Does hoof oil help?

Question

i have heard that hoof oil drys the hoofs out and i have also heard that it is the best in the world and works wonders. what do yall think.

(i use hoof heal)

Answer 1

it works

Answer 2

I'm waiting to see the wonders it works...after many years and many horses, I haven't seen any wonders worked by oiling hooves.

Answer 3

Obviously the best person to ask would be your farrier.

Good hooves are dependent on a good diet so hoof oil will not help if the horse is mineral or vitamin deficient - all it will do is cover up the faults.

Hard polishes that seal the wall are not good as hooves need to breathe as do fingernails.

I use hoof oil maybe once or twice a week in general and according to my farrier I don't need to buy the stuff - he says cooking fat or lard  would be just as good.

I trust my farrier but Ii still buy hoof oil !

Answer 4

Well I have been using hoof oil for about three weeks now. I started to use it at the show because it was so dry and so was the ground. Since I have been using it Max's  (my horse) hooves have stopped cracking. I put it on everyother day because I ride everyother day. I do not think it drys out horses feet. It have worked wonders for mine. I am to lazy to go down stairs to see what brand I have been using but I will if you email me at [e-mail]. Hope this helped.

Answer 5

yes and no!

The right hoof oil will help your horses hoof keep moisturised the surface of the hoof wall to the first layer underneath, if has some nutrients in oil this will be absorbed.

HOWEVER if the horses diet is not balanced specifically for there needs the nutrients needed for good hoof functioning will not be available hence hoof problems. Nutrients really need to injested to have full benifit!

lots of people think hoof oil will/does cure hoof problem but dont consider diet! its a bandaid affect!

Its like us! putting moisturiser with vitamins, oils on our fingers/nails. But drinking no calcuim no vitamins. Our fingers nails with be nice on the surface for a shot time but problem will reoccur!

I use hoof products to protect and help surface cracks but constantly monitor diet etc.

hope this helps!

Answer 6

Some hoof oils are very harmful, others are not too bad, and a few even are good for the hoof.  The best thing to do is discuss it with your farrier and see what he/she thinks, since he/she is the one who will have to work with the results, good or bad.

Answer 7

if you use it too much it will dry your hoofs out but if you only use it once in a while its good

Answer 8

Well, all I can suggest is to call a veterinarian who specializes in horses and ask.

My personal opinion is that we treat our animals better than we do our humans. So most likely it would work wonders. But again, call a vet.

Answer 9

well it depends on the horse and the kind it is because it made my horses hooves 10x worse went made my step sisters horse 10x better!!!!

Answer 10

You've got to read the label.  Hoof polish is really bad for your horse's feet.  But certain types of hoof oil are good.  Ask your farrier for what specifically you should use.

Answer 11

i use hoof conditioner pretty frequently. i use horseshoer's secret and i think it works so well. besides putting it on as a routine, i put it on before i hose my horse off or give him a bath because its water-resistant, so it will keep the hoofs from getting too soft.

Answer 12

yes and no, it locks moisture in to help dry hooves- but it also keeps moisture out. It's ideal for a horse in a pasture with sand or little grass, but horses that have more grassy pastures cant absord the moisture in the grass with hoof oil on

If your horse has dry or cracked hooves i suggest applying iodine to them, it strengthens them and its cheap!

Answer 13

I would never put topical petroleum and chemical products on my horses' hooves.  Nothing good will come from it.  You may not be able to see overt harm but it is there, just my opinion.  Give your horse balanced nutrition, good pasture and turn out, have him trimmed properly on a consistent basis and ride your horse to help him get his exercise.  Nothing else is necessary and your horse will be as good as he can be.

Answer 14

Well it depends on what brand you use. My friend uses hoof heal too! It seems to work really well. The hoof oil I use works wel too ( for some reason I don't remember  what its called and I'm too lazy to walk out to my tack room =D ) Just don't buy really cheap hoof oil, most of the time its just cheap stuff. ( i know that from expirience)

Answer 15

Hoof oil does help. Can't recomend any though. It depends on the horse. A hoof oil that works on one horse might not on another or the horse could have an allergic reaction to something in it.(like the smell of it)