Not quite sure why I've been asked however my boyfriends mum asked me to get some hoof oil for when I visit them (they live in thailand).  Any idea what I should be looking at?  Where would be a good place to get it (either internet or any shops in north hertfordshire, Bradford or Coventy)  Also is this the right stuff to help with crumbling hoofs or is there anything else?

I really don't have any clue about horses!

Thanks

Oooh - minefield :)

It depends what they want it for. Bog standard Hoof Oil can be bought from any tack shop and makes the hooves shiny - but if the ned has crumbling hooves there are better things to recommend. I'd need to ask some questions:

1. Is it shod?
2. What sort of grazing is it on?
3. How old?
4. What breed?
5. Feed?

Crumbling hooves are better treated from the inside with a good hoof supplement and a feed balancer. There are potions you can paint on like Keratex Hoof Hardener but I'd need to know more before recommending :)

Thats what I had read that crumbling hoof seemed to be a problem with nutition.

I shall see if I can find out the answers, I don't know any of the information at all.

Thanks for your help :)

1. Is it shod?
Yes (whatever shod means)
2. What sort of grazing is it on?
Forgot to ask! ARGH!
3. How old?
Quite young, not sure on presice age
4. What breed?
Thai horse
5. Feed?
Wouldn't say,

Was told the hoofs are cracking/crumbling.  She said she has heard it can be due to nutriounts and has said if I find a supplement to get it aswell so would this be a good idea and is there any good/less good ones on the market?

The only thing I've just thought about though is that it's one thing me taking her stuff for the horse however getting it over to thailand as and when isn't very convient.  Is any of this stuff on-going treatment or something that just needs to be untill it's better (I'm guessin the first?)

Why is it I got asked for this stuff when I don't have a clue on horses...why couldn't she have a small problem with one of the dogs, I can deal with that!

Biotin is a horse hoof supplement

Biotin is a good supplement. I tend to feed a feed balancer that includes it: Top Spec. However, it comes in bags of 20kilos and I doubt its available in Thailand.

Its really hard to advise without knowing how well the hooves are shod - the nails used could be a major cause of the problem. The grazing (or lack of) could be another major cause. If the hooves are crumbling then nailing on shoes will make it worse as the nails weaken the hoof wall, and trying to paint stuff on isn't going to help because the damage is done - think of a broken nail in humans.

Do you know what work the horse is doing - road work wise? If its on softer ground then going barefoot might be an option until its feet repair themselves. Good grazing is the very best thing to feed from within.

If the horse is native to thailand i would imagine poor shoeing is what is causing the broken hoof walls as native horses are usually better at coping without shoes.

Thanks Chloe, I will pass the information on.

Would it be worth getting something that helps speed up hoof growth? 

I think maybe one of the problems is because it's in thailand and a thai horse that theres huge differences of care for the animals between here and there so it's hard for my boyfriends mother to give it what she would give a horse over here.

'Shod' means having shoes on its hooves. :)

Thanks JG, I really have no clue on horses....Learning alot at the moment and I'm not even a fan of the animals!

I dont know how true this is but...

My horses used to be kept on a field which was full of lime. They had built a quarry and was slowly scraping it all out. The farrier said our horses feet were hard as nails because of the goodness in the grass from the lime. Now we have since moved and the farrier said we will notice a difference in the horses feet as they are now not on the limey grass and he said a way to help strengthen their feet was to buy a special kind of salt lick which had this lime in.

Apparently normal salt licks do nothing at all to help the horse but my sister bought this special salt lick (if anyone wants the name I can find out for you) and the horses loved it! Their feet only started to crack once we stopped giving it to them...so maybe it is true?

Just a thought because top spec and other brand name supplements can be quite pricey!