Hoof care with SOLHEDS natural products
Caring for a horse’s hooves is part of taking care of the horse’s well-being. Proper care prevents hoof problems.
SOLHEDS hoof products
Derma10 Heel Balm is a water- free moisturizing cream for the hoof care. Derma 10 Heel balm, is an intensive treatment balm for management of cracked outer hoof wall. It is difficult to influence the condition of the hooves from the outside. The hoof grows from the coronary band down. The outer surface of the hooves is keratinized epidermis, i.e. hard skin. By rubbing Derma10 Heel Balm into the coronary band you can saturate the outer surface of the newly growing hoof with fatty acids and making it denser. Derma10 also provides beautiful shine on hooves. Use as needed. In the treatment of cracked hooves from the outer surface, remember that the hoof grows slowly. To improve the the quality of the outer surface of the hoof, the Derma10 cream treatment must be for a sufficiently long, contiguous period, at least 1-2 months.
Derma12 Finishing Oil promotes healing and prevention of dry and cracked hoofs without impairing the natural hydration balance while leaving the hooves really shiny. Horses that spend a lot of time indoors in stable may suffer especially from dry hooves. Oil the hooves if necessary. During the dry summer season, you can even oil daily with Derma12 Finishing oil if needed. For extra help with particularly dry hooves, you can use Derma10 Heel Balm cream by rubbing it on the coronary band of the hoof. If needed, you can achieve more effective treatment by rubbing it on the entire surface of the hoof.
Use of the products
1. Clean the hooves.
2. On very dry hooves massage Derma10 Heel balm on 1-2 cm wide on coronet band.
3. Shake Derma12 oil bottle well and apply with sponge on hooves.
Derma12 moisturises hooves and leaves beautiful lasting shine on hooves.
We have deliberately tried to create pacakaging of Derma10 Heel Balm and Derma12 Finishing Oil, in a way that prevents contaminating the products, eg. No used or dirty brushes should be able to get inside the packaging. This maintains the product integrity and gives confidence that only the product is going on the hooves.
The products do not interfere with the hooves own function and are also safe for the environment and the user.
Microbial growth on hooves
Some horses can get unwanted microbial growth (microbes, fungal) on hooves. Derma1 Skin Care shampoo helps to manage the microbial growth problem on hooves. Wet the hooves, apply Derma1 shampoo and leave for 5-10 minutes, rinse off. In case your horse uses boots, do remember to disinfect the boots from inside.
You can find instructions for treating thrush here.
Treatment for hoof abscess / making a hoof abscess dressing
A hoof abscess can either be punctured mechanically by a farrier or a veterinarian, or the treatment is based on making the sole of the hoof softer, so that the hoof abscess can burst more easily. With Derma1 skin care shampoo, you can make a hoof abscess dressing. A cotton ball/gauze soaked in Derma1 skin care shampoo is applied to the suspected hoof abscess site. An adhesive bandage is wrapped around the hoof, a plastic bag is placed on top and taped. After breaking out, the bottom of the hoof often has to be hardened with iodine. Treatment of hoof abscess requires cooperation with a veterinarian and a shoemaker.
Hoof care
Basic care for horses’ hoof maintenance is regular shoeing and trimming of barefoot horses. The frequency of regular shoeing is individual, but it is a good practice to check the hooves every 4-8 weeks depending on the amount of the use. Make sure that all surfaces and grounds are dry and have appropriate cover eg. Sand. Exercise and nutrition are also crucial part of the hoof care.
The hoof’s wall moisture content has an impact on the quality of the hoof wall. On principal, horses are able to maintain the normal hydration level on their own, if the living conditions, nutrition and level are exercise are optimal /appropriate Dehydrated and over hydrated hooves are more prone to hoof damage e.g. cracks In summer time the most likely area to be dehydrated is the outer hoof wall, specifically the coronet band. Many hoof products contain ingredients which are harmful to the hooves e.g. tar, formaline, solvents. In proper and unnecessary use of hoof products can change the optimal moisture balance of the hooves and impair the quality of the hoof wall, especially on horses that already have problems with their hooves.
Turn to your qualified farrier and veterinarian for assistance on hoof problems and on possible need for hoof care.
We have deliberately tried to create packaging of Derma10 Heel Balm and Derma12 Finishing Oil, that prevents contaminating the products, eg. No used, dirty brushes should be able to get inside the packaging. This maintains the product integrity and you know that only the product is going on the hooves.
Avoid products with labels that provide limited or missing information of the ingredients used as this makes it difficult to ensure that the product/ingredients are suited to hoof care.
