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How Nutrition Impacts the Hoof

  • Writer: Brian Mathews
    Brian Mathews
  • Nov 30
  • 5 min read

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Every farrier and horse owner knows that hoof health depends on many factors — trimming, shoeing, environment, exercise … but one of the most powerful influences is often underestimated: nutrition. In fact, proper diet is fundamental for healthy hoof growth and overall soundness. (American Farriers)


Why Nutrition Matters

As noted in a recent article by American Farriers Journal, “every cell in the horse’s body is like a tiny battery-powered factory.” (American Farriers) The hoof — like all other tissues — depends on a very specific balance of nutrients: calories (from carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and hindgut fermentation), minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. (American Farriers) If any of these building blocks are missing or out of balance, hoof horn quality can suffer, often showing up in cracks, splits, slow growth, flaking, or brittle walls. (American Farriers)

Nutrition doesn’t work in isolation — hoof growth is also influenced by genetics, age, breed, metabolic rate, level of work, environment (moisture, climate), and hoof care practices such as trimming and shoeing. (American Farriers)


Key Nutrients for Strong, Healthy Hooves

Here are some of the essential dietary components that support hoof integrity and what they do:

  • Protein / Amino acids (e.g., lysine, methionine): Hoof horn is made primarily of keratin, a protein — so sufficient quality protein and amino-acids are vital for hoof growth. (American Farriers) Too little protein (or calories overall) can slow hoof growth substantially. (purinamills.com)

  • Vitamins A & E: Vitamin A promotes keratin synthesis — critical for the hoof wall’s structure — and supports collagen synthesis needed for the supportive tissues of the hoof. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, protecting hoof cells from oxidative stress and maintaining membrane integrity. (American Farriers)

  • Minerals (Zinc, Copper, Calcium, etc.): Minerals play multiple roles. Zinc protects cell membranes and supports keratinization. Copper contributes to elasticity in connective tissue (ligaments, tendons), which is important for hoof integrity. Calcium helps ensure strong attachment between horn cells — giving hoof walls cohesion and strength. (American Farriers)

  • Fat / Omega-3 fatty acids: Healthy fats — including omega-3s — support cell membrane health and may help the hoof respond better to inflammation or systemic stress (such as after illness or laminitis). (American Farriers)

  • Biotin + Keratin / Collagen precursors: Biotin is often noted for its potential to support hoof integrity (as well as coat, mane, and tail). (The Horse) Collagen — along with keratin — helps maintain the structural matrix of the hoof. (American Farriers)


What Poor Nutrition Looks Like: Signs to Watch For

If a horse’s diet is deficient or imbalanced, farriers and owners may notice:

  • Hoof walls that are slow to grow, brittle, flaky, split, or crack. (American Farriers)

  • Hooves that struggle to hold shoes, or show poor horn quality around nail holes — complicating shoeing and increasing risk of nail-pricks or hoof wall failures. (professionalfarriers.com)

  • Secondary hoof problems: soft walls may be more vulnerable to white line disease, fungal or bacterial invasion, abscesses, and other hoof horn infections. (professionalfarriers.com)

  • Other general signs: dull coat or poor hair quality (hair breaking, slow regrowth or shedding), loss of topline muscle or body condition, low energy — all reflecting systemic nutrient deficiency. (American Farriers)


Balancing the Diet — It’s Not Just About Supplements

Many horse owners turn to supplements hoping to “fix” hoof issues — but a strong foundation is always forage + proper maintenance diet. (purinamills.com)

Over- or under-supplementing can be just as harmful as deficiency. For example:

  • Excess protein or certain amino acids (e.g., methionine) can interfere with absorption of minerals like copper or zinc — ironically weakening hoof horn instead of strengthening it. (American Farriers)

  • Too much of trace minerals (e.g., selenium) can be toxic: over-supplementation has been linked to hoof wall defects, horizontal ridges, and poor horn quality — even when hoof problems weren’t initially nutritional. (professionalfarriers.com)

  • Imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratios (common when feeding high-phosphorus feeds like bran) can lead to calcium deficiency — “the glue that holds the hoof together” — causing weak hoof walls and crumbling horn around nail holes. (professionalfarriers.com)

Because of these variables — age, work level, forage type, pasture quality, regional mineral content — it’s important to evaluate a horse’s diet holistically and adjust based on need (not just “one-size-fits-all”). (purinamills.com)


Putting It Into Practice: Tips for Horse & Farrier Owners

Based on what we know about nutrition’s role in hoof health:

  1. Start with good forage & balanced ration — hay or pasture should be the diet’s backbone; avoid radical diet swings, especially introducing lush pasture too fast (can trigger metabolic issues). (American Farriers)

  2. Ensure adequate high-quality protein and amino acids — especially lysine, methionine, as they support keratin and muscle. When performance or workload increases, protein needs increase.

  3. Include essential vitamins and minerals — vitamins A and E, zinc, copper, calcium (with proper Ca:P ratio), etc. Tailor supplementation cautiously, considering forage and water mineral content, regional soil/mineral profiles, and risk of excess.

  4. Consider healthy fats / omega-3s — good for cell membranes, inflammation control, and overall cellular health (which impacts hoof tissue).

  5. Monitor hoof quality (and general coat/condition) regularly — farrier visits, trimming frequency, watch for cracks, slow growth, brittle walls, hoof wall integrity, nail hole condition.

  6. Collaborate with a nutritionist or vet when needed — especially when horses have chronic hoof problems or live in areas with unusual mineral/soil content (e.g., selenium levels vary regionally).

  7. Treat supplements as just one tool — don’t rely solely on “hoof supplements” to fix structural issues. Real hoof strength comes from consistent, balanced nutrition + proper hoof care + good management.


Why This Matters to Me (and Should to You)

As a farrier — and as someone who cares about riding, training, breeding and raising sound horses — understanding the nutritional side of hoof care gives me better tools to help horse owners. Poor trimming, bad shoeing, or neglecting hoof balance can create problems — but sometimes the root cause is inside the horse: undernourished hoof horn.

By taking a holistic view — pasture and forage, workload, life stage, mineral content, and hoof care — we can maximize a horse’s potential for strong, healthy feet. That’s especially important for performance horses, broodmares, or young growing stock: their hoof quality can set the tone for conformation, soundness, and longevity.


Sources & Further Reading


 
 
 

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