Farrier's Formula and Horseshoers Secret are both good. Farrier's Formula manufacturer makes a good spray-on called Hoof Conditioner. I've also used Rainmaker in the past and it pretty good, too.

 

good topic - i've started my appy mare and my tb on Farrier's Formula Double Strength but they've only been on it for about a month so no way to comment on the efficacy yet.

 

my mare is on horseshoers secret. it takes a few months to notice results, but my mares feet are growing down great ! i also put keratex hoof hardener on her feet once a week.

 

My mare's hooves were neglected before I bought her and I really want to strengthen them and get them in better shape. I have had them trimmed twice, but with the dry hot weather and the hard ground they are cracking some. I have my farrier on top of it, but I am just wondering what else I can do to help her out!!!! I am looking into supplements as well as dressings.... Thanks for the input!!!!

 

Oh and what works best if shes out in a pasture all day. I need something that isn't going to be affected by her being outside

 

A year or so ago my 26 year old mare had horrible cracks and her hooves chipped badly. She had laminitis episode the year before and her hooves became very bad. I started her on Horseshoers Secret and/or Farrier's Formula. Today her hooves are perfect with no cracks or chipping. I recently put all of my horses on a hoof supplement since the results with Chelsea have been so remarkable. Smartpak has a very good comparison chart of the different brands. I buy either one of the above depending on which one has bonus amounts included.
I wish I had taken pictures to show a before and after.

 

I will take some before pictures today and post follow-up pictures later this summer. I just want my poor babies feet to be strong and healthy. They are not horribly bad, but they do need some work

 

It will take several months to see results. My farrier and vet are now believers. My farries says most people give them for awhile and then stop when they don't see results quickly. He is just amazed at the change in her feet.

 

You just give supplements?

 

My guys had bad feet so I gave them horse shoers secret as well as a few other suppliments which helped a little bit. I switched them to ADM grostrong (vitamin/mineral supplement) at the end of last year on the suggestion of a barefoot farrier and I am absolutely amazed.

Their hoof quality is very good now (not prone to crack, stronger hoof wall, faster growth) and since it has such high levels of vitamin A I have no more goopy eyes or rainrot either. All they get is mixed grass pasture or hay and the grostrong. I get asked all the time how I got that shine on a winter coat. My vet was out a few weeks ago and he was impressed with how good the horses feet look compared to last year. It's very cost effective also. One fifty pound bag is thirty five dollars and lasts me four months with three horses.

 

I bought some of the horseshoers secret yesterday. I'm going to see how she does on it, but now I am going to look into te grostrong also if this doesn't show the results I am lookin for

 

The most effective supplement? It's what's NOT in it that makes it better. No iron. Iron and its partner in crime...manganese.
Many labels won't list the iron content on the analysis. What you don't know won't hurt you...but you're not eating it, the horse is. If you see words like ferrous, calcium phosphate, sulphur or high manganese, know also the iron is high.
Part of my homework in nutrition class was to find a supplement that complimented our individual hay tests. Since iron wasn't on analysis for Farrier's Formula, (and this was years ago before the double strength came out) I called them to ask them how much iron was in it. They wouldn't tell me. So I sent some to a lab to get it tested and it came back with a disgusting amount of iron in it. No wonder they wouldn't tell me! I don't recommend it anymore.
Iron is a real baddie to a horse. Iron deletes the uptake of copper and zinc, which is very important for good hoof health. The little bit of copper and zinc that are in FF have no chance with the iron that is being delivered with it....waste of money. If you wish to feed biotin, then feed biotin. You can get pure biotin at Uckele. You can also get a higher and more effective amount of copper and zinc and no iron and the same biotin with California Trace minerals.
I will post both links so that you can compare them yourself. The California Trace website also has a handy calculator there.

Farrier's Formula
Farrier's Formula Double Strength Nutrition Information

California Trace
California Trace - Nutritional Support for Horses

If you wish to know just how bad iron is, just google "iron overload in horses"

Just food for thought. I know you guys are seeing the results of the biotin and it can take up to 7 months to see a difference. Biotin is a B vitamin, no more, no less and just a small part of the nutrition that is needed for healthy hooves. The trace minerals are far more important and with no iron added to the California Trace, you get sufficient copper and zinc to fight the iron that's in the rest of his daily intake, instead of increasing iron/deleting copper and zinc with Farrier's Formula all by itself. Its all about balance. Geez! Big imbalance with calcium and phosphorus as well! Not good either!

Hope this helps.....