When to soak?
I can’t help thinking water is kryptonite for the hoof. Just look at your fingernails after a hot bath. They’re soft. The hoof’s reaction is exactly the same.
Dr. Stephen E. O’Grady is an equine practitioner. He says, “if we look at the anatomy of the foot, its physiology and the thickness of the hoof capsule, it becomes questionable if soaking in water provides any beneficial effects.”
But remember, the wild horse with laminitis will find water to soak his feet. And now, potions have been devised to ease abscessing and treat thrush. It’s one of the few things man has accomplished to actually benefit the horse. As long as they’re used sparingly, soaks can work in your favour.
Try out Pete Ramey’s recipe for severe cases of thrush and fungus:
“50/50 mix of Athlete’s Foot Cream (1 Clortrimazole and Triple Antibiotic Cream. Mix together and put in a long tipped syringe.
Squirt into the central sulcus and collateral grooves. This helps to open up and heal a deep infected center sulcus. Use daily or every other day as needed.
I will also squirt some in these areas before I put my horse’s hoof boots on before a ride. This will ensure a good treatment for a couple of hours or more. This mix makes a world of difference in a short period of time!”
And now onto Archie.
“Soaking a horse’s hoof is a common practice used to address specific hoof-related issues and maintain overall hoof health. This process involves submerging the hoof in water or a medicated solution to soften, clean, or treat it. Knowing when and how to soak a horse’s hoof is essential for achieving the desired results.”
“There are several reasons to soak a horse’s hoof. One of the most common is to soften dry or brittle hooves, which can make trimming or maintenance easier. Soaking is also effective for drawing out infections such as abscesses. A warm water solution mixed with Epsom salts helps relieve pressure, draw out pus, and promote healing. Additionally, soaking can be used to clean and disinfect the hoof, especially in cases of thrush, fungal infections, or wounds. Medicated solutions, such as iodine or antimicrobial treatments, are often used for these purposes.”
“To soak a hoof, you’ll need a bucket, soaking boot, or a flexible rubber tub. Start by preparing a solution that suits the hoof’s needs. For example, warm water with Epsom salts is ideal for abscesses, while medicated solutions can target infections. Gently place the horse’s hoof into the container, ensuring the horse is calm and standing securely. Let the hoof soak for 10 to 20 minutes while monitoring the horse to prevent spillage or resistance.”
“While soaking can be highly beneficial, it should be done with care. Over-soaking can weaken the hoof, making it prone to cracking or damage. It’s important to follow veterinary advice for serious conditions to ensure the best outcomes. When done correctly, soaking is a simple and effective way to promote healthy hooves and address common hoof problems. Archie”
Next up
Try Clean-Trax. It really works, and itdoes not compromise healthy hoof tissue.
I find trimming hooves very hard work without soaking the feet first. After a good plain water soak of about half an hour, trimming is very do-able, precise and quick. Better for the trimmer, kinder for the horse.
I also found that soaking a horses feet in water or clean mud by a river makes trimming feet much easier!My first horse Turk,was a very tough,strong hoofed Arabian/welsh cross with excellent feet.It is indeed much easier and kinder on the horse and the horse trimmer!
I trim my horses (they are barefoot) after rain – so much easier, as recovering from broken back etc.
But normally I have a homemade hoof oil that keeps their hooves supple when they are in work, also makes trimming easier – and no – my horses have never gone lame, including my mustering horses!
Kathy, read your comment and, if you are willing to share with me and the other readers, I would love to get your recipe for your “home made” hoof oil if it can be used for regular (3x weekly) treatment of “very dry” hooves 😳 The “commercial” brands of hoof oils I used so far on a 3x weekly basis have failed to show significant improvement and, didn’t prevent the “break-off” from the side/ bottom of hoof. I am concerned that, aside from ecstatic loss of an intact perfect hoof bottom, the dryness can cause cracks and splintering on the top part of the hooves in the future. Back to the old saying: “No hooves – No horse”!
I was researching and found hooflex and the ingredients are tea tree oil, arnica, comfrey and avocado oil help promote healthy hoof growth and maintain the hoof’s moisture balance. I know that tea tree oil works like an antiseptic and arnica promotes rapid healing especially bruising. Arnica is use to speed wound healing and bruising after surgery. Comfrey is known to mend bones and avocado oil is good for conditioning the hoof. I suppose you can easily make this yourself since all these ingredients you can get from Fred Meyers. 😛
Hi Kathy, my horse has rain rot on one of his legs and has gone down into the ba k side of the hoof. What is your natural remedy for this and what is your recipe for your hoof oil? Thanks
from South Africa I have soaked my horses hooves for many years and every day they stand in the water trough when groomed. Every chance they stand in the dam. Water is good for hooves it puts moisture back into them, which they need.
I too agree that water is good for a horses feet. During the summer if I find that my barefoot horses feet start chipping between trims I soak them in water next to where they eat. Then they have to stand in it most of the afternoon or evening. Works well! 😛
here in AZ it is often a good idea to let your horse stand in water to put moisture in hoof. In dry areas it is good to put moisture back into them so they do not crack and dry out. Water is good 😉
I run my water tank over a little every day so the horses walk in it when it is dry in the summer. My Farrier says their feet are much better and easier to trim since I started that. They don’t stand in the water for long, but get their feed good and wet each time they drink.
In Barstow, CA, which is in the Mojave Desert, we have to soak the horse’s hooves a couple of days by over flowing the water taml in order for them to be soft enough totrim. 🙂
It’s not the water as much as the MUD that provides the relief… I.E. let the water trough run over to create mud area.
Hi every body I’m from Australia and new at owning a horse even though I’ve been riding on and of since I was eighteen months old now at the ripe old age of nearly sixty I have my horse and I’m great full for all of your feed back I read it and have learnt a lot thaks everyone
I have also just got a horse at the age of 55 but have never ridden one apart from organised pony trekking. I find a lot of the information helpful. I am in Northern Ireland.
A good home remedy to help with Thrush is to mix 50/50 water and bleach. Put it in a spray bottle and when you are picking out their feet, spray this in the groove along the frog and just let it run off the hoof. Another “natural” remedy is actually mud. If your horses feet are muddy, clean out the mud and then allow them to get into more mud. The mud is a natural remedy to keep thrush from occurring.
Hi Kathy!
I’m very interested in your home recipe for the hooves as I to have tried many different types and they still crack.
I live in high Desert and my farrier says not to allow horses in wet dirt. For all the salt in ground. But yet hoofs are extremly dry and hard im veryconfused trim…