Horse hoof care

Question
About 6 months ago (this spring) my mare had a rather serious case of laminitis due to being overweight.  We have been keeping her on a reducing diet - grass hay with supplements - and have managed to get weight off of her.  She has recovered from the laminitis well enough and didn't founder.  As her hoof is growing out - the line is about half way now - the upper part of the hoof (between the line and the coronary band) is scalely/chalky and somewhat soft underneath.  The shiny black hoof wall is not there although it appears that the hoof growth has occurred.  She is kept in a dry lot for turnout or in her stall.  We use shavings for bedding and the stall is cleaned daily.  Can you give me any insight as to what may be occurring with her hoof growth.  Thanks.  Jan H.

Answer
Hi Jan ... well, the adage 'what goes in grows out' is particularly apropos to hooves. While you might be supplying supplements to you girl with grass hay she still may not be receiving what she needs. Fresh vegetables provide the 8 essential glyconutrients that are necessary for strong, new cell growth and healthy regeneration. There are also many herbs that can be so beneficial for her. I'm not an herbalist but do work with someone who has had excellent results with such issues as Laminitis, Cushings, Arthritis, and more. Please go to http://www.lavendersageequine.com and give Lisa a call. She is very knowledgeable and extremely helpful.

While that addresses the diet issue another issue might be the mechanics of the hooves. Are the hooves in good form and function? Is your girl putting on the 'miles' that is so needed for stimulation for healthy growth? If not turned out 24/7 then she might not be getting the movement necessary to promote healthy circulation for good hoof regrowth. One thing you might think of adding to her daily routine would be to walk her, a minimum of 10 mins. a day, on a firm, solid, level surface such as a tarred road. The walking will promote healthier circulation which will, in turn promote more rapid hoof growth and it will also aid in the conditioning of the hooves.

Something else to consider might be 'vaccinosis' ... we vaccinate our horses regularly but some horses are more sensitive to the chemicals than others (this would include chemical dewormers, as well) and the results exhibit in poor coats and hooves. There is a Homeopathic remedy that can help with this. If you're interested you can let me know and I will direct you to more information.

If you go to the article on Balanced Hooves on http://www.barefoottrim.com under the EDUCATIONAL section you'll find a number of 'landmarks' which you can use to assess the balance and levelness of your horse's hooves. That might be a good start. But even with less than perfect hoof form, the MOVEMENT of the horse, ie. the more the better, will help in rehab of the hooves and the DIET will make a huge difference.

I hope this has helped you somewhat. Without actually being able to SEE the hooves, I can only give you general direction ... you'll have to follow what you will and hopefully find the answer through your own research.

:)  Have a great evening.
--Gwen