Brittle hooves and loseing shoes!!

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Lisa2

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Hi

I was just wondering if anyone knows what works to try and keep hooves moist in summer? My horse's hooves look very dry and are beginning to crack. His hooves are great all year until summer and he has been having biotin for last couple of years. My farrier said to put sunflower oil on them in evening when cool. I have been doing this 3 times a week for last 3 weeks but doesn't seem to be helping. Only had him shod 3 weeks ago and lost back shoe, plus other shoe loose - my farrier is good though. Gutted as going riding club camp next week and paranoid about him keep loosing shoes. To make it worse, my horse is nervous of being shod. It has taken me 3 years to be able to pick back feet up. My farrier only been able to start shoeing him without sedation a year ago too and worried about using differnt farrier incase my horse kicks out. He is good with his normal farrier but nobody else ever done him. My usual farrier is on holiday! Worrying about missing camp now! I tried Keratex all last summer too but didn't make much difference. Any tips!

Cheers

Lisa
 
Hi, my horse has that exact same problm, I have found the only thing that works is Kevin Bacons hoof stuff, if you google kevin bacon it will come up.
good luck
ps i put it on every other day
Kate x
 
do we own the same horse!? that post nicely sums up mine! my farrier's come out 4 times this month! a few months ago we started on Formula 4 Feet and i've started putting cornucresine on daily. i think it's the cornucresine thats made the dramatic visual difference but not sure if the F4F has kicked in yet as still regularly loosing shoes.
 
Kevin Bacon stuff is great, put i on the coronet band, and top half of the hoof. When horse has just been shod, maybe worth trying keratex on the nail holes and below, as hardens the hoof wall and can help hold shoes on for longer.
 
My horse has exactly the same problem with dry hooves and cracks around the nails in the summer. This year I have been using Kevin Bacon's hoof moisturiser. I have been applying this every day/every other day for about 1 month and so far a noticeable difference. I think they sell a few different products so make sure you get the most appropriate thing.
I know it has been esp wet though this last month so will be interested to see how his hooves cope when it gets hotter/drier.
 
Another fan of Kevon Bacon here
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My girl has got terrible feet. She was barefoot but they were do dry and brittle they were cracking and chunks kept breaking off she I have had to had shoes put on her fronts. I have been bringing her in each night and putting Naf Hoof Moisture on. grooming her and then putting another coat on them. Going out for a ride and before I put her out she gets another coat. I have also changed her supplement from Keratax to Newmarket Hoof Supplement. It seems to be doing the trick and 'touch wood' they are looking really good.

Also standing their feet in water for 10 mins a day is meant to be great too, we tried it once
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hhhmmm she was not too impressed!!!
 
this may not help the dryness of your horses feet but for brittleness and to help them cracking/losing shoes i use methisal. its from the vets and it a supplement that aid's healthy hoof. my mare had terrible feet all dry cracked with splits, put her on that and now she keeps her front shoes on (dont have her shod at the back) and they are not dry at all. infact the farrier told me to stop putting hoof oil on as too much is worse than none at all!.and her feet are not dry and brittle anymore. it costs around £20 but lasts around 2 months, smells of bannanas as well,my mare loves it!.....note.....the supplement forces the hoof to grow quickly and healthly so farrier may need to come out more often!!.this supplement also aids laminitic horses as well!
 
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