Combining fibre sources that are all low in starch and sugars such as alfalfa, as well as a special low sugar coating Healthy Hooves is ideal to help maximise gut health and with a range of vitamins and minerals to complement those naturally occurring in alfalfa, Healthy Hooves will provide a balanced diet for your horse.
PROVEN NUTRIENT FOR HEALTHY HOOVES
Several studies have been conducted into how much biotin a horse requires. A study published in the Equine Vet Journal (1992), found that greater growth rates and hardness of hooves was achieved at a daily feeding rate of 15mg of biotin than at 7.5mg in horses diets. The level of biotin included in Dengie Healthy Hooves has been formulated accordingly and thus when fed at the recommended rates will provide your horse with 15mg of biotin per day.
Research published in the Vet Record (1987) demonstrated that alfalfa increases the quality and quantity of horn growth which was attributed to the highly available calcium and essential amino acids found naturally in alfalfa.
B-vitamins have a wide range of functions within the horses digestive system including energy metabolism and growth and development. Healthy Hooves was the first chopped fibre feed on the market with a full range of all these important nutrients.
KEY BENEFITS OF HEALTHY HOOVES
- Dengie Healthy Hooves has a full range of B vitamins including biotin at levels that research has shown to be effective at maximising hoof health and was the first chopped fibre feed product on the UK market to include all these important nutrients.
- Low energy. Horses and ponies that are overweight are at greater risk of laminitis. Healthy Hooves is very low in energy or calories at just 8.5MJ/Kg DE.
- Low Sugar and Starch. Research has shown that horses and ponies predisposed to laminitis are at greater risk if fed cereals. Healthy Hooves is free from cereal grains.
- Chelated Trace Minerals. These are important for improved bio-availability to the horse, i.e. they are more easily absorbed by the horses digestive system. Trace minerals are important for general condition including hooves and coat condition and are also integral components for the body’s anti-oxidant system.
- Essential High Fibre. Fibre provides slow release energy and is essential for maximising gut health.
- Highly palatable. Healthy Hooves contains added garlic for great palatability and pellets for added interest.
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF FEEDING HEALTHY HOOVES
Healthy Hooves is designed to be fed as the sole bucket feed alongside your horse’s normal hay/haylage ration. It is important that it is fed at the recommended quantities in order to provide the levels of nutrients your horse or pony requires; feeding less may affect condition and performance. If using less than recommended a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement should be used alongside. Healthy Hooves is intended for horses and ponies at rest or in light work if fed as the sole bucket feed. For horses and ponies in moderate to hard work or requiring weight gain, Dengie Alfa-Beet can be fed alongside Healthy Hooves and is also approved by the Laminitis Trust.
FEEDING GUIDE
Feed 500g of Healthy Hooves per 100kg of your horses bodyweight. Fibre weighs very little compared to mixes or cubes. It is important to weigh your scoop to ensure that you are feeding the correct amount.
| Horse or Pony |
Size Guide (hh) |
Approx Weight |
Bucket Feed per day |
| Small Pony (eg: Welsh Pony, Exmoor) |
9–13 |
200kg |
1kg or 2 scoops |
| Large Pony (eg: Fell) |
13.1–14.2 |
300kg |
1.5kg or 3 scoops |
| Small Horse (eg: Arab) |
14.3–15.2 |
400kg |
2kg or 4 scoops |
| Medium Horse (eg: Thoroughbred) |
15.3–16.2 |
500kg |
2.5kg or 5 scoops |
| Large Horse (eg: Warmblood) |
16.3 and over |
600kg |
3kg or 6 scoops |
The suggested feeding levels are intended as a guide only. Always adjust your horse’s feed ration to suit his temperament, the environmental conditions, his body condition and work load.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
As horse owners ourselves, Dengie know that time is often in short supply and that there is not always time to carefully weigh our horses feed out every day. Accordingly, Dengie Healthy Hooves has been formulated so it is quick and easy to calculate how much your horse and pony needs.
Simply feed 500g of Healthy Hooves for every 100kg of your horses bodyweight. So for example, a horse weighing 400kg sould be fed 2kg of Healthy Hooves. To make it even more convenient, one standard round “Stubbs” scoop holds approximately 500g of Healthy Hooves, so the above 400kg horse would then be fed 4 scoops of Healthy Hooves per day.
