Summer hoof health
Constant wetting and drying of hooves and concussive impact on hard ground all contribute to poor hoof structure and issues with hooves that can lead to lameness. Harriet Deeming BVSc MRCVS, a vet practicing at Rase Veterinary Centre and an event rider competing at Novice/Intermediate level, explains that as the temperature rises during the summer months and with reduced rainfall the ground can become hard, increasing the risk of bruised soles. “Some horses are more predisposed to this condition than others”, she says, and advises that Animalintex Hoof Treatment can be used to treat a bruised sole when applied as a hot, wet poultice, every eight hours for up to three days.
It’s not just hard ground but changing conditions that prove challenging for hoof condition. Rachael Holdsworth from Absorbine says: “When hooves dry out they contract, and when they get wet they expand, just like human fingernails, and changing conditions can cause raised nails and shoes to become loose sooner during the summer months.” More seriously, hooves can also become cracked and brittle so it is a good idea to counter the changing conditions by maintaining the moisture balance in the hoof. “Use a good dressing such as Hooflex natural dressing, or, if cracks have already appeared, Hooflex original liquid,” says Rachael.
Griselda Beaumont BSc (Hons) ANutr (Animal) at NAF provides further detail on how hoof health is affected by the wet-dry cycle: “When the hoof is exposed to wet conditions, water molecules tend to push their way into the horn and therefore widen crevices that are not apparent to the naked eye. As soon as the hoof is dry – the evaporation process takes place; we all know this is the movement of water molecules into the atmosphere. However, what we then sometimes forget is these spaces that have been expanded when the horse has been in the wet conditions, soon become open and exposed to the environment and in turn can hinder growth and lead to invasion of unwanted activity. With the turbulent and rather unsettled weather conditions we are experiencing, this movement of water is putting more and more pressure on horn quality.”
Brilliant biotin
Hoof care is about nutritional support as well as environmental support. Regular trims and shoeing from an excellent farrier goes without saying, and with hard ground or poor quality hooves, more frequent visits may be needed throughout the summer. But Hoof supplements containing biotin, along with supporting nutrients such as chelated zinc, methionine, MSM, copper, iodine, calcium and Vitamin A can also help support healthy hoof growth and integrity throughout the summer.
NAF has a great article that explains more about biotin here and says: “Biotin is naturally produced by microbial synthesis in the horse’s hindgut, and levels produced are sufficient for general health. However, where poor hoof growth, and poor hoof quality are observed then research has long proven the benefit of supplementing with biotin. In fact, it is thought that biotin may be better absorbed by the horse when supplemented in the diet compared to natural production in the hindgut. This is because the hindgut is not particularly good at uptake of nutrients, and it may be that metabolism higher up the digestive tract, in the small intestine, where vitamins are readily absorbed, may be the best route. Certainly research shows that even when natural levels are found in the blood, horses with compromised hooves benefit from receiving additional supplementary biotin.”
These conditions make up part of everyday life for the modern horse. From dry stable bedding, washing off and bathing to standing in a wet field. The wet-dry cycle is year-round but usually more prominent in the summer months.
Horn takes a long time to grow from coronet corium to toe, with full growth usually occurring around every 9-12 months. However, on average the hoof should grow around 6mm per month. Griselda says that diet is key to hoof health: “Horses receiving less nutrients than they require may have low quality and quantity of horn growth and horses with high levels of oxidative stress may also suffer poor quality hoof growth despite receiving a quality diet. A supplement should target different forms of sulphur to ensure strong keratin bonds can be made in addition to dealing with potential oxidative stress. This is where PROFEET comes into its own providing a unique sulphur response, providing excellent levels of methionine, biotin and MSM.
“Many supplements focus on biotin – this is proven to help with growth rates, but without adequate methionine the di-sulphide bond that helps provides the integrity for each keratin structure will be weaker. This will help to provide great overall tensile strength and hooves built to last.
“Along with these benefits are the antioxidant support that of course addresses the oxidative stresses and the numerous additional support provided by nutrients such as Zinc which helps support the rebuild/repair process within the hoof capsule.”