WHY HOOF SOAK? (Even when those hooves are already suffering in the wet)

Soaking horses' hooves in an effecitve but mild solution helps ride the hoof and all the "nooks and crannies" of debris. This is the most effective way of penetrating into those areas which are really difficult to attend to, even with the correct tools on hand.

IS IT BENEFICIAL FOR ALL HOOF AILMENTS OF JUST A THOROUGH CLEANSE?

This approach is beneficial for most hoof ailments to ensure you are working on a hoof that has had a thorough cleanse with a topical solution that is effective, yet gentle on soft tissues. Many Hoof Care Professional are turning to this approach for horses on their books. As Hoof Care Professionals here at The Hoof Co, it has helped immensely for long standing hoof problems in clients' horses we've worked with.

Simple to set up, convenient tablet form and around 30 minutes to implement.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW?

Hoof Mate is a Chlorine Dioxide tablet (self-activating in potable water). The Box of 30 tablets makes 15 litres of Hoof Soak.

Chlorine Dioxide works on organisms through a process called oxidation. It is a highly reactive compound that readily donates oxygen atoms, leading to the disruption of cellular structures and metabolic prosses in organisms. When Chlorine Dioxide comes into contact with organic matter, (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or other micro organisms), it reacts with and oxidises essential components of their cells. This ultimately leads to their inactivation or destruction. Chlorine Dioxide is known for and used for various applications, including disinfections, sterilisation and water treatment.

IS IT DIFFICULT?

No, it's not difficult to apply a Hoof Soak. Of course, your horse will need to be fairly patient to stand quietly with soaking boots or your preferred form of soaking equipment for 20-30 minutes. This lets the solution penetrate all areas of the hoof. A quick preparation is all that is needed on the hooves prior to the soaking process.

What supplies will I need?

1. Water and liquid dish soap mixed into a trigger spray bottle
2. Wire Hoof Pick or wire brush with robust bristles
3. Hoof Soaking boots or rubber buckets (we use and recommend the TUBBEASE soaking boots)
4. Clean, empty 1 litre bottle.
5. HOOF MATE White Lightning tablets.

IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT USE metal utensils or containers for mixing, measuring or storing Chlorine Dioxide solutions as it is corrosive. SHOULD NOT BE USED on horses shod with traditional metal shoes. REMOVE jewellery that may come into contact with the solution.

There are various soaking boots available which make the process much easier for Hoof Soaking. Tubbease is our go to or Easycare soaker boots. You can get creative with what you have on hand to use as a soaking vessel.

*Be aware that not all horses take to boots/buckets or bags around their hooves! Common sense would be some desensitisation or time to adjust to these items prior to the first application.

A simple way to look after hoof hygiene is to ensure your horses hooves are kept clean and disinfected. At least 3 times per week it is good practice to clean out the hooves with a wire hoof pick and use some hoof spray in conjunction with the picking to flush and cleanse
thoroughly. Curved tip syringes can be used for liquid and have a nifty tip which allows access for liquids and powders into areas of the hoof you cannot easily access. e.g.: contracted central sulcus/heels, top of the collateral groove crevice, hoof defect holes etc. These come in a pack of
5 and are a very handy item for the tack room.

Keep hooves out of unsanitary conditions such as manure or urine areas and provide a firm dry footing for your horses to access daily.

SUCCESS TIPS
For stubborn or ongoing hoof problems, we suggest starting with 3 x weekly hoof soaks for 20-30 mins at a time. After 2-3 weeks, you should be able to move on to weekly soaks ensuring you are using a quality proven topical application in between. This could be Beeswax Blue Balls®️ for Seedy Toe or White line defects or Hoof Pack Clay in between soaks for Thrush maintenance.

Hoof Mate liquid is most potent used within 1 hour of the fresh batch being made so unfortunately doesn’t keep. It’s quick and simple to reactivate another batch to ensure you are using the solutions when it is most active.

If you have old nail holes or hoof defects, after soaking seal these areas with some Beeswax Pure Balls to prevent further debris and pathogens entering the site. Keep these areas plugged with the wax until you need to soak again. Clean out the wax, soak the hooves as per the process above and reseal with the Beeswax Balls post soak.

NEED HELP - No worries, contact use and we'll do our best to assist you.