Hoof armour fans - any minuses

[canteron]

Hoof Armour recommended on a recent thread, sounds as if it could be perfect for my girl as we are just in the cusp on needing shoes for a month or so in Summer.

She is bare foot, and the majority of the hacking is off road. But there is one very stony track which she is footy on (the farmer regularly harrows it to keep it good for his vehicles) and I would like to increase the roadwork.

The farrier is keen to keep her barefoot unless shoes really needed, she has ‘good’ feet.

What are the downsides?

And does it help contain any chips, etc?

 

[Steerpike]

I had my farrier put some on one of mine, we found it had a very high curing heat, it didn't stay in for very long so can't tell if it actually worked!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmmmhhh. If you are in the UK, there's a very helpful and informative FB Barefoot group called "Barefoot Horse Owners Group UK" which might be a useful place to post and ask this question.

I think its a bit of a marmite thing; you'll get a wide variance of opinion on it.

There ARE other options: ours are all barefooted and we've got an excellent farrier (newly qualified), we're very lucky indeed. He was here Monday and was talking about glue-on shoes etc which are now being developed; primarily for remedial use in conditions such as laminitis but also for general usage as well. You'd need to go and have a lie-down in a dark room with a stiff drink tho' coz they ain't exactly cheap............

 

[Reacher]

Does it make hooves harder to rasp? My horses hooves already blunt the rasp….

 

[Auslander]

I had my farrier put some on one of mine, we found it had a very high curing heat, it didn't stay in for very long so can't tell if it actually worked!

What do you mean by "It didn't stay in long"?
I thought it was a liquid that bonded to the sole. If it isn't, that changes my mind about ordering some!

 

[Btomkins]

I tried it a few times and it didn’t last too long for me. Did the application as per the instructions but after a week most of it was worn away. It was a hot dry summer and we were riding on a fair few hard/stoney tracks though.

 

[Steerpike]

What do you mean by "It didn't stay in long"?
I thought it was a liquid that bonded to the sole. If it isn't, that changes my mind about ordering some!

Sorry was a typo meant to put stay on for long

 

[poiuytrewq]

It wrecks your clothes! Don’t wear your favourite coat to apply it.

 

[Pinkvboots]

It is a bit messy and really sticky I find the preparation of the hoof worse though you have to get that right or it doesn't last.

Best to apply straight after a trim or I give the hooves a quick rasp over myself if it's between trims, use a wire brush to get the foot pristine then apply it and I try to keep them in for at least a few hours afterwards on soft bedding.

It does do my back in a bit I only do 1 horse and I only use it on the fronts.

It is all about preparation of the hoof though it has to be dry and dirt free.

 

[SEL]

It is a bit messy and really sticky I find the preparation of the hoof worse though you have to get that right or it doesn't last.

Best to apply straight after a trim or I give the hooves a quick rasp over myself if it's between trims, use a wire brush to get the foot pristine then apply it and I try to keep them in for at least a few hours afterwards on soft bedding.

It does do my back in a bit I only do 1 horse and I only use it on the fronts.

It is all about preparation of the hoof though it has to be dry and dirt free.

How often do you apply? I have the same issue as people above with multi user tracks in surfaces that aren't hoof friendly so was thinking about it to avoid shoes.

Ponies feet are too odd a shape for boots

 

[Pinkvboots]

How often do you apply? I have the same issue as people above with multi user tracks in surfaces that aren't hoof friendly so was thinking about it to avoid shoes.

Ponies feet are too odd a shape for boots

It really depends I tend to apply after trim and most of the time it will last 4 or 5 weeks so up to the next trim really as mine are done 5 to 6 weeks, when it's dry and stony I sometimes reapply another coat 24 hours later or on occasion I will do 2 applications within 6 weeks if I'm doing alot with them, because my horses feel the ground more straight after a trim although the bottoms of the feet are not touched, I don't know if as the weeks go by they just don't feel the stones as much or if the hoof armour is still on.

I must say I do put apply it about an inch high around the outside of the hoof and you can see it still there weeks later, but obviously that bit of hoof doesn't touch the ground like the bottom.

I don't have to use it on Louis much but last week the walls of his feet chipped quite a bit and he was feeling the stones so I put it on last Wednesday, Thursday he walked on the stony track so much better so I see a marked improvement and I can still see it on his hooves.

I will take some pictures later so you can see how it looks.

I initially bought it for Arabi as he has odd feet and boots are difficult to fit on him as well and he strides out fine on most surfaces, although we do have the odd track that has stones so I needed something.

 

[Pinkvboots]

What do you mean by "It didn't stay in long"?
I thought it was a liquid that bonded to the sole. If it isn't, that changes my mind about ordering some!

It does bond to the foot but it has to be a thin layer if its too thick it will peel off.

 

[Gloi]

It does bond to the foot but it has to be a thin layer if its too thick it will peel off.

Best to do two thin layers a day or two apart.

 

[Gloi]

Downsides.
Only one UK supplier and they sometimes run out of stock.

Sometimes in winter it's hard to get the feet dry enough to apply it. I clean them then stand on dry shavings for a while.

 

[Gloi]

Does it make hooves harder to rasp? My horses hooves already blunt the rasp….

Yes. If they are that hard though maybe you only need to do the sole and frog not the walls.

 

[Gloi]

It wrecks your clothes! Don’t wear your favourite coat to apply it.

And don't get it on your skin .even swarfega won't get it off and it feels weird .

 

[Pinkvboots]

And don't get it on your skin .even swarfega won't get it off and it feels weird .

