Aloeride® aloe vera

Every equestrian knows the saying "no foot, no horse" and thus knows that excellent hoof/foot care is vital to both horse and rider. Yet talk to any registered farrier and you'll be surprised to find out for how many horses feet/hooves are a problem. This page offers help and explanation.

Since April 2011 a feed supplement helps your horse' hooves: 1) Equine Aloeride® is dosed properly for the difference in body mass between humans and horses and 2) compared to what was used in the UCN/Moulton College study Equine Aloeride® contains vastly more nutrients (per litre 18.72 more immune modulating polysaccharides and 10.69x more inflammation modulating polysaccharides). 3) Equine Aloeride® is vastly more affordable than the product used in UCN/MC study. Whereas this study showed that hooves respond to aloe vera, you will see a predictably better response when you give your horse Equine Aloeride®.

Loading versus Intrinsic Strength

The commonest error one can make when a horse presents with foot and/or hoof problems is to ignore the kinetic chain above it (kindly mouse over the above dressage photograph). I deliberately called the joints by their human name to emphasize that horses move like a ballerina dances i.e. on their toetips and fingertips. Few ballerines do the latter I must admit.

Is foot/hoof tissue strong enough and flexible enough to withstand the forces that are put upon it? Mouse over the dressage photo again and think pound-force per square inch: the same weight carried by half the surface doubles the pressure. Note that only its right hind leg is weight bearing, the below graph demonstrates how forces increase the further down its leg you go.

Now consider research by The Horses Trust showing that 24% of horses were euthanased due to lameness; an additional 12% was euthanased due to laminitis. Most of that 24% happens where the greatest pound force per square inch occurs.

Loading is about weight management of your horse + weight management of its rider + allowing time for tissue strength to adapt to new forces of movement. The latter means not forcing a horse that is not ready yet and changing exercise routines gradually. This of course falls under sensible, best training practice. Overloading results in (micro) inflammation, starting with tissue irritation, then tendinitis, tendovaginitis, fasciitis, bursitis or capsulitis and ultimately tissue will tear or break. Repeated inflammatory insults result in the body trying to make itself stronger and adaptations aren't always helpful: osteophytes (bone spurs) is one such example. Once osteoarthritis is present in the lower legs then consider using polo wraps or neoprene boots to give a modicum of support and to increase local temperature (i.e. better tissue perfusion). Adding equine Aloeride® to horse feed has been found valuable by many experienced riders.

Intrinsic Strength is about making tissue able to cope with Loading. This is a large province covering tissue building blocks (nutrition) + mobility of tissue so as to distribute movement forces properly + circulation (nutrition delivered and metabolic waste removed).

Circulation: Feet/hooves are at the end of the vascular bed where the pipes are thin and vulnerable to poorer flow. Laminitis for instance is thought to be caused by vasoconstriction (contraction of small muscles around blood vessels) leading to less blood entering the tissue or by proteolytic enzymes (MMPs) becoming activated by degenerated soft tissue that got too little blood. Two factors that are not mutually exclusive! Something not mentioned is 'sticky blood' but perhaps this is considered too obvious a consequence of blood sugar levels if there is some insulin resistance or not enough glucose tolerance factor, in both cases glucose renders blood more 'syrupy' compared to its normal watery state. The circulation-digestion connection is excess carbohydrates, fermentation with resulting leaky gut and monoamines going where they shouldn't venture (and affecting circulation). Beyond curbing carbs you can now use a feed supplement that markedly supports equine digestion. Supporting normal blood sugar levels, supporting the digestive tract on top of which its Magnesium relaxes muscles around blood vessels whilst plant-aspirin should make blood flow a little easier. Ordinary arthritic changes also benefit from more blood, that is why warmth on an aching joint is so beneficial. Equine hydrotherapy pools are fabulous, non weight bearing exercise that dramatically improves circulation in the foot... but who has one?

Tissue mobility: Changes for example within a hock change the mechanics of that side's rear foot, given time it will alter how wear & tear occurs. If a horse has a tender spine it will change its weight bearing so as to least aggravate its spine. No great worry if such mechanics are a temporary issue, of consequence if they're ongoing and remain untreated. Think along the whole kinetic chain rather than just focus on the foot or hoof. Experienced riders, farriers and equine chiropractors, osteopaths or physiotherapist act upon this. Note that reactive spasm comes secondary to (micro) inflammation and it affects muscle tissue and joint mobility, so giving an organic feed supplement that safely (and competition legally) present anti-inflammatory nutrients is sensible.

Tissue building blocks: Within manmade feeds there is a lot to choose from. Feeds that eliminate grain for laminitics are easy to find, overfeeding on high grass growth is easy to correct. Yet when it comes to helping trouble hooves you need a supplement that safely boosts epithelial tissue repair, this is where equine Aloeride® excels. The unique spectrum of nutrients within Aloeride® tick many boxes that add up to healthier feet and strong hooves and more...

In 2009 University College Northampton together with Moulton College did a study on horses with an aloe vera made for humans. The treatment group was fed 120ml of aloe vera daily for 16 weeks. After 126 days (four months) this group showed an average hoof growth of 11.21mm as compared to 7.54mm in the control group. New horn growing at the top of the hoof was smoother/shinier and hooves had fewer sites of damage (e.g. cracks in hoof wall) than the control group. Feedback shows earlier and more pronounced results by using equine Aloeride®.