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shah
Gold Member
England
1356 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 07:40:46 AM
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What's the best management routine to get the strongest hooves? Turned out 24/7 on well drained grazing or bringing in being stabled at night on a dry bed with hay/haylage?
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West Sussex |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 07:48:30 AM
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We use Kevin Bacon hoof moisturiser during the summer, really makes a difference.
I guess in the winter a hoof hardener would be best????
Ali has 4 white feet, woukd like to be barefoot ... |
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Kes
Platinum Member
England
1819 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:31:05 AM
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I read somewhere that damage is caused by the hooves getting wet and drying too quickly (think it was on the cornucrescine bumf), an endless cycle of wet, dry, hot etc can be damaging.
Of the 2 fields I use one is very wet in certain places, I bring in overnight. I also use NAF hoof moist daily. I was told by my farrier that using a water based product is better than oil based as it's breathable and provides the hoof with the needed moisture. It also helps with the rapid wet/dry thing. Sorry, bad explanation but hopefully you'll see what I'm getting at (far too early in the morning for my brain yet  )
In answer to your question though and IMO, 24/7 grazing on well drained grazing should be ok for any horse who has cared for feet, I would imagine it would only be a problem for a horse that has an existing foot problem. |
    
Carole & Kes, West Sussex. |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:36:12 AM
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Same here Kes, my new farrier shook his head as I reached for the Kevin Bacon so have been charged with buying Keratex hoof moistener (havent found it yet) which is apparently water not oil based. The theory being that the oily ones stop the moisture travelling through the hoof acting as a barrier.
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West Sussex |
Edited by - Arachnid on 30 Aug 2011 08:37:13 AM |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:41:47 AM
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| So I guess using it in the summer when so dry is ok????? I have the KHHardener for winter. |
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Kes
Platinum Member
England
1819 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:47:39 AM
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| I didn't know Keratex was water based too (ty Arachnid), handy to know if I can't get NAF which happens a lot, my local tack shop don't do the NAF range so I have to find it on eBay. |
Carole & Kes, West Sussex. |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:59:45 AM
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Debs, you would have thought so wouldnt you?
No one should take hoof advice from me as Spider has horrid feet.
The Naf moisturiser is half the price of the Keratex one Kes, so I've just bought the Naf one too, so thanks.. |
West Sussex |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 08:59:49 AM
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| We have always fed the hooves from the inside - can't beat good diet and good farrier, never use hoof 'products', all horses out 24/7. |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 09:16:35 AM
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| Agree with Judith, although we do use NAF Profeet Rockhard on Harley's soles because they otherwise they get sore on stony ground. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 09:58:56 AM
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| I am also agreeing with Judith and Callisto. Good diet including some biotin. |
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Honeyb060674
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4301 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 11:08:15 AM
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Really interesting thread Honey was always barefoot with no issues, never footy or sensative on any type of ground. My plan is to keep Sunny barefoot, as he has good strong feet, my only concern would be stony ground. He's only 4 & new to ridden work my question is do they become tougher? (Sorry to hijack your thread slightly Shah  )
He's currently on a small helping of Happy Hoof..being a rather good doer |
      
Claire & Sunny x
http://sunnyandclaire.blogspot.com/ |
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Kes
Platinum Member
England
1819 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 12:54:51 PM
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| I do also agree with the comments re diet, even using the best hoof products might be waste of money if the diet is incorrect. I assumed we were talking products . |
Carole & Kes, West Sussex. |
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 1:05:26 PM
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A well horse will grow good hoof, and plenty of people can advice on feeding/trimming/turnout/surface regime but just to add to the 'which hoof dressing' debate. Aqueaous cream, cheap as chips, from chemist is fab - it cleans, moisturises and doesn't strip the hoof, plus it's useful stuff anyway. We keep a tub for feet, a tub for sheaths, a tub for use as emolient/cleanser.
I do believe that stables should have some bare floor, rather than wall to wall beds to give the horse somewhere clean and dry and mildly abbrasive to place his feet
Our feed has distillers pellets in, fab for feet and coat, and growing babies too.
And most are out on varied terrain... very varied in some fields!!
Keep the recommendations coming please |
    
