13 yr old Gelding

Question
Hi,
My husband and I have two horses - a 9 yr old QH mare and a 13 yr old QH gelding. The mare we have had for a couple of years and the gelding we just purchased two months ago.
We just had our farrier out for the second shoeing of the gelding (my mare doesn't have shoes) and he noticed some chipping and delamination on his front hooves. He recommended that we start giving him some sulfur in is diet and use some topical hoof conditioner. I have no idea what sulfur does. Have you ever heard of it helping chipped hooves?

Answer
Hi Susan,

Thank you for your question.  I have heard of feeding supplemental sulfur to horses for different reasons, including hoof quality, quite successfully.  It is a common ingredient in joint supplements and is added as MSM.  In a forage based diet a horse will get sulfur from breaking down plant protein in the hindgut.  Sulfur is an important component in a horse's body structure and is required in fairly high concentrations in connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, joints)and hoof tissue.  Feeding it will certainly help generate better quality hoof tissue.  Methionine and Zinc are also essential components of hard hooves as well, so I would recommend that rather than feed just sulfur to your horse, you feed a well formulated hoof supplement.  Look for one that includes all of the above nutrients.  The hoof dressing will help keep the hoof moisturized and minimize chipping.

Your farrier certainly has made a very useful suggestion.

Thanks, Corlena