I avoid hoof supplements like the plague. Mum has spent hundreds of dollars on them back in the day - did they ever make an improvement - nope. Farrier that we had recommended it because he imported the stuff ( duh moment for both mum and I lol).
- Minerals - better to spend the money on quality minerals that are readily absorable if you are not already. A horse that is deficient in minerals will have bad hooves
- amino acids - again essential for quality hoof growth and development. Horses require 20 that need to be provided in their diet and there are 2 which are directly associated with healthy hooves. I don't have the link but there is plenty of research out there.
Hoof oil - make your own. I use half and half chia and rapeseed oil. Chia has antifungal and microbial properties and rapeseed has a high content of vitamin E which also helps. Ive healed some big cracks using this. Just make sure the oil is cold pressed to retain all the goodness.
Hooves are very much a combination of diet and environment - even diet changes to a good diet can take time to heal and produce a better hoof. I took the shoes off all mine and they have never had better feet including horses prone to cracks and hooves falling apart. Good things take time. We have learnt to barefoot trim ourselves to save money and trim them the way we believe they should be trimmed. There is heaps of fantastic research that is really accessible. Hope this helps and good luck
Sunny
