You wrote:
> My mare is 10 years old and has GOOD HOOF QUALITY but POOR HOOF GROWTH.
SNIP
> The farrier and vet have recommended Bio-Meth (?). Any comments????
I haven't heard of that. Is it a biotin vitamin complex? We have
used HB 15 or Farrier's Formula for several years to improve hoof
<quality> (not growth) in a TB/QH cross. It takes about 9 mos to 1 yr
for the new hoof to grow out, & there seemed to be quite a
difference.
> What about ABC (Power Plus) Hoof? Has anyone used this product? Does it
> work? Does any of this stuff help promote HOOF GROWTH?
My experience is that it promoted better quality, but no change in
growth rate. It was not available locally, so we switched to HB 15
or Farrier's Formula.
Our farrier believes (& I agree) that hoof growth is tied in with
circulation to the peripheral limbs. Circulation can be affected by
the type & amount of work the horse undergoes. If we work our horse
for 30-40 miles/week on soft, sandy surfaces (ie riding on the
beach), hoof growth is "average" (I think 1/4-1/3 inch per 4 weeks).
If we work at trot/gallop on clay roads or in the mountains, we see
improved growth rate - up to 1/2" in 4 weeks. (Our farrier often
fusses that we don't schedule him frequently enough when the foot is
so long, but he's out every 41/2 to 5 weeks!)
When I was in college, I worked with 5 gaited & fine harness
Saddlebreds (among other things). They "needed" long feet & weighted
shoes to help produce the exaggerated action that was expected in the show
ring. To promote hoof growth, we would irritate the coronet band with
Reducine paste & a tooth brush 3-4 times per week. I'm not sure what
their hoof growth rate would have been like without the Reducine. It
didn't seem to hurt the hoof quality. (BTW - I didn't agree with the
weights & training techniques, so I abandoned that for endurance!!
I've been addicted ever since!)
I am not sure how Reducine at the coronet band would affect an
endurance mount. Perhaps somebody else out there can help answer
that.
Linda Flemmer
ABF Challenger ("Rocket") & Eternal Point ("Major")
Blue Wolf Ranch
Chesapeake, VA
"In case of emergency - Fur side up, steel side down!"