Short answer: healthy hooves come from regular checks, skilled trimming or shoeing, enough movement, suitable housing and a balanced ration, not from a single product. If the hoof horn stays poor, ask a farrier and a veterinarian to look at the horse and at the complete ration before you add a supplement.
What should I check on the hooves every day?
- Pick out the hooves and look for stones, cracks or foreign objects.
- Feel for unusual warmth, a clearly stronger digital pulse and any sign of pain.
- Keep the standing area as clean and dry as you can, because wet and dirty ground is hard on the hoof.
- Watch the way of going and the workload, especially after training or a change in shoeing.
How often should the farrier come?
The right interval depends on the horse, the work, the ground and the season. The next appointment is best set by the professional who looks after the horse, based on how that horse's hooves grow.
What do biotin, zinc, copper and methionine mean on a label?
Hoof supplements often list biotin, zinc, copper or methionine. Look at them as part of the whole ration. Hay, concentrates, mineral feed and the supplements already in use can overlap, so adding one more product without a ration check is not automatically sensible. Controlled studies of biotin and hoof horn exist, but they are small, use different breeds, amounts and durations, and do not allow a general promise for every horse. Compare the full ingredient list and the daily amount on the label, and ask your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist to review the ration if the horn stays poor.
How does this relate to Horse Tonic products?
The current Horse Tonic range has no hoof product. Tonic is a powdered mineral complementary feed, and according to its product data it contains wheat feed, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, bicalcium phosphate, sorbitol, brewer's yeast, refined rapeseed oil and sodium chloride. Whether it suits an existing ration should be judged on the complete feeding plan and the feeding directions on the label. Artico Gold, ZEN and PH have other focuses, so no hoof effect is attributed to them here. The full ingredient list of every formula is on its product page.
When is a hoof problem a veterinary one?
Sudden lameness, severe pain, unusual heat in the hoof, a clearly stronger digital pulse or a suspicion of laminitis needs quick veterinary assessment. A supplement does not replace a diagnosis or treatment.
Frequently asked questions
How fast do hooves improve?
Hoof horn grows slowly. Document changes over a longer time and judge them together with housing, trimming and feeding. A fixed time frame cannot honestly be promised without examining the horse.
Should I combine several supplements?
Not without checking the whole ration. Compare the ingredients and amounts of all products and clear overlaps with a qualified equine nutritionist or your veterinary practice.
What should I do if I suspect laminitis?
Reduce the load on the horse and call a veterinarian right away. Laminitis is an urgent veterinary concern, not a case for self-treatment with supplements.
Studies on biotin and hoof horn
- Hoof horn abnormalities in Lipizzaner horses and the effect of dietary biotin, Equine Veterinary Journal, 1995
- The long-term influence of biotin supplementation on hoof horn quality in horses, Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde, 1994
- Effect of supplementary dietary biotin on hoof growth in ponies, Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement, 1998
These studies are listed for reference and do not involve Horse Tonic products. This guide is general information and not veterinary advice.