Dry, Cracked Hooves: Protection from the Inside Out

Dry, brittle and cracked hooves are a common frustration for horse owners, particularly during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather when the ground becomes hard and unforgiving.

While weather and environmental conditions can contribute to hoof problems, healthy hooves depend on much more than what we apply to the outside. Good hoof quality starts with what we provide on the inside.

Why Do Horses Develop Cracked Hooves?

The hoof wall is predominantly made from keratin, a tough structural protein that provides the strength needed to withstand the considerable forces placed on the foot every day.

Cracks can develop for several reasons, including poor hoof balance, long intervals between farrier visits, trauma, environmental conditions and poor-quality hoof horn. Regular farriery is therefore fundamental to keeping the hoof correctly balanced and preventing excessive mechanical stress on the hoof wall.

Nutrition also plays an important role. The horse needs an adequate supply of the nutrients required to manufacture strong, healthy hoof horn.

Build Better Hooves from Within

Because the hoof grows from the coronary band downwards, improving hoof quality takes time. Rather than simply treating an existing crack, the aim should be to support the growth of stronger new hoof horn.

Plusvital Acti-Hoof provides targeted nutritional support for healthy hoof growth, including 40 mg of biotin per daily dose.

Biotin is one of the best-known nutrients associated with hoof quality, but healthy hoof growth requires more than biotin alone. Acti-Hoof also supplies the essential amino acids lysine and methionine, providing important building blocks for structural proteins such as keratin.

These are combined with key trace minerals, including zinc and copper, in chelated forms to support availability and utilisation. Zinc has an important role in keratin formation, while a correctly balanced supply of trace minerals is essential for good-quality hoof horn.

The result is a comprehensive approach that supports the horse in growing a stronger, healthier hoof from the inside out.

Protect What You Grow

Nutrition is only half of the equation.

While Acti-Hoof supports the development of new hoof horn internally, Plusvital Hoofcare provides complementary external care.

Regular topical hoof care can help condition and protect the hoof, particularly when feet are exposed to challenging environmental conditions. Alongside routine cleaning, good stable and paddock management and regular attention from your farrier, this provides a complete approach to maintaining healthy feet.

There is no overnight solution to poor-quality hooves. Existing damaged horn must gradually grow out, which is why consistency and patience are essential. The hoof wall grows at an average rate of just 1 cm per month, so keep this in mind when introducing a new hoof supplement – improvements in hoof quality will take time to become visible.

For horses prone to dry, brittle or cracked feet, think about hoof care from both directions:

ACTI-HOOF = nutritional support to build quality hoof horn from within
HOOFCARE = external conditioning and protection for the hoof

Combined with a balanced diet, regular farriery and good daily hoof management, it's a simple philosophy: Build from the inside. Protect from the outside.