Hoof Care: Winter 2017 Edition

I can get really bogged down in hoof goops and which ones to use. Eli’s hoof care routine got modified while transitioning out of the heel pad he had on his RF. I briefly posted about this earlier, but now have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t right now for Eli. I think it might be worthwhile to list my top 5 hoof care necessities that I use regularly on Eli for this season. Hoof care is a daily activity for Eli, so some of this stuff touches him every day on any given day. Texas weather means experiencing all four seasons in one day sometimes, and that can be really, really tough on hooves, so I take daily hoof care seriously.

Hooflex

This is the near-daily stuff I use on Eli. I paint it on the outside of his hoof frequently — maybe 2-3 days a week. I have been using it a very long time and I think it does what the bottle says it does. Sometimes I paint his soles, too, if they are looking a little parched.

Forshner’s

I swapped to Magic Cushion recently, until I realized Magic Cushion made Eli’s feet … angry … I have seen just how well Magic Cushion works on other horses. It is an amazing product, just not compatible with my horse’s hooves and soles. Enter Forshner’s. This is what I used all the time before Magic Cushion to alleviate hoof soreness. I have returned to it, and love the results I get when I use it on Eli. Plus, I think it is a little easier to work with and less messy than Magic Cushion. I can pack Eli’s feet with it without having to wrap, which I can’t say about Magic Cushion.

Sore No More Poultice

I want to say I asked sometime earlier this year whether Sore No More poultice was worth the steep price tag, especially just for bentonite clay. I am still not sure whether I couldn’t just go back to using Uptite and get similar results for almost half the cost. That being said, a thin layer of bentonite poultice on Eli’s soles on particularly dry days (like we’ve been having here lately) help keep his hooves a little more pliable and a little less brittle. The Sore No More poultice is definitely the easiest poultice to wash off, and it really does go on more smoothly than some other brands.

Corona Ointment

The perfect — perfect — salve for heel bulbs and the coronary band. Accept no substitute.

Durasole

This is now a fixture in my groom box, and Eli’s farrier has recommended using it about once a week on Eli’s RF sole until further notice. I like it better than sole paint because it doesn’t smell as noxious, although it is purple and stains, so some care in application is necessary (or not, if you like spotted purple breeches). I use a toothbrush to spread a thin coat of it on Eli’s sole and frog.

Whenever I apply the Durasole, I put Corona on Eli’s heel bulbs first so I don’t have to worry as much about getting Durasole where it doesn’t belong.

Any other good hoof goops out there that y’all like to use?