Re: Nutrition Questions

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Trish Grant wrote:
> 
> Hi there to all,

> What I want is my horses feet to toughen up and grow a bit more foot. I
> have
> chosen the product Farriers Formula. It appears to have everything in it I
> need except for the selenium, so I have just started him on it. Has anyone
> used it and with what results. I have to tell you for a 10 pound bucket of
> this here in Canada costs just under $70.00. This is in the pellet form
> and this should last 29 days. I have to be honest in that I find this alot
> of money and if this is what it will take I will do it.

You might consider Paragon Biotin Plus.  Biotin is the primary
ingredient that will help hoof integrity (not to mention the only one
supported by empirical research) and a 20 lb bucket is $122.95.  Feed it
at half the recommended dosage (the horse body doesn't store biotin and
only utilizes 15-25 mgs a day, so feeding more than that is wasted) and
20 lbs will last one horse 21 months, which is pretty cost-effective.

Keep in mind changes to hoof quality begin at the coronary band and have
to work their way down, so be patient about seeing changes.


> Second question being has anyone used the product called Natural Glo. It
> would be used for trying to put some weight on a horse. It is a rice
> bran mixture with a fat content of 20%, sounds like it could be a good
> product for putting the pounds on a horse that needs it. Please let me
> know if anyone has used this and with what results.

Rather than inflict my diatribes on everyone else yet again regarding
rice bran, go to the EnduranceNet website (www.endurance.net), follow
the links to Fun Stuff, then Stories and Articles, then "Calcium,
Phosphorus and Rice Bran".  It should give you enough information for
you to realize that rice bran is not all that great a solution to
putting weight onto a horse.

Hope this helps,

Susan Garlinghouse, MS
Equine Research Center
California State Polytechnic University