winter hoof care

Hi Don- winter hoof care. My TB/TWH cross has desperately dry hooves. I haven't tried any supplements but I want to. My farrier makes fun of any type of topical thing. He says it's all a waste of money with no guarantees, but I feel that if I don't try that I'll never know if my horse is the one that might do good. I have heard people trying everything from cheap hand cream, to hosing the feet off every day, to mud packs. I also have friends that swear by the expensive supplements, but I can't afford those. Can you recommend anything?



Cheyenne

This is aThis is a subject that everyone has an opinion for and no two are the same. My opinion is this; most topical hoof care products "such as Hoof Flex" are a good product and I use and recommend them myself. One thing that keeps these products from doing their job is what naturally covers the outside wall of the hoof, the periopal. The periopal seals the hoof and keeps it in balance. In your case what you may wish to try is, taking a sanding bar and lightly sand off the periopal and then apply your topical product, the hoof will absorb it much better. You will also have to purchase a hoof sealant product as well. Try following these 2 steps.



1. Sand off the periopal and apply your topical hoof product of choice.

2. After it has had a chance to absorb, say an hour or so, apply the sealant.



If the topical product is not able to penetrate the hoof wall then there is no chance of it ever having the desired effect.



Don