Is there an alternative to Keratex hoof hardener

[meleeka]

I found Stronghorn inferior to Keretex. I wouldn't use it again, although I'm a fan of the other Red Horse products.

 

[twiggy2]

I am not a fan of keratex, I only experienced it use once and the hoof became so brittle that the hoof just kept breaking up leaving the horse very lame for a long time.
However there is a product called formalin that is used in sheep footbaths that I would think is very similar, it would work out much cheaper if you had someone with sheep near you to buy some off.

 

[Beausmate]

I bought Keratex this afternoon - £30!!!!

Which is why in my first sentence in the first reply I suggested sugardine and then went on to explain how I made my horse more comfortable with relatively simple and cheap products that work a dream which will be helpful to anyone else in my situation.

Cheap and simple products that work a dream, so you bought Keratex instead. So you'd say it really is more effective than the cheap stuff after all?

 

[criso]

I just looked up the leovet hoof hardener I used and can be bought for under a tenner at hyperdrug though there's postage.

I got it free with something and it definitely helped.

I didn't have any improvement with Keratex but not the same horse so not a direct comparison. Used it years ago, didn't help so didn't go back to it.

 

[sarcasm_queen]

My farrier swears by Effol Hoof Ointment.

 

[ycbm]

I am not a fan of keratex, I only experienced it use once and the hoof became so brittle that the hoof just kept breaking up leaving the horse very lame for a long time.
However there is a product called formalin that is used in sheep footbaths that I would think is very similar, it would work out much cheaper if you had someone with sheep near you to buy some off.

Formalin is 35% formaldehyde, or was the last time I got some from a sheep farmer. You can water it down by three times its own volume to make it roughly the same strength as Keratex.

 

[Birker2020]

Cheap and simple products that work a dream, so you bought Keratex instead. So you'd say it really is more effective than the cheap stuff after all?

Povidone iodine used to be relatively cheap B. But it has got ridicously expensive last time I looked.

The greater the percentage of iodine the more the expense.

If you get it through insurance which I've done in the past as part of a claim it was inevitably cheaper.

The sponges and round silicone pads and £1 bandages from Poundland are cheap compared with what you'd pay for animalintex and vetrap for example.
.
I can afford to buy the odd bottle of Keratex without breaking the bank but thanks for your concern

 

[millitiger]

I personally wouldn't faff around and just buy the Keratex

I've tried the Red Horse Stronghorn and it was useless, might as well put water on. And I love their other products.

I've gone back to Keratex and even putting it on 3-4 times a week, you use so little that it lasts an age.
Well worth the £££ to me.

 

[monte1]

I have used Eucalyptus oil mixed with iodine and painted on to help harden up hooves and it has worked well for me

cheap and smells nice as well

 

[Elno]

I'm a huge fan of Keratex since trying it on a draft mare with extremely brittle hooves who couldn't keep shoes on. It made an insane amount of difference in her case.

Have actually just yesterday decided to pull the shoes off my new horse wanting to try him barefoot atleast until Oct-Nov since he anyways threw a front shoe a couple of days ago and damaged a bit of hoof because of it. Plan to use Keratex to harden the feet and make the transition a bit easier for him.

 

[Traks]

NAF do a hoof hardener too, it’s a bit cheaper