HELP! Dry feet?

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SillySausage

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I pick my mare's feet out every day, and over the past week the soles of her feet have been getting progressively drier, to the point that now I'm sure if I tried I can pick off the top layer. One bit has already fallen off, she is not sore under it at all.

I have been advised to put hoof oil on the foot, and have been for a few days, but I don't think this will help long term? I may be wrong?

She is in at night and out on good grass during the day.

Can anybody recommend me something to put on the soles of her feet to give them some moisture back please?
 
Well my old farrier and several others swear by Kevin Bacon hoof dressing. I used it last summer on my ned although his feet aren't bad and they stayed healthy all summer.

My current farrier doesn't rate it particularly (I think he just doesn't like 'lotions and potionts') but didn't have anything bad to say about it.

There is an HHOer on here who is a farrier - maybe they can help? I think their ID is The Farrier or similar.

Hope that helps a bit!
 
http://www.naf-uk.com/products/detail.php?id=7

although I just let the dew in the mornings moisten ours
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Hoof oil prevents moisture getting into the feet so could make it worse.

I use aqueous cream every summer on dry hooves, its about £3 (used to be about 90p!) from any chemist, over the counter. I slap it on with a brush and you can see it soaking in. I find this really helps, however mine have really good horn quality anyway, during the dry summer months they occaisonally get some minor cracks and bits chipping off and for me aqueous cream prevents this.
 
My farrier recommended Kevin Bacon for my old horse and that did wonders although it was a bit of a pain to put on as i always did it before bed and he'd go get shavings stuck to his feet as it took forever to absorb and dry!
 
OK fantatastic, I will have a look for Kevin Bacon at my local tack shop.

alsxx I thought that might have been the case with the hoof oil - thank you! Sorry to sound really thick, is aqueous cream under a brand name? Or am I just asking for any aqueous cream??
 
No its called aquaeous cream, usually chemist own brand. Its basically a white cream with about 70% water content - its used as a base for a lot of creams and i think its very good for things like eczma (sp!), at only £3 you cant go wrong even if it doesn't work for you! Our old farrier recommended it to us donkey's years ago!
 
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the soles of her feet have been getting progressively drier, to the point that now I'm sure if I tried I can pick off the top layer.

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Is it just the sole of the hoof? Sounds like normal debriding to me, and needs no attention.
 
As mentioned in this thread, oil is not esp good. It seals moisture into the hoof but prevents anymore getting in from the outside. Water-based ointments are now thought to provide better benefit.
I asked in my tack shop and they recommended me Effol (in a green tub). It was not the usual Effol green waxy stuff but a thick, cream-like yellow (can't recall the specific name of treatment but definitely Effol brand). They assured me I would see great results for preventing dry cracked hooves. Have been using for 2 weeks, will see how it goes. Quite expensive though.
 
Kevin Bacon, thought he was an actor! Doh!
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Anyway, may be an old fashioned thing, but as a child I remember seeing a horse standing quietly with all four feet in buckets of water, soaking for a while whilst enjoying his hay, then had hoof oil painted on to seal in the moisture. Not sure if it works, but thought I'd chuck it on the post!
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60% of a horses hoof is water.

Standing horses feet in water or washing them every day will not help.

You need to apply a grease based potion to the feet daily (ie kevin bacon or such like) so the warmth/heat of the day does not dry the feet.

The best time to apply is before turnout in the morning (if horse is in overnight)
0r - if horse is out overnight - apply in the morning.

Just passing on what a very well respected farrier told me.

IU have always found this works for me.
 
another vote for aqueous cream, my boys feet where horrific and even my farrier cant believe all ive used was aqueous cream i apply it once every two weeks or every couple of days when its realy dry, brilliant stuff
 
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