Posted by Patty Stiller on November 28, 2003 at 18:17:18:
In Reply to: Castor Oil+ Reducine for hoof growth? posted by bsg on November 27, 2003 at 11:53:28:
: My horses hooves basically cease gorwing completely from october through late march, this is obviously not good. We tried supplements, evaluated his diet etc and all seemed not to be the issue. My farrier wants me to dress his hooves every time I see him (4-7 days a week) with a 50/50 mix of castor oil and reducine on the coronet band.
: What exactly will this do? Or rather, how will this mix encourage hoof growth?
: Thanks!
: -bsg-
The reducine is an irritant, also known as a "blister". When applied to coronary band every day for a while, it causes irritation and blistering. which is thought to increase blood circulationin the area and therefore more hoof growth.
Results are purely anecdotal, and as far as I know there have been no studies to prove or disprove it.It won't hurt him too much but I have tried it a couple of times with no noticeable results except a fairly crabby horse after about ten days of the stuff blistering his coronay band.
A far better approach for hoof growth is to reevaluate the diet. And supply more EXERCISE and lots of it, through the winter.
Dietary problems which can cause inadequate hoof growth are very complex, and can include items some folks donl;t think of like too much calcuim,(especially straight alfalfa diets) or not enough protein, or not enough micro nutrients like zinc and copper and manganese, shortage of certain micro nutrients,etc. Too much of one mineral (like calcium) can sometimes cause the lack of absorbtion of another, and on and on.
All horses slow hoof growth in the winter some, just like human hair and fingernails. So I suspect the hoof growth your horse gets the rest of the year is pretty minumal at best? That suggest some 'all year long' management issues, stabling ,feed or ecercise. However if the change is excesive in the winter,and he has good growth the rest ofthe year, then evaluate what exactly changes in his management during that time. I bet it is exercise. And exercise does not mean just the amoumnt of riding. It meands the amopunt of all day movement. Walking around the field. Rolling. Walking from the food to the water. Playing with a budy along the fence line,. You get the idea. It is usually that which chances in the winter, they simply stand around because it is cold. Lack of movement =lack of hoof growth.
Patty