- V Khazad - V Calacirya & V Sulime - Quarida(L) - V Boogie Knights - V Hamra Tofiq |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 1:09:52 PM
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I agree with diet first ( and I know you are ok on that score shah - it will just take a few months). Both my boys have excellent feet (despite Lami damage) which I thank my farrier for! He sells NAF Pro Feet and Kevin Bacon (Red one)... I have the Kevin Bacon stuff and use it now and again If their feet look a bit dry and after shoeing.
Whatever you use though, you have to give it time! It takes hooves 12-18 months to re-grow fully, so a y dietary/hormonal damage will take that long to grow out |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 4:15:06 PM
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We have humid,temperate winters and VERY dry summers here,so I put oil based products on dry hoof in winter if I need to keep moisture out,and on water soaked hoof in summer if I need to keep moisture in.Usually though,a little mud(not too much!)will work wonders in the cold months to keep feet healthy.Pasch has been out 24/7 for 3 years,feet caked with mud with hardly any product,and never had any problem,whereas other horses who where boxed and using products every day had too soft,smelly hooves or worst.
This summer I hardly used anything,too,and hoof is a bit dry but healthy.Agree that best thing is good diet.
Mrs Vlacq,what is the acqueaous cream? |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 4:26:26 PM
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I would think feed from within aswell to get stronger hoof, you can put hoof hardeners on but good old fashioned diet does the trick much better.
Pasch where do you live with humid winters and dry summers!!!??? lol
Aqueaous cream can be bought from any supermarket, I got mine from Asda for about £2.00 a tub and never thought to put it on the hooves, will try that Vlacq
I put in on my adopted mare who rubbed her mane and tail with having sweeet itch, managed to stop the sweet itch but it left very thick hard skin on her neck and tail so applied this cream and it softened the area. Smells nice aswell so not a nasty smelling thing.
Janet |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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shah
Gold Member
England
1356 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 5:58:20 PM
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Lots of replies - nice
I agree totally about feeding from within. Diet is of utmost importance for great feet. I'm personally not a fan of hoof products, I've tried loads and the only ones that I've found works are the Pioneer herbal washes and balms for white line disease. I've also tried all the feeding supplements with past horses and none of them have worked for me either. A good basic diet is all that's normally needed.
But what about the debate on whether the sugars in the grass causes footsoreness or more tender feet? Do you get better hooves if a horse is stabled at night as opposed to turned out 24/7, even if it doesn't have any metabolic or lami issues? |
West Sussex |
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gem@oakmeister
Silver Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 9:23:23 PM
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Completely agree diet is the most important factor. Water based Applications to the hoof I have found to be some help in summer when very dry. I use aqueous cream all the time for my own skin but never thought of using it on hooves, great tip mrs Vlacq, thanks, as you say , cheap as chips.
One thing I have found is that in winter when ground very wet hooves are great, even my TB mare, who I really struggle with in dry summers, BUT they are all stabled at night in the winter and I find the type of bedding used is of huge importance. Straw is great, and shavings are ok but some bedding on the Market is super absorbent, lovely for state of bed, terrible for hoof condition. As someone mentioned, rapid drying of hooves is the worst and these types of bed literally draw moisture from the hoof.
We now use straw all the time, not just at foaling. Harder work and not so absorbent, but much better hoof condition,
especially the thoroughbreds, the Arabs have much better feet anyway but they all have straw. |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2011 : 1:21:42 PM
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| I will try the Aqueous cream on the feet currently use Kevin Bacon, Pasch is from Italy hence the better weather than us |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2011 : 10:22:39 PM
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| Thanks Pinkvboots!Humid is because I'm on the coast of southern Tuscany,and we have VERY dry and VERY hot summers,nice for a holiday but not so nice for working horses or mucking out! |
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Pheebs
Gold Member
944 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2011 : 2:40:00 PM
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Just want to put in a mention for the hoof oil "hoof heal" not just for show, the hoof actually absorbs it. Its amazing.
Pheebs x |
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garnet
Platinum Member
2382 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2011 : 7:19:40 PM
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| We use Hoofmoist and since Red had lami last year he has been on Farriers Formula as his feet weren't good afterwards. Farrier is now very pleased with them as they are pretty much back to normal . |
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Topic |
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What's the best routine for hooves?
