Keratex is a British hoof care specialist whose products work on moisture balance rather than simply oiling the outside of the foot. The range covers both directions: Hoof Hardener and Hoof Gel for feet that are too soft or too wet, and Hoof Moisturiser for horn that has gone hard, dry and brittle.
How to pick — start with the problem, not the product. Soft, crumbling horn or repeated lost shoes: Hoof Hardener. A foot that swings between waterlogged and baked: Hoof Gel. Chipping, brittle summer feet: Hoof Moisturiser. A hole from seedy toe or a drained abscess: Hoof Putty. Thrush in the frog: Frog Power Cleanser. Mud fever or rain scald on the legs: Mud Shield Powder. Hoof Shield and the Coconut Oil Hoof Balm are finishes rather than treatments.
One rule worth knowing: the Hoof Hardener will not penetrate through oil or grease. If the foot has had a hoof oil, dressing or balm on it recently, degrease with acetone first and leave the oils off while you are using it.
- All horse supplies
- Joseph Lyddy — hoof grease and leather care
- Kelato — HoofPRIME and BiotinMAX for hoof condition from the inside
