wall (not on the frog) and it kept things nice. It lasts for ages too, a little bit goes a long way.
 
#12 ·
Hi,

Hoof boots are generally a great option for protecting/supporting hooves when needed.

Biotin is one nutrient that while not generally deficient in the diet(if a horse gets enough green forage), has been shown to be helpful to hoof quality & growth if extra is supplemented. It is but one of many necessary 'ingredients' that make up healthy feet though. Many, including copper, zinc, magnesium & iodine for eg are often deficient/imbalanced in the diet. Therefore I'd be looking at a more complete supp than straight biotin, unless you're sure the rest is fine.

I would not use topical hoof goops, as this can be harmful to their feet - & doesn't help health anyway. Dryness is not a problem.
 
#13 ·
@tinylilly I have one set of twins (the toddlers) and a six yr old step daughter as well as a six yr old son. Not to mention an eleven and an eight yr old. All boys except the step. We have a big crazy awesome family.:lol:

The quarter pony can run rocks all day without a chip. It must be genetic too because they eat the same except tb eats way more. If only they could all have pony feet!
 
#14 ·
Phew that is a big family, I have one son who is going to be 5 next month and he alone is enough to make he go crazy on some days :-p:lol:.

I have an OTTB who had terrible feet when I got her(she came with front shoes) I pulled her shoes and let her be a pasture pet for a few months and started her on Bio-flax 20(biotin supplement) with great results. I've had her since may 2010 and her feet are fantastic now, she is never tenderfooted anymore. I used easy boot epics while her feet were toughening up, They were difficult to get on at times but worked great for her feet.
 
#15 ·
I know some trail riders that love the Easy Boot Trails, mostly because they are super easy to put on/take off.

If you want to improve hoof quality, I would go with a hoof supplement that has biotin, methionine, and lysine.
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#16 ·
Here's an interesting article on biotin: Biotin Basics: News: Kentucky Equine Research

Researchers found normal blood levels of biotin in horses with poor-quality hoof horn, so unhealthy hooves are not a result of deficiency. Despite normal blood levels, horses responded to megadoses of biotin given orally, which led scientists to believe that this is one of the few nutrients where more may actually be better.
In order to achieve maximal improvement in hoof health, a horse should consume a minimum of 15 mg of biotin per day. If improvement has been seen within eight to 15 months, the horse will need to remain on biotin the rest of its useful life to maintain that improvement. Cutting the dose is not advisable because it may affect the results, and care should be taken not to buy more than what can be used up in six months.
 
#17 ·
The only thing I've found to stop flies from biting is putting garlic in the feed. I do a teaspoon every 3 days so as not to overdo it. No flyspray has ever worked for me. And they're expensive! I agree with the easyboots. I've never tried biotin, a friend of mine did with spectacular results the second year. I use Omega horseshine and have seen a difference in the 3rd week. Good luck finding whats right for you and your horse.
 
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