I am occasionally asked if I recommend any specific supplements to promote healthy hoof growth.  Unfortunately, there is no quick answer to this question.  So instead of trying to explain my thoughts from the underside of a horse, I’ve put together some information from different articles and studies that may help you.

The hoof grows from the coronary band to the ground at a rate of between .25 and .40 inches per month.  Therefore, it takes between 9 and 12 months for new hoof to grow from the coronet to the end of the toe.  Since the quarter and the heel are shorter in length than the toe, it takes less time for new hoof to reach the ground at these points.

Factors That Effect Growth

There are many factors that change how fast and how well the hoof grows.  Some of these factors include:

• Age:  The rates I mentioned above are for an adult horse.  Foals and yearlings grow hoof much faster.
• Breed:  Some breeds tend to grow thicker and healthier hoof than others.  Arabians, for example, often have dense, thick hoof wall, while some Thoroughbreds have just the opposite.  However, there is a tremendous amount of variation within breeds, and breeding by itself is no guarantee of healthy feet.
• Season:  All else being equal, the hoof grows faster in warm weather than in cold.
• Exercise:  A regular exercise regimen will increase a horse’s metabolism and can increase hoof growth as well.
• Illness and injury:  Illness can cause changes in hoof growth.  The so-called “fever rings” seen in some horses may be due to high body temperatures.  Injury to the coronary band can also cause changes in hoof growth; some permanent.
• Weight bearing:  I have seen many examples of this.  A horse that has pain in one front hoof will bear most of its weight on the opposite foot.  The hoof with the pain will grow faster than the one that is pain-free.  In another case, a horse that was constantly “weaving” caused the lateral and medial aspects of the hoof (the sides) to flare out, causing an almost square hoof!
• Nutrition:  One of the most important aspects of hoof growth!

Nutrition

There is quite a bit of ongoing research regarding how nutrition effects hoof growth.  There are also dozens of supplements on the market that claim to promote healthy feet.

Generally speaking, a horse that has a balanced diet does not need anything else specifically for the feet.  Having said that, there are a couple of “gotchas” that you need to watch out for.

The hoof needs calcium to grow.  However, it is not enough to just feed your horse diets high in calcium (such as alfalfa hay).  There also has to be an appropriate balance between calcium and phosphorus that can be reached by adding grass hay to the diet or by adding supplements.  If you have any questions regarding your horse’s diet, you should discuss a feeding program with your veterinarian.

Protein is also necessary for proper hoof growth.  Unless you are dealing with a foal or a lactating mare, this is usually not a problem.  Even then, you have probably increased protein intake under the direction of your veterinarian.

Zinc in another element that promotes hoof growth (along with several other important functions).  However, like the calcium-phosphorus ratio, zinc is only effective when used in conjunction with the correct ratio of copper.  Once again – if in doubt, talk to your vet!

Finally, there has been some exciting new research on the B-vitamin called biotin.  In a number of studies, biotin has been shown to improve hoof growth in horses that have thin soles and poor quality hoof walls.  Not all the facts are in, but here is what we know so far (or think we know):

• Biotin can help horses with hoof growth problems, but it does not have much effect on horses with normal, healthy hoof walls.
• Not all horses respond to biotin
• Those that do respond to biotin take from 9 to 12 months to show measurable improvement (see what I said about normal growth above).  In one study, best results were seen after 14 months.
• Biotin has no known side effects
• Nobody knows (yet) what the correct dosage of biotin should be.  However, I was impressed by the results of a study that used 20 mg per day.

Hoof Supplements

With the exciting news about biotin, it is no surprise that many supplement manufacturers are now including biotin in their hoof products.  However, very few have included dosages that are in line with the 20 mg dosage I mentioned earlier.

I have looked around and found a few supplements that have daily dosages of 15 mg or higher, and these are the ones I would recommend.  There may be others, but here is my list:

1. Biotin ZM-80 from Vita-Key:  http://www.vita-key.com
2. Grand Hoof from Grand Meadows:  http://www.grandmeadows.com/hoof.html
3. Hardy Hoof from Feedmark:  http://www.feedmark.com/hardyhoof.htm
4. HT 20 from Vita-Flex:  http://www.vita-flex.com/ht20.htm
5. Nu-Hoof Maximizer from Select the Best:  http://www.selectthebest.com
6. Super Bio-Zin from Mobile Milling:  http://www.mobilemilling.com/Products.html

Of these, Biotin ZM-80 is the least expensive (per month) while Hardy Hoof is the most expensive.

While these supplements contain a plethora of other ingredients besides biotin, it is the biotin that I am recommending.  The other ingredients certainly won’t hurt, but I will leave it to others to argue if they help.

Summary

Once again, please keep in mind that biotin has been shown to help only in those cases where a horse has a long-term problem with poor hoof growth.  The best program for supplementation is the one that you work out with your veterinarian for your horse’s specific needs.

© 2002 by John Graf. All rights reserved.