Horse with dry hoofs?

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My sisters horse's hoofs are chiping like crazy. We tried to trim them many times but it just starts all over. Coould his hoofs be dry besacuse of the hot air? What do you think would be better. Shoes or some sort of hoof conditioner? What kind is the best hoof conditioner? Her horse is an older horse and we need HELP!

Horse Crazy,

-- Bri (Bodaciousshowhorse@myexcel.com), August 08, 2001

Answers

If the horse's feet are white,you'll probably have more problems than a horse with regular colored feet. Is the ground in the paddock sandy and very dry? If so, let the water tank run over to afford the horses a moist area to stand in to help replenish the moisture in the soles of the feet. Blunt file ( that is take the edge of the file and file crossways just above any cracks to stop them from traveling up the hoof wall to the coronary band. If you decide to use a hoof dressing (and lard is as good or better than the fancy boughten dressings)only apply it to the outside walls of the hoof, not to the sole. Remember you want the sole to breathe and absorb the moisture from the tank you're letting run over. Finally. if you feel that the horse has a natural tendency to produce a poor hoof wall, put it on dietary supplements rich in sulfur compounds to help produce good hoof. Hope this helps.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), August 08, 2001.

The best hoof conditioner is fed through the inside, in their diet. Try adding canola oil to the feed, start at one ounce and work your way up to two ounces twice a day, works wonders, better than anything you can smear on the hooves. Also, adding a tablespoon of garlic powder to the feed twice a day adds dietary sulfur and helps strenghten the hooves.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 08, 2001.

Both good answers. This came up a while back, and I believe that it was Stacey who suggested increasing corn in the diet to help with chipped and cracking hooves...corn is high in oil, I don't doubt it would help.

I've been feeding Stride to my horses for several years (like about 10 now) and I don't condition my horse's feet, the farrier says that they're fine. Dry conditions in their bedding and whereever they are pastured may have more to do with sucking moisture out of the hoof than dry air. Badly cracked hooves will benefit from creating a mud- bath area for the horses to stand in that is always wet. I have used Rain Dance in the past for conditioning, and liked it pretty well, I've also used Tuff Stuff, around just the bottom inch of the hoof to help prevent chipping, and over nail holes when they're wearing shoes to help clinch them on.

I have a 21 year old gelding who starts chipping whenever his shoes are removed (big guy, about 1100-1150 lbs, but with tiny feet), so he has to wear shoes year round. The smaller, lighter weight mares, who have better proportioned feet to their size go barefoot.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), August 08, 2001.


I was told by my farrier that the mud and muck sucks the moisture out of their hooves. I use hoofmaker to keep thier feet pliable.

-- Ginger (majic99@home.com), August 09, 2001.

I read an article in Western Horseman years ago about adding linseed meal to your horses ration. I have a mare that had bad dry hooves. I started adding 2-3 cups per week of linseed meal and after the hooves grew out POOF they were not dry any longer. That was 8 years ago and not a problem since ( or with any of my other horses). I'd tried everything including corn oil, different paint ons etc. It also gives them the SHINIEST coat.

-- Stacia n OK (OneClassyCowgirl@aol.com), August 09, 2001.


Stacia, Is that amount spread out over a week's worth of feedings or fed at one? What other feed do you mix it with? Just for my own information, might try it.

-- Nancy Bakke-McGonigle MN. Sunset (dmcgonig@smig.net), August 09, 2001.

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