The History of Modern Hoofcare.
"Keratex Equine Hoofcare is the global expert when it comes to dealing with horse hoof problems. Our chemists have gone back to basics to find the causes of hoof problems. As a result, we often challenge traditional beliefs about hoof care.
Tradition, by definition, implies old. Fifteen years ago, before we started researching new hoofcare methods, we looked at what was available within the traditional hoofcare armory. As scientists, we were concerned that most traditional hoofcare products were in some way oil or grease-based.
Because of our scientific appreciation of the structure of hoof horn it came as no surprise that tests with oil-based products showed considerable deterioration of the horn structure at the molecular level. These oils soften and weaken the horn. They have a tendency to replace natural moisture and prevent the hoof from breathing by sealing the structure. We were able to conclude that oil and grease-based conditioners provided no positive benefit to hoof health. In fact they were undesirable due to the way in which they compromise horn quality.
The fact that oils and greases were supposed to impart a pleasing appearance to the hoof also proved short lived. Dust and bedding soon attach to the surface, and in contact with urine, they become emulsified and water soluble. Oil and grease provide little protection for the hoof against important environmental influences.
Our scientific research is now confirmed by the opinion of a majority of vets and farriers. They generally recommend against the use of oil-based conditioners due to the problems they see caused to the horn structure following repeated use of these preparations.
Apart from these oil-based hoof conditioners very little else was available to owners fifteen years ago. Unfortunately, the thought then was unless you soak the horses hooves in oil at least once a day, you were not caring for your horse. In fact those who never used oils, against all the traditions of horse management, were doing their horses a greater service and most likely did not suffer the hoof problems of the oil and grease devotees.
Another problem we encountered early on was the traditional belief that it was almost part of horse ownership to expect feet to deteriorate during Summer months. The traditional remedy was to soak hooves in water a couple of hours a day.
As scientists, we could not accept that the horse had evolved with a natural deficiency, or function, that caused the hooves to break up regularly during the drier months.
Of course there is nothing wrong with the horse. The hooves are breaking up as a result of the environment in which horses are kept.
Recognizing that the majority of horses have Thoroughbred blood in some proportion, and that the Thoroughbred is fundamentally a desert horse, we investigated the effects of water on hoof horn. What we found in the laboratory was again contrary to the thoughts of the traditionalists.
The structure of horn is designed to be at its strongest and most resilient when it is dry. The chemical structure dictates this - it is irrefutable. When horn is wet it absorbs water, swells appreciably, becomes more flexible and has reduced structural strength. Consider human fingernails after bathing as an example.
While the horn remains wet, during Winter for instance, it is stabilized in this weakened and swollen state. Unfortunately, the hooves tend to look better during Winter because the cracks close up and seem to disappear giving the impression, wrongly, that hooves are best when they are wet.
It is this weakened state of the horn which gives rise to the often heard remark about shoes being sucked off in the mud. In reality the surface area of a horse shoe is insufficient to produce enough suction to pull it off the hoof.
What most likely happens is that the water sodden hoof goes down through the mud, perhaps at a gateway, onto firmer standing and simply twists the shoe off the weakened horn.
So having established that wet horn is weaker and that absorbed water has a considerable effect on the molecular structure of horn, we were led to consider the effects of excess water being dried out of the hoof, as would happen in Spring and early Summer.
When horn absorbs water and swells, the effect is to disrupt the normal keratin molecular structure to accommodate the newly introduced water molecules. This causes the chemical and electrical bonds between adjoining keratin molecules to stretch to let in the water molecules. This stretching, which is associated with the hoof swelling while wet, causes the bonds to weaken. However, while the hoof is constantly wet, the intermolecular structure of the keratin is supported by the water molecules. If the water molecules are removed too quickly, as would happen when the weather dries, the remaining keratin structure is left in a very weakened state. If the water is removed slowly over a controlled period of time, about twelve weeks, the bonds will re-adjust and repair to a dry state.
Because weather patterns have changed dramatically over recent years, it is not unusual to go from five months of high rainfall and low temperatures to high temperatures and no rainfall in a matter of days. This causes the ground to quickly dry. The higher ambient temperatures will dry out the hoof in a couple of days, causing the hoof to shrink back to its normal dry size.
Farriers will confirm that if they shoe a wet hoof on a hot day it will quite often shrink sufficiently in just a few hours for the clenches to rise - giving some magnitude to the problem.
This sudden reduction in water content, with the associated shrinking, will leave the hoof in a weakened state. This will result in cracks as soon as the hoof is stressed. The hoof structure also becomes more permeable, allowing any moisture easy access.
Tradition, recognizing the change in hoof structure from wet to dry, thinks the solution is simply more water. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
More water just starts the process again with the hoof swelling. During Summer, the high ambient temperatures will soon dry out the absorbed water causing the hoof to shrink again. Therefore the traditionalist who dedicatedly hoses the feet every day, or stands the horse in a stream for an hour or so, is just making it worse. It's not his fault, as the tradition he follows does not appreciate the cause. This is how modern research can so easily contradict years of tradition, associated with years of cracked hooves. Little wonder that horse owners think it is a normal occurrence for hooves to crack in Summer.
Although our work on the transitions of hoof horn from wet to dry was carried out in the UK, it was interesting to note that some horses in Saudi Arabia started to experience severe hoof cracking with no apparent cause. However, we were able to trace the cause to newly installed irrigated feed paddocks. The horses' hooves were getting wet while they fed and then suddenly drying in the very high ambient temperatures. We were able to recommend a Keratex hoofcare product which stopped the problem. This experience highlighted the effect of changing from a natural environment. It further supported our findings that water can have a long term and devastating effect on the quality of hoof horn if left unchecked.
Proper hoofcare is, and always will be, one of the most important aspects of horse management. It is also, unfortunately, one of the most commonly neglected.
We appreciate your interest in animal wellness and healthy hooves."
