Treatments For The Horse’s Hooves
Using Dressings for Conditioning Dry Hooves:
Greasy hoof dressings actually cause the hoof to become water repellent and, in time, will dry the hoof out even and can cause the shoes to loosen as it will dry out the opening around the nail hole, allowing them to wear and become enlarged.
Engine oil and pine tar are old dry hoof remedies that many swear by, this is actually a very bad idea. Motor oil (fresh or burned) and pine tars contain detergents or caustic additives that can irritate the coronet band and also actually dry out the hoof wall even more.
If your horse’s hoofs are exceptionally dry, try overflowing your water trough and create a mucky area where your horse stands to drink. If you want to use a hoof dressing use a lanolin based product such as Corona or Hoof Alive and administer it to the coronary band, and also the heel area and sometimes the frog if required. When administering any hoof dressing, stay clear of the region around the nail holes. You do not want this area too soft, it won’t be able to hold the nails and the shoes can become loose or even thrown.
How To Treat Thrush:
The first clue to this bacterial condition (usually caused by prolonged standing in manure, mud, or other wet, filthy conditions, or even by prolonged use of pads) is a foul smell and dark ooze from the cleft of the frog. Later, the frog becomes cheesy in texture. Although thrush can eventually cause lameness and notable hoof damage, its early stage is simple to treat.
Begin by cleaning the foot thoroughly. With a dropper, drop Tea Tree Oil directly onto frog and infected area. Place a sock over hoof and secure with vet wrap. Administer twice daily. It will take about 3 or 4 days of consistent cleaning and is a safe natural ingredient to work with.
Clorox Bleach is an inexpensive, safe and powerful disinfectant which can also be used in a spray bottle to spray the underside of hooves to treat thrush. Also great for disinfecting stalls, trailers and other equipment (for this purpose you can mix it half and half with water).
Prevent Packing of Snow & Ice on Hooves:
Non stick cooking spray on the soles of your horse’s hooves can prevent the packing of snow, mud, and ice.
Hoof Supplements:
If your horse has an extreme or chronic dry hoof problem you can try adding Biotin to your horse’s feed which can be found at most feed stores. There’s also a home supplement you can try that has be known to do wonders. Add 1 box of Jell-O gelatin once a day in your horse’s feed for 3 weeks and then reduce it to 1 box of Jell-O gelatin once or twice a week. Do NOT mix with water, just sprinkle the dry gelatin powder directly into the feed.
If you found this article helpful you can find additional tips such as this at the Hitching Post, a site for Single Cowboys and country folks in general.
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