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Winter brings its own set of challenges for our horses. Especially with winters getting wetter and warmer. With the right nutrition, you can contribute significantly to your horse’s hoof health. Whether you are a recreational rider or a driven professional, your horse’s well-being starts with the hooves. Let’s look at practical tips to keep your horse’s hooves healthy and strong, even when the wind is howling around the barn.
A horse stands on its hooves an average of 22 hours a day, and because of the horse’s natural build, the forces on the hooves are great. In addition, healthy hooves are crucial for proper blood flow in our horses’ legs. While walking, a kind of pumping effect is created in the hoof, which supports the flowering of the hoof and the whole leg. When the environment is cold and damp, it becomes more difficult for your horse to maintain healthy hooves.
Especially in the winter, our horses’ hooves suffer more. In dry and cold (freezing) weather, the hooves can dry out quickly, which can cause them to harden and crack. But also during wet warm winters the hooves are under pressure. During a humid period, the hooves become softer and softer. The high temperatures give unhealthy bacteria more opportunity and can penetrate the soft soaking hooves more easily. This in turn can lead to infections such as thrush. These conditions make it necessary to pay extra attention to preventive hoof care.
Extensive research shows that nutrition plays an important role in maintaining and improving hoof health. Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, help promote cell growth and elasticity within the hoof structure. Vitamins such as vitamin E and biotin help keep the quality and strength of equine hooves optimal, leading to a resilient hoof that is more resistant to weather conditions. These nutrients keep the hoof strong from the inside out and support hoof growth.
Thus, your horse’s diet plays a crucial role. By offering your horse a diet high in forage, you ensure a constant energy intake that contributes to heat production and overall health. Supplemental use of a good vitmanine and mineral balancer gives your horse just that little extra support.
A balancer is a vitamin and mineral chunk full of the essential vitamins and minerals that cannot always be obtained in sufficient quantities from roughage. Due to the intensive use of our grassland combined with the use of artificial fertilizers, many vitamins and minerals in the soil have declined in recent decades. As a result, the hay our horses are fed simply does not contain enough vitamins and minerals. So we will have to supplement that. This can be done through pellets, muesli or a balancer. A good balancer is characterized by:
Our ViMi balancers meet all three of these characteristics.
What about the myths surrounding hoof care? A common question is whether hoof oils are the solution to dry hooves. In reality, proper hydration and internal moisture balance is a better approach, achieved through proper nutrients. Doubting whether your hay is enough? Even fine hay may not provide all the necessary nutrients, especially in the winter when things get more challenging. That’s why ViMi Balancers are a wise choice to close any nutritional gaps.
Caring for healthy hooves in winter is about finding the right balance between giving the right nutrition, maintaining the right environment and building a healthy routine. At Florian Horsefood, we believe in the power of nutrition to support hoof health. By choosing our feeds such as ViMi Balancers and quality blended roughage, you will ensure that your horse not only meets the challenges of winter, but also stays in top shape for the seasons ahead.
Want to learn more about how to best support your horse in winter? Visit our webshop to discover ViMi Balancers and our other products. We are happy to help you make the best choices for your horse. You can call, email or call us and we are happy to think along with you.
Do you have feedback or want to share experiences? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with our team. We are always ready to help you give the best possible care to your horse.
