What if one of the most interesting developments in hoof care isn’t something you feed your horse, but something you apply directly to the area where the hoof begins?

Copper peptides have been attracting attention in human skin care and tissue-repair applications for decades. Now, interest in these compounds is finding its way into the equine world, particularly among horse owners looking for new approaches to chronic hoof-quality and structural problems.

If you haven’t heard of copper peptides before, you might be surprised by how widespread their use and study have become. Search for copper peptide solutions and you’ll find applications ranging from anti-aging skin creams and hair loss formulations to burn treatments, fingernail-growth products and other tissue-related applications. But what exactly are copper peptides? How do they work? And why might they be of interest to the horse’s hoof?

A Different Kind of Peptide

Peptides are naturally occurring compounds found throughout the body. They can participate in a variety of cellular processes and may act as signaling molecules or facilitators of cell activity. Copper peptides are a particular type of peptide associated with a copper ion. They occur naturally in cells and have been studied for their potential involvement in tissue maintenance, remodeling and repair.

Dr. Loren Pickart is credited with discovering copper peptides and investigating their role in living cells dating back to the 1970s. Pickart studied aging human skin cells and skin remodeling, the ongoing process by which older or damaged cells and proteins are removed or…