Hoof Nutrition Intelligence 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 can I do for a horse that has weak and crumbly hooves?

By Bob Peacock

A: To deal with this type of situation, consider adding a hoof supplement to the horse’s daily diet that includes the following:

Vitamin A: This ingredient will promote tissue growth, strong hooves, bone development and help build disease resistance, along with encouraging healthy skin, hair, teeth and gums.

Vitamin D: This allows the horse to more effectively utilize vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus, which are all needed for strong hooves, bones and teeth.

Vitamin E: This vitamin helps retard cellular aging as an antioxidant. It supplies needed oxygen to the cells for better endurance, helps fight fatigue and accelerates healing and hoof growth.

Bob Peacock is a long-time farrier and the owner of the Farrier Science Clinic in Hamilton, Ohio.

Hoof Nutrition Intelligence is brought to you by W.F. Young Co. (Absorbine). 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 June 15, 2015 installment: What are the early signs of laminitis?

Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.