It could be debated that one of most pivotal roles of a horse's anatomy is that of its hooves. The hoof itself is a skin derived appendage called hoof horn which protects the underlying corium of the foot. A wall of hoof horn surrounds the base of the limb and plays an important role in the bearing of weight and performance of the horse. If this wall is not properly maintained it can lead to discomfort, cracking, pain and potentially infection.
The composition of the hoof wall is a skin derivative which absorbs nutrients and proteins in the horse's blood stream. Often, these nutrients are processed through the large intestines from grass and feed. But occasionally, for various reasons, a horse will not have the means or ability to accommodate the health of their hooves. Which is why a supplemental diet is important to the maintenance and integrity of a horse's hooves.
Biotin is a popular feed supplement used to maintain hoof health. This compound contains sulphur and vitamin B which helps maintain and grow new hoof horn. Biotin is a water soluble mineral, which means it's not stored in the body for very long - which is why a daily dose of biotin is important in the maintenance of healthy hooves. On average a hoof can grow up to 3/8 inch per month, which means it could take several months to notice any benefit of the supplemental diet. This is why it is important to stay optimistic and continue a daily dose of biotin.
When choosing a biotin supplement consider using Durvet's BiotinDAILY™ . This supplement is in an apple flavored pellet form which your horse will enjoy. In addition to containing a high dose of biotin, BiotinDAILY™ also contains Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (Yea-Sacc®) which is scientifically proven to increase digestion performance. In terms of hooves, this will help improve the breakdown of fiber already in your horse's diet, into B vitamins which are essential for hoof maintenance.