Hoof care with EKOL products.

Hoof care is a very important detail in the maintenance of horses. It is of primary importance horses have a good and safe gait. This is achieved by hoof care and making sure mountings are in order. EKOL products such as hoof oil, hoof fat, and hoof tar are health maintenance products to prevent problems and hold hoofs fresh. In this article we shall show how the products are administered, and which disorders they can prevent.

Hoves shall be kept clean.

Whenever horses are in a stall their hoves should be scraped daily. If the hoves smell sour and acid, or they are slimy then the hoof/shaft is infected. This type of damage can be minimised by keeping the stall clean and dry. Hoves must be cleaned each day and coated with EKOL tar, or blue vitrol solution. This is a long proceedure to heal sour hoves, and it is best to avoid the problem by being careful with daily care. 

Hoof/Horn cracks, EKOL hoof oil and hoof fat.

Drying out of horn/hoves is a common problem that creates impaired movement and cracking. During dry periods hoof cracking increases. It is worth pointing out that moisture comes not only from the outside environment, but also via the blood. This is why a good hoof foundation is important for horses and hoof health.

During warm and dry periods there can be problems where hoves are dry and perhaps crack. The immediate application of EKOL hoof oil or hoof fat to the outside and inside of hoves is an excellent protection against cracking. Avoid oiling to near the hair because this disturbes the ability of the hoof to regulate moisture. The application of hoof tar and fat prevents the hoof from taking up moisture. There are other alternatives as well. I prefer to give horses a fit bath under these periods. It can be quite a contest for a horse to stand in a tub of water, but horses can be taught if one has the patience. It’s perhaps easier to have an area where the horse can stand with hoves covered with water. Hoves that are dry split and wear easily, especially if there are no horse shoes attached to the hoof.

These days horses are often taken into an area of wet clay to stand for some hours, then the hoves are scraped clean. After this the horse is taken to stand in sawdust or wood shavings where the wood serves as a sponge to draw water from the hoves. Much of the water is abcorbed quickly, and this causes the hoof tissues to draw together. This causes hoves to crack. Later the next day the horse is taken to the wet clay again, and the hoof tissue expands agian due to the moisture. As the horse goes back to the dry area with wood chips the hoof becomes worse each time.

The problem is caused by the quick change of conditions. If the hoves are not cleaned, and the clay is left with stones that fasten to the hoof, we create similar conditions as above. As the horse is returned to stand in the wood chips the clay dries out instead of the sole of the hoof. This is the reason the hoof must be scraped before riding.

Water is good for hoves, but hoof oil can help lock in moisture if hoves are rinsed with water first. When horses stand in their stalls it can be hard to keep their hoves moist. To prevent hoves from drying out and cracking after rinsing coat them with EKOL hoof fat, or EKOL hoof oil. Hoof oil helps to preserve moisture after cleaning and washing.

Susan Kempson, BSc, PhD, senior lecturer in Preclinical Veterinary Sciences in the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, found that oil, tar from trees, and petroleum based products hold the highest level of water balance in the wall of the hoof.

Thrush/hoof inflammation. Ekol Hoof tar.

Thrush or hoof inflammation is an affliction where the inner part or sole of a horse’s hoof is damaged by an infection. It can extend also to the sides of hoof if not treated. The infection is easily detected by the bad smelling secretion. It is serious because the inner horn of the hoof can be so badly damaged that the tissue underneath can be exposed. The reasons for thrush are often due to bad hygene as can occur where horses stand. Thrush can also occur in a small field (paddock) where horses are kept for short periods.

The most important reason however is the loss of hoof movement in horses with deep inner hoof, or narrow hoof forms. Support to widen the hoof does not work well, and eventually the hoof collapses in from the sides. A critical reason for thrush can be genetic background, environmental conditions, and not enough motion. There are continuing discussions regarding hoof inflammation and experence indicates there is a bacteria that is present in cases where thrush occurs.

The symptom is a bad smelling secretion from the hoof. Cleaning of the hoof reveals deeper inflammation into the hoof tissue. The radial shape of the hoof is generally damaged by pockets of infection. In advanced cases the horn of the hoof can be separated and the tissue underneath exposed. Bleeding easily occurs once the groves of the hoof are cleaned with a hoof knife. Tenderness can be easily detected during cleaning of the hoof. As the horse walks on unpaved surfaces for example a dirt road one can easily note lameness as the horse favors the injured areas.

Treatment. Hoof movement must be stimulated by better care keeping in mind the inner mechanical aspects of the hoof. The horse must be kept on dry ground, and indoors the ground or floor conditions must be dry. The hoof and its inner parts must be cleaned with a hoof knife and the hoof treated with EKOL tar, iodine solution, or other medicine using saturated bandages. Bandages that are soaked and used must be placed in the area of the hoof that will allow penetration into the affected areas. The inner part of the hoof shall be cleaned on a regular basis when the horse leaves the stall, and not when the horse returns from being outdoors. Soil and sand that become packed into the hoof further complicate the problem, and loosen the horn forming the hoof.

Collected by Vladimir Martynov

Literature

1. Ingrid Skjøth. Fjord hästen. Ridning. Körning. Vård. (Fjord horses, Riding, Driving, Care) ICA bokförlag, 1987. ISBN 91-534-1099-8
2. Jo Bird. Sköt om din häst på ett naturligt sätt. (Natural Care for your horse) ICA bokförlag, 2003. ISBN 91-534-2440-9
3. Lars-Erik Magnusson. Hovvård – hovar, hovbeslag och hovsjukdomar. (Hoves, Shoeing, and hoof disease) Liber, 2007. ISBN 978-91-47-07950-5
4. www.thehorse.com