Hoof Health in Horses

Your Guide to Hoof Health in Horses

If you have horses as pets, then you need to make sure that you pay close attention to their health. Unlike cats and dogs, horses have certain requirements to help them stay healthy and active. One of the things that you will want to pay close attention to is their hoof health. That doesn’t just mean keeping an eye on them and making sure that they are in good shape. While that is important, it is also important to take a look at their diet, because their nutrition can play a role in the health of their hooves.

The type of food that you feed your horse will definitely have an important impact on their hooves. You need to make sure that they are eating a diet that is well balanced. It needs to have minerals, fats, oils, antioxidants, vitamins, proteins and amino acids. This is a lot to demand, but there are a lot of great foods out there that will be balanced in all of these areas. Poor hoof health is usually a sign that your horse is unhealthy in general. The tissues that make up their hooves is metabolic, and that means that it grows really rapidly. It is continually growing to replace itself because it wears away, much like the fingernails on a human. Changes in their diet, certain illnesses, and even changes in their activity can play a part in the health of their hooves as well.

Here are a few facts that you may want to consider: The skin and hooves of a horse are made up of keratin, which is a structural protein. This is a protein that is made up of amino acids, and some of them are essential. These include alanine and glycine. These are amino acids that are naturally made by the horse. Then, you have cysteine, which is another amino acid that the horse cannot make on its own. This needs to be in their diet. You also need to be aware that the wall of the hoof is actually made up of a waxy substance and fat. This provides the barrier that it needs for protection from the elements. It also helps to retain moisture and keep out the water. This is why it is so important for your horses diet to include fats.

Vitamins and minerals are also important. You need to make sure that they are getting enough Vitamin E, because this is something that protects their hoof wall as well. Vitamin B is important too. Minerals such as calcium can help to activate the enzymes that help to bind the keratin cells to the hoof wall. Zinc can also help to improve the tissue of their cells, and promote cell growth. If they have a deficiency of zinc then you may see it in their hooves. Other minerals include copper and selenium. You need to make sure that they are getting all of these, and in the right amounts. The proper food can really help to do this. If your horse eats a balanced diet, and you still notice issues, you will want to make sure that you take a look at the pasture that they roam around in. The pasture and the hay that they live in is going to play an important role as well. These are all factors that you must take into consideration, because if your horse doesn’t have good hoof health, its health may be lacking in other areas as well that may not be as evident to you.

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