Nourishing the Hoof Naturally

a dressage horse with recurring, severe quarter cracks right into the coronet band, who has been on his herbal program for four months now and has grown more than half of a new hoof in record time

Rosehips

Carrot Seed

Sunflowers

Linseeds

By: © Victoria Ferguson Dip.Herb.Med. - 13 February 2014

Does the hoof of the horse require special nourishment?  In a perfect world where the horse receives balanced nutrition from the moment of conception and throughout its whole life, but especially from birth to maturity, the answer is no. Sadly that rarely happens.  If it did, all horses would be able to grow hooves to the optimum of their genetic potential.

Balanced nutrition means providing the essential nutrients needed by the horse for growth, maintenance and repair.  It is not just about calories.

Good hoof care is also vitally important.  The subject of barefoot trimming versus conventional farriery is a subject which evinces emotional responses from both sides bordering on hysteria. The reality is that there are good and bad barefoot trimmers and farriers.

Personally I have never been keen on barefoot trimming but last year when my own farrier shot through without notice and I was luckily given an introduction to a barefoot trimmer, I thought I would give it a go. 

I am delighted with the results – the hooves on my two retired horses that she regularly trims have never looked better and their biomechanics have also improved.  When I finally find my new riding horse I am going to try to keep him or her barefoot, but time will tell whether this will be possible or not.  The fact is some horses need to be shod for some sports, I really love the idea of the tips so that could be a good option.

My own barefoot trimmer is so impressed with my horses’ hooves that she has now put all her horses on their own special versions of the VF Natural Diet.

The philosophy of this diet is to provide a balanced diet with all the essential nutrients necessary for GROWTH, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR while at the same time providing preventive nutrition which keeps the immune system in the best working order possible.  This results in horses with a very sound integumentary system (skin, hair, hooves) showing good rate and quality of hoof growth and a remarkable exterior glow indicating inner health.

One of the most important herbal ingredients in the VF Natural Diet is Rosehips, which has extraordinary benefits for the hoof and the immune and respiratory systems.

This is due to their amazing array of nutrients and medicinal properties.

NUTRIENTS IN ROSEHIPS

Rosehips contain the highest plant source of Vitamin C and  numerous bioflavonoids (quercitin, rutin, hesperidin & others), mucilaginous compounds (pectin 14%), astringent compounds and aromatic compounds, sugars (fructose, sucrose, glucose) 15%, significant amounts of calcium, chromium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, Vitamin A, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine and fibre.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES  IN ROSEHIPS

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient most famous for its ability to strengthen capillary fragility and connective tissue. 

The bioflavonoids provide antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties as well as strengthening the circulatory system in particular the capillaries. Bioflavonoids work synergistically with Vitamin C and most good sources of bioflavonoids are also good sources of Vitamin C, demonstrating the wisdom of nature.

These nutritive and medicinal properties of Rosehips explain why they are so important for the health of the hoof, where the coronet band is  filled with dense capillary beds.  Also consider the lungs where capillaries abound. 

The lungs and the hoof are the areas continually under significant physical stress in horses, especially performance horses.

Detractors of the use of Rosehips in horses cite the presence of sugars in the herb, but it is impossible to isolate one compound as a reason not to use that herb.  It is a reductionist viewpoint and all the constituents of a herb must be viewed as a whole, to understand the synergistic activity of that herb. This is the view of the classically trained herbalist such as myself.

This is confirmed in practice.  I have used and recommended Rosehips as an essential nutrient for pleasure, performance and breeding horses and as part of a therapeutic program for laminitic horses and ponies for 20 years with complete success.  

It is however important to understand that the other feed items and herbs are chosen to work in tandem with Rosehips.  For the nourishment of the hoof Silica is an important mineral and this is provided with the use of Millet (french white variety) together with the correct balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids,  two more essential nutrients, provided by black sunflower seeds and cold pressed flaxseed oil.  

TOPICAL NOURISHMENT

Hoof products abound in the market place but most farriers and barefoot trimmers say they are not necessary. 

I have found that the use of herbal infused oils and oil blends with essential oils are very useful therapeutically and for encouraging hoof growth when extra help is needed.

A mixture of half and half Comfrey infused oil and cold pressed flaxseed oil is a very good hoof dressing applied on the coronet band, frog and bulb of heel, to provide a barrier in both hot, dry and wet conditions and to encourage hoof growth.

Specially selected essential oils mixed with this basic oil mix can be very helpful in the rehabilitation from laminitis and the treatment of navicular, White Line disease, thrush, seedy toe, bruising, corns and hoof injuries.  Just some of the essential oils I use include Carrot Seed, Yarrow, Wintergreen, Sea Buckthorn and Arnica infused oils. 

I am very excited with the progress of a dressage horse with recurring, severe quarter cracks right into the coronet band, who has been on his herbal program for four months now and has grown more than half of a new hoof in record time (see first photo at right). 

Reference material on Rosehips – Nutritional Herbology, Mark Pedersen

The team at Horsezone is excited to bring you informative articles from Victoria Ferguson Dip.Herb.Med., herbalist, horsewoman and author of The Complete Horse Herbal  www.thecountryherbalist.com.au