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: How important is feeding manganese in terms of hoof quality?
By Connie K. Larson, equine nutritionist, Zinpro Corp.
A: Grains typically contain low levels of manganese while the levels in forages can range from low to high. Since the bioavailability of manganese is often low in many feeds, total equine diets often need supplementation to meet the nutritional requirements.
Manganese plays a larger role in developing the internal structure of the foot than in the hoof wall itself. It is required for chondroitin sulfate synthesis, which is important for joint cartilage formation, maintenance and repair.
Development of an effective skeletal bone system requires adequate manganese levels for development and maintenance. As a superoxide scavenger, manganese activity decreases free radicals and protects cells from oxidative damage.
Connie Larson is an equine nutritionist and researcher with Zinpro Corp. in Eden Prairie, Minn. She has been a contributor to American Farriers Journal and a speaker at the 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 December 15, 2015 installment: Do horse owners have to consider hoof health when developing a specific feeding plan?
Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.