[HorsesAreLife190]

My tbs hooves are not the best and tend to get worse in wet conditions (even with the the dew on the grass) so I was wondering if anyone knew of any hoof dressings that act as a barrier on the hoof, not letting the water saturate it. (Sorry if that sounds confusing I don't know how else to explain it) I currently use keratex gel and hoof hardener (farrier recommended) but I'm constantly on damage control with that. He has lost a shoe every week for the past 5 weeks now as it's been really wet here. The lost shoes also take a good chunk of the hoof wall with them so I would like to prevent that. I am bringing my horse home soon and the day I do I'm going to start him on the grand hoof with added msm. Any hoof dressing suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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[SueC]

Stockholm tar is super for hoof care in damp conditions. My paddocks are winter wet and the hooves get soaked and prone to rotting. Stockholm tar really counteracts both the waterlogging and the rotting. I try to put the Stockholm tar on when the hooves are dryish, and extra wet conditions are forecast. Really clean first, of course, with a hoof pick/brush.

Lanolin also makes a decent water barrier, but not so antimicrobial. A 50/50 mix with Stockholm tar is good too.

 

[verona1016]

As someone who lives in a very wet region, it sounds to me like there are probably issues with the work the farrier is doing if your horse is losing shoes that often. The fact that chunks of hoof wall are coming off with the shoe implies that the hoof wall was too long to begin with. You might consider taking some good hoof photos and having some of the experts on here give you some feedback on the way the hooves are being trimmed/shod.

 

[Clava]

What do you mean by "worse" in wet conditions? what exactly happens to them? My horses live in wet condition at about 9 months of the year without ill effect. Healthy hooves should be able to cope with dew?

 

[HorsesAreLife190]

What do you mean by "worse" in wet conditions? what exactly happens to them? My horses live in wet condition at about 9 months of the year without ill effect. Healthy hooves should be able to cope with dew?

The hooves seem to crumble away where the clinches are. There is almost no hoof left to nail into. When it's wet (even just a little) the crumbling process excelorates until the part if the hoof that was holding the shoe crumbles away. They are not long at all. May be a bit short actually due to the constant re trimming to shoe.
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[Patty Stiller]

The hooves seem to crumble away where the clinches are. There is almost no hoof left to nail into. When it's wet (even just a little) the crumbling process excelorates until the part if the hoof that was holding the shoe crumbles away. They are not long at all. May be a bit short actually due to the constant re trimming to shoe.

I would be looking at nutritional imbalances first and foremost . Sometimes too much of something, (like excess calcium in an all-alfalfa diet) or an imbalance between several micro nutrients can cause that. or a lack of one or two such as copper, zinc and manganese.

For hoof SEALERS, to keep excess moisture out, any of the varnish type products work OK. Tuff stuff, or Keratex for example. Never use anything oily or great those promote soft weak hooves.

 

[loosie]

The hooves seem to crumble away where the clinches are. There is almost no hoof left to nail into. When it's wet (even just a little) the crumbling process excelorates until the part if the hoof that was holding the shoe crumbles away. They are not long at all. May be a bit short actually due to the constant re trimming to shoe.
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Another vote for nutrition being at least a contributing factor. Untreated infection is another possibility. Unless you're insisting the farrier apply conventional shoes... conventionally, there should be no reason that he trims them too short just to put shoes on. Glue-ons are one alternative.

You can post hoof pics(see link below) and more info on diet, etc, if you'd like more specific opinions.:wink:

 

[HorsesAreLife190]

Another vote for nutrition being at least a contributing factor. Untreated infection is another possibility. Unless you're insisting the farrier apply conventional shoes... conventionally, there should be no reason that he trims them too short just to put shoes on. Glue-ons are one alternative.

You can post hoof pics(see link below) and more info on diet, etc, if you'd like more specific opinions.:wink:

His hooves are trimmed short because of the chunks of hoof wall the shoes take with them. He doesn't have enough foot. He is currently on purina grain the integrity and evolution ones. He has a free choice mineral salt licks in his stall and paddock. I will get pics next time I go out either tomorrow or Friday. ( as a side note anyone know how to upload them? From an iPhone preferably?) I'm not sure what type of hay the barn has but done bales look pretty old almost like straw. Do you think the hoof supplement would help?
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[HorsesAreLife190]

Loosie, the link wouldn't show
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[loosie]

His hooves are trimmed short because of the chunks of hoof wall the shoes take with them.

If they were blocks of solid horn, that might be fine, but the horn capsule is only like a shoe, so just because excess bits of weak material have been ripped off, that is ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON to make the rest of the foot 'shorter'! Good reason to look into alternatives to shoes though.

purina grain the integrity and evolution ones. He has a free choice mineral salt licks in his stall and paddock.

Without knowing what 'purina grain'(no time to look up), I'd tend to avoid grain and Purina, but there are some that aren't too bad. How much grain, why does he get it and why 2 different ones? Mineral blocks aren't much chop for horses I'm afraid, so I'd be analysing his diet(feedXL.com is a great program for making that easier) and working out what appropriate feed/supps may 'fill the gaps'.

as a side note anyone know how to upload them? From an iPhone

Only familiar with doing it from PC but you can go to 'advanced' reply section & 'attach file'.

 

[HorsesAreLife190]

If they were blocks of solid horn, that might be fine, but the horn capsule is only like a shoe, so just because excess bits of weak material have been ripped off, that is ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON to make the rest of the foot 'shorter'! Good reason to look into alternatives to shoes though.




Without knowing what 'purina grain'(no time to look up), I'd tend to avoid grain and Purina, but there are some that aren't too bad. How much grain, why does he get it and why 2 different ones? Mineral blocks aren't much chop for horses I'm afraid, so I'd be analysing his diet(feedXL.com is a great program for making that easier) and working out what appropriate feed/supps may 'fill the gaps'.
Purina is the grain my boarding barn has. I know it's not the best but I can't control what they buy. Before I got my horse they used triple crown. The evolution I was told is a complete grain and the integrity is more fat and fibre based in hopes to put weight on him. The barn feeds my volume not weight so I can't tell you how much he gets if you can't see the scoop they use. I will check out that site it sounds very cool.


Only familiar with doing it from PC but you can go to 'advanced' reply section & 'attach file'.

Thank you! I will upload the pics the my PC then
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