I dripped a bit on my knee last week and it didn't come off for days it looked like a black lump of dirt

 

[Gloi]

I dripped a bit on my knee last week and it didn't come off for days it looked like a black lump of dirt

The rubber glove ripped one time when I was using it and I ended up with a patch on my thumb.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I had my farrier put some on one of mine, we found it had a very high curing heat, it didn't stay in for very long so can't tell if it actually worked!

what do you mean high curing heat? That it needs to be high air temperature to cure? If that's what you mean it hasnt been my experience.

Usage guidance is

should be on CLEAN, DRY feet, which havent had any lotions / potions / mud fever stuff put on recently.
Horse should stay in a dry, environment for an hour after applying.
I apply hoof armor, smear it where I want it with gloved hand, cover sole in talc, and pat talc off and repeat a few times (to lessen risk of hoof armor sticking to floor / bed and not foot) per manufacturer recommendation .

I tend to apply in lorry (where i have clean dry bed). Or anywhere in dry weather in summer.

Mine comes out hot and cures pretty fast.

Do need to keep tubes warm in winter, and cool in extreme heat in summer.

 

[bouncing_ball]

What do you mean by "It didn't stay in long"?
I thought it was a liquid that bonded to the sole. If it isn't, that changes my mind about ordering some!

It is a liquid with kevlar in it that binds to the sole and lessens wear. It is also antimicrobial and will help treat / prevent thrush and white line disease.

Someone described it as like painting extra strong nail varnish onto your nails (but with kelvar in it).

You apply it really thin, less is more (too thick and it peels off), and you can barely see it once applied, slight shine maybe. But you can feel it the next day, the texture of the sole hoof is different where you have applied it. I dont think it lasts the full six weeks the manufacturers suggest it does. More like 3 weeks IMO.

It definitely helps stop feet getting thrushy / soft and soggy in wet weather (but have to get dry to apply). And does lessen wear, where you apply it. You can apply it selectively e.g. to stop heels wearing down etc.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Downsides.
Only one UK supplier and they sometimes run out of stock.

Sometimes in winter it's hard to get the feet dry enough to apply it. I clean them then stand on dry shavings for a while.

Or a nappy on each clean foot will dry in a few hours.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Only wearing old clothes as bound to drip, and wearing super strong gloves is good advice. You apply a bit from nozzle in drips on sole and then spread into thin layer with gloves, need good gloves or you go through the gloves. Is harmless on skin, but does stick well to skin or clothes, it doesnt wash off!

 

[Steerpike]

When we put it on, after a minute or so it was still hot on the horses foot whilst it solidified, when it came off my horses foot his sole was actually black from the heat.

 

[bouncing_ball]

When we put it on, after a minute or so it was still hot on the horses foot whilst it solidified, when it came off my horses foot his sole was actually black from the heat.

Strange I have used it for years, and sometimes it is very warm to touch when smearing it on sole but never burning temperature!

 

[Gloi]

When we put it on, after a minute or so it was still hot on the horses foot whilst it solidified, when it came off my horses foot his sole was actually black from the heat.

I've never known that. It gets warm but not so warm you can't put your hand on it.
If you saw it solidifying rather than just looking like a thin varnish there was too much on.

 

[ycbm]

When we put it on, after a minute or so it was still hot on the horses foot whilst it solidified, when it came off my horses foot his sole was actually black from the heat.

It was more likely to be black from the chemical reaction, I would have thought. Epoxy resins are commonly used, sold in all hardware outlets, and are warm as they cure, but never too hot to handle, in my experience.

I've often thought of just trying Araldite on very, but apparently there was a lot of research done into thin Hoof Armor.

 

[chaps89]

Can I bump this up with a question - is it actually good for feet? I can see someone said further up it can help clear thrush etc but I thought the hoof needed to breathe and this sounds a bit odd putting such a strong/solid thing on? Generally people seem fairly anti hoof oil, potions etc so why is this one ok?
I’m not sure I’m phrasing myself very well, sorry, hopefully someone will understand what I’m trying to say!

 

[bouncing_ball]

Can I bump this up with a question - is it actually good for feet? I can see someone said further up it can help clear thrush etc but I thought the hoof needed to breathe and this sounds a bit odd putting such a strong/solid thing on? Generally people seem fairly anti hoof oil, potions etc so why is this one ok?
I’m not sure I’m phrasing myself very well, sorry, hopefully someone will understand what I’m trying to say!

Yes it is good for feet, it is meant to be breathable, antimicrobial, lessen wear, lessen uptake of water if ground damp. It isnt considered bad for feet, unlike hoof oil etc. It's not a strong solid. It is more like extra strong nail varnish applied in a very thin layer.

I have never heard anyone anywhere on any of the barefoot discussion forums state hoof armor is not good for feet. I'd say 2/3rds of people who use it rate it as good, and 1/3 didnt notice much benefit. But never heard anything negative about it not being healthy for feet.

About - Hoof Armor®

Hoof Armor Hoof Protection

hoofarmor.com

 

[chaps89]

Yes it is good for feet, it is meant to be breathable, antimicrobial, lessen wear, lessen uptake of water if ground damp. It isnt considered bad for feet, unlike hoof oil etc. It's not a strong solid. It is more like extra strong nail varnish applied in a very thin layer.

I have never heard anyone anywhere on any of the barefoot discussion forums state hoof armor is not good for feet. I'd say 2/3rds of people who use it rate it as good, and 1/3 didnt notice much benefit. But never heard anything negative about it not being healthy for feet.

About - Hoof Armor®

Hoof Armor Hoof Protection

hoofarmor.com

Thankyou, that’s helpful to know

 

[Madmucker]

I’m tempted to try this for the summer when we’re out competing, i am assuming it doesn’t cause any issues with slipping on surfaces?
Are there any alternatives to this.
Farrier due tomorrow so I will discuss it with him.