Ask the expert

ABOVE: INTENSIVE WORK PROGRAMMES, ARTIFICIAL RIDING SURFACES, LONG COMPETITION SEASONS AND STABLING ON DRY SURFACES CAN ALL PLACE ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE HOOVES OF A DRESSAGE HORSE.

CAN YOU BUILD A HOOF FOR DRESSAGE? BEN BENSON AWCF MASTER FARRIER AND NAF’S NUTRITION TEAM LOOK AT HOW CARE AND NUTRITION CAN HELP.

Workloads and environmental stresses can quickly expose any weakness in an initially healthy foot. Increased farriery visits, remedial shoeing and focused nutrition can help support the weakened hoof, but what is the recipe for success?

Ben Benson, Team GBR Farrier, comments: “As farriers we have seen a marked change in the way horses are managed over the last 20 years. More horses are stabled and schooled on manmade surfaces. If not managed proactively, this can have a hugely negative impact on the health of our horses’ feet.”

Sometimes it can be as simple as good foot maintenance such as picking the feet out properly, he explains: “Ensure the hoof pick goes under the inner rim of the shoe and down each side and in the middle of the frog. As time goes we see more horses washed off each day rather than the traditional grooming routine they once had. Horses are also stabled on rubber matting and for longer than before.”

Ben points out that we have witnessed a huge change in the intensity and style of riding in the UK.

“The technical ability and standard across the board has increased over the last 20 years and as a result we see more horses worked harder on surfaces. We have also seen an increase in the length of the sport’s season with some horses performing 12 months a year, and to an older age. As farriers we are much more aware of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and as a result we have a much greater understanding of how we can support horses to maintain their soundness.

He comments that the diff erent types of synthetic surfaces each bring a diff erent type of footing, resistance and energy absorption.

“This also requires horses to cope with diff erent levels of deceleration and tor ue through their feet and joints when they work

Products ideally should be applied daily. If your horse has fantastic feet, using an application regularly will help to protect the horn for the future. Helping to prevent bacteria gaining access to a small crack and creating havoc with your otherwise healthy hoof should be a safeguarding approach.

Dressage horses are regularly exposed to dry surfaces for training, on top of the dry bedding we stable on. The right daily external support gets to work straight away to nourish the horn as well as protect it without forming a barrier as the horn has to breathe.

Dressings should have the ability to penetrate the structure itself and not sit on top leaving a greasy residue. They should also be able to protect the horn from environmental threats and protect clenches/nail holes and cracks/splits from contact with anaerobic bacteria.

ABOVE: BEN BENSON WITH STEPH SHARPLES OF TEAM HUGHES, APPLYING NAF PROFEET. BELOW: IF YOUR HORSE NEEDS A HOOF SUPPLEMENT, CHECK IT CONTAINS MORE THAN JUST BIOTIN.

through the corners. All of these have a huge impact over time on the horse’s body and to farriers, most importantly, on the hoof wall and inner foot structures.”

“If injury or pathological changes such as sidebone or tendon/ligament injuries have occurred, we can only support the horse by fi tting a shoe to help the area taking into account the horse’s conformation. This means an increased shoe size that needs to sit outside the hoof capsule and with that comes increased leverage on the hoof wall.”

“Where environmental conditions have had an infl uence you can see hoof walls becoming stressed and failing, shoes coming loose or feet getting fl atter with collapsing heels. his can then create a downwards spiral as the farrier then has to work harder to stabilise the feet whilst also stabilising the limb when the horse is working.

Ben points out that using a high quality hoof product that penetrates the hoof wall, without being so oily that it over-moisturises, and soaks in to give nourishment and fl e ibility is fundamental to maintaining sound and healthy feet. here poor growth is witnessed looking to a trusted manufacturer of supplements is always the farrier’s ne t recommendation he says.

“ ome make ama ing claims but my port of call would always be the supplier that can prove and deliver a high quality product, while also having solid clean sport policy.

“Maintaining happy and healthy farriers is also key. emember the little things your horses being in and ready for shoeing with clean dry feet, while warm bacon sandwiches with fl owing cups of tea will always put you at the top of the emergency list!”

For more information on hoof care, call the NAF Nutrition Team on 0800 373106 or email info naf-uk.com

• Reduced horn quality • Struggling to keep shoes on between visits • Cracks/brittle horn • Injury • Poor growth leading to diffi culties fulfi lling a successful shoeing process

• Biotin, naturally produced by microbial synthesis in the horse’s hindgut – of which levels produced tend to be suffi cient for general health. However, where poor hoof health and quality is seen, research1 has shown feeding 15-25mg of Biotin has helped to improve hoof growth rates. • Methionine converts to cystine which accounts for around a quarter of the total amino acids in keratin. Formation of keratin is vital for hoof structure and soundness; it has a low moisture content, which is why the hoof wall is fi rm and coarse. Hoof horn with low methionine, and as a result, low cystine, can appear to be tacky and soft to the touch. • Lysine is known as the ‘fi rst limiting amino acid’ and is a building block of protein.

Defi ciencies can limit the synthesis of proteins and therefore prevent the uptake of essential amino acids. • MSM donates sulphur to support the overall function and capability of each area. Connective tissues benefi t from

MSM as it plays a crucial role in helping to maintain their overall health and elasticity due to its high absorption rate. • Zinc cares for connective tissue, growth, repair and the maintenance of cells throughout the body. It functions by helping increase blood fl ow to areas that are often overlooked and provides immune support. • Antioxidants help fl ush out free radical toxins that can accumulate in areas of stress and upset the horse’s natural homeostasis. Supporting with antioxidants helps to effectively restore the area to its healthy state.