SPOTLIGHT
ALL ABOUT C RACKDOWN The newest, all natural creation from Equine Elixirs has taken the hoof supplement market by storm IN DEVELOPING the hoof supplement Crackdown, Equine Elixirs’ founder Elizabeth Ehrlich collaborated with top farriers, veterinarians, and trainers to evaluate the most common hoof related issues and how to formulate a supplement that successfully addresses them. “The most common hoof issues are hooves that don’t grow, poor quality hoof growth, hooves that are too brittle or too soft, weak walls and those that are prone to quarter cracks, and general
hoof sensitivity,” says Ehrlich. “Some hoof issues are the result of environmental factors, like tropical weather where the ground is too wet, or dry weather where the ground is too hard, while other issues can be genetic or even related to diet.” Ehrlich was confident that she could create a whole food-based supplement to tackle the dietary component of the equation. “What horses need for quality hoof growth is sulfur, methionine, and arginine,
which are naturally occurring in many whole foods,” she says. These sulfur-bearing nutrients are key to circulation in the vascular network of the hoof, and development of strong keratinous tissue. “Most hoof supplements overly focus on biotin, which horses already derive by fermentation of forage in the hindgut, and almost always have enough of for daily requirements,” adds Ehrlich. While Crackdown does contain some biotin, Ehrlich emphasizes the research
“We struggled to get this horse’s feet to grow any sole despite trying several avenues. After less than six months on Crackdown, his sole depth doubled and hoof quality was substantially improved. Crackdown is a staple product that I recommend to clients for overall hoof health, as well as specific cases where horses have difficulty growing sole and hoof wall.” —LEAH PATIPA, DVM, PADDOCK EQUINE VETERINARY SERVICES
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THE PLAID HORSE
April 2022