Recommend me a sole hardener please?

keratex hoof hardener is really good on their soles but I wouldn't use it on the walls of their feet... or get it on your hands its nasty stuff!
 
StormyMoments said:
keratex hoof hardener is really good on their soles but I wouldn't use it on the walls of their feet... or get it on your hands its nasty stuff!
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Is it? Maybe that's what gave me a weird rash the other day, super itchy!

The farrier recommended this to me due to a soft sole on one foot. A bit expensive, but if it works, I'll be thrilled. :)

I thought biotin had been dismissed as useful? Not that there are many studies, but the ones I've seen seem to say it's not much use? :confused:
 
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its made out of formaldehyde which is poisonous to us even on the skin... which is why you should wear gloves when applying it. I think its also known to cause cancer so that's probably why you came out in a rash :o
 
Cinnamon Toast. I didn't know that. But both my vet and the farrier recommended it for our ex-chaser livery with crumbling feet (the Biotin at double the amount recommended on the container by the way) and 8 months on his feet are absolutely terrific. And the Keratex applications are erratic owing to his owner's work patterns, whereas the Biotin is given by me, twice a day.

But who knows. I'll be interested to see what others have found.
 
I use iodine too, just spritz after I pick their feet out, keeps thrush at bay too.

I think biotin is one of those things that works for some but not for others. Some have had a dramatic increase in growth (i want to say 50% but don't quote me) whereas others didn't respond much at all.
 
To thicken up the sole, you really need to be thinking about the diet and how to grow a thick sole.

You can paint what you want on a hoof but ime, they seldom continue to work long term.

Is your pony shod? What sort of diet is your pony getting?
 
I used Keratex on my horses soles when he was almost on the verge of being pts his feet were that awful. He was on box rest on bute they were that bad!
New farrier told me the perfect diet including biotin and applying Keratex to the sole and cornucrescine to the coronet band area. He now has fab feet and proved previous farriers wrong in that he can be shod and can do road work. Never ever looses shoes (literally never). After a while the farrier told me to cut down using it too one a week tops as it had done its job and was such good stuff they can become too hard and brittle so watch for that!
It smells bizarre!
 
We too feed our horse biotin & used keratex on the advice of our farrier when our horse had very soft soles last summer, his feet are now much better.
 
While waiting for my farrier I rushed out and bought some Naf hoof hardener, which seems ok, but at £22 a small bottle was pricey. The next morning my farrier told me not to bother with 'those' and use eucalyptus oil, which I am.
It's natural, effective and even smells nice!

At my old yard the YO used to use iodine and sugar on her eventers, that also worked...
 
Be aware that some hardners contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and that they can end up where you least expect them.

Just seen a hoof that had iodine painted on the sole and the iodine ended up leaching out through the hoof wall about 1/3 the way up. Not nice.

I also agree the trick to thicken soles is good diet, appropriate forage and appropriate exercise. Metabolic disease can drive thin soles and if all else is in place this should be investigated.
 
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