Hoof Nutrition Intelligence is a twice-a-month web segment that is designed to add to the education of footcare professionals when it comes to effectively feeding the hoof. The goal of this web-exclusive feature is to zero in on specific areas of hoof nutrition and avoid broad-based articles that simply look at the overall equine feeding situation.
Below you will find Part 1 of the latest question and answer installment that you can share with your footcare clients.
Q: What do farriers see as the most important feeding challenges among horse owners?
From a survey of 2018 International Hoof-Care Summit attendees
Farriers were asked to list what they felt was the most prevalent feeding challenge they regularly see among horse owners in their area:
37% of farriers believe it is a lack of knowledge or misinformation about how to adequately feed their horses.
34% of farriers indicated the #1 challenge was with clients overfeeding or underfeeding their horses.
12% of farriers indicated owners don’t see the value of keeping forage quality consistent in order to prevent laminitis.
8% said it was due to not being able to deal with changing feed prices.
6% said the major concern is not utilizing proper feed choices.
3% of farriers indicated the major problem was not following an effective feeding plan.
This data was compiled from an American Farriers Journal survey of attendees at the 2018 International Hoof-Care Summit.
Hoof Nutrition Intelligence is brought to you by W.F. Young Co. (Absorbine). 
Like many significant achievements, Absorbine® grew out of humble beginnings—and through the tenacity of someone willing to question the status quo. In this case, it was a young woman in late 19th-century Massachusetts: Mary Ida Young. Her husband, Wilbur Fenelon Young, was an enterprising piano deliveryman who relied on the couple’s team of horses to make deliveries throughout the Northeast. Inspired by Mary Ida and Wilbur’s vision, Absorbine® has continued to add innovative products throughout the years — products used every day by horse owners around the world. Which is why, since 1892, we’ve been The Horse World’s Most Trusted Name®.
Click here to read Part 2 of the Jan. 15, 2019 installment: Could nutrition be part of the concerns I’m having with my foot-sore horse?
Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.