Looking after your horses hooves with Absorbine 

One of the many challenges facing horse owners is that of keeping their horse’s hooves healthy. Maintaining healthy hooves is essential to keeping your horse happy and sound, and every horse owner knows the old saying, "No foot, no horse" is as true today as ever.

 

 

We rely on farriers to help improve　our horse’s hooves, help keep them sound and moving well but horse owners can make a contribution too. You should check your horse’s feet regularly for any sign of cracks or damage, shoe wear or raised clenches. Leading show producer and dressage trainer, Jo Bates, reminds us, "You should check your horse’s feet carefully for any signs of cracking and loose clenches, and ensure that your farrier visits regularly to keep them in good shape. We use Hooflex Original Liquid Conditioner which is excellent to help maintain hoof condition between farrier visits."　

 

We as horse owners should do everything we can to make the experience of the farrier coming run smoothly and safely for everyone. Here are some tip for your next farrier visit:

Teach your horse to pick up his feet. This may seem obvious but it’s one of the biggest complaints from farriers – horses who don’t pick up and or hold the leg up to be worked on.



Clean out the hooves so the farrier can see what he or she is working on and doesn’t have to spend time picking them out.



Make sure your horses legs are clean and dry when the farrier arrives. The last thing your farrier wasn’t to see is you dragging your horse in from the field with wet and muddy legs.



In the summer months, apply some fly spray so your farrier doesn’t get kicked because of an annoying little insect. Try Absorbine’s UltraShield for ultimate protection against flies.



Give your farrier a clean, safe, and well-lit place to work. This will make it easier for your farriers to do their best work.



Hoof conditioner will make trimming easier. Apply Hooflex Original Liquid Conditioner or Hooflex Natural Dressing and Conditioner regularly as it helps to maintain the correct moisture balance and fight infection while supporting healthy hoof growth from the coronet band.



Don’t apply it half hour before the farrier is due to arrive– no one wants to try and hold onto a freshly-oiled hoof!



Pay your farrier. Let’s rephrase that – pay your farrier when and how they ask to be paid. You’ll be more likely to see them again in 6 weeks!



Once you find a good farrier for your horse, stick with him. He’ll learn to understand you and your horse’s needs better the longer he works with you. Remember – it’s a team effort between you, the farrier and your vet.

 Winter Grooming with Absorbine

As we move through February and, hopefully, the last few months of winter weather, you may be feeling as impatient for spring to arrive. This time of year our once luscious green fields have turned into mud baths, and we continue the battle of trying to keep our horses as clean as possible.

As the longer days and greener fields of spring are still a few weeks away, we thought we’d offer some ideas to help your horse beat the winter blues with some winter grooming tips.

Since Christmas we’ve had down pours of rain, sub-zero temperatures, and the odd glimmer of sunshine. The turbulent weather means one thing, mud. Some of the hardy breeds may not require a rug, but it inevitably leads to them rolling in the first patch of mud they find. Even those with rugs, the mud creeps in leaving their coats, manes, and tails a muddy, matted mess. And with the temperatures still hovering around freezing, a wash-down with the hose is simply not an option.

Luckily, Absorbine^® has the answer to winter grooming frustrations: ShowSheen Miracle Groom^®. A waterless product, ShowSheen Miracle Groom naturally cleans, conditions, deodorizes, detangles, and shines in just one application.

With no need for soap and water, this non-greasy cleaner can safely be used in cold weather. Before you use it, you’ll want to let the mud on your horse dry for best results. Brush off the loose dirt, then lightly spray the area directly or onto a towel.  Rub the product backward through the horse’s coat. You can also use Miracle Groom on the mane and tail, making this 5-in-1 product useful as a cleaner, conditioner, detangler, and deodorizer.

No matter what the weather, it’s important to keep your horse clean and healthy. With Miracle Groom, you’re one step closer to a clean horse without getting your hands wet and freezing cold.

Bigeloil® Quilted Poultice Hoof Pad

Bigeloil Quilted Hoof Pads are the “no-mess” hoof poultice solution, making hoof care quicker and easier. Unique quilted pockets contain the poultice, allowing for easier, mess-free application and quicker clean-up than traditional poultices. After the dry poultice pad is activated with water, it stays in place for easy wrapping.

• Application is as easy as 1-2-3!
  1. Soak poultice for 20 seconds 
  2. Apply to hoof 
  3. Cover with wrap
  No heavy tubs or messy residue
• Easy removal – just take off the quilted wrap and discard 
• Can be used with warm or cold water 
• Specialized fiber paper holds dry poultice mixture
• Uses traditional poultice ingredients: kaolin clay and Epsom salts 
• Can be used whenever hoof heat, bruising, or general soreness is a concern, or after competition or heavy work

Clean, convenient and easy to remove - just watch this!

It is clipping time again! Grab you grooming box and the clippers, we’ve got some very useful tips to ensure a smart clip every time! 

 

 

1. Before clipping, the horse needs to have a clean coat. Ideally you would give them a bath but if it is too cold then thorough grooming is essential – ShowSheen Miracle Groom is invaluable for a quick tidy up or a thorough grooming during the colder months!  Clipping a dirty coat results in blunt blades and trying to clip through dried on sweat will pull at the horse’s hair and make him very sore. 
2. ShowSheen 2-in-1 Shampoo from Absorbine will get the skin and coat really clean and conditioned.  Ideally, bath your horse the day before you clip to ensure that he is clean and dry and free from mud or sweat before you start. 
3. Spraying the coat lightly with ShowSheen Hair Polish and Detangler will help the clippers glide through the coat, giving a smooth, clean finish to the clip which will help make your clipper blades last as longer.
4. Introduce the clippers to your horse slowly, especially if he’s new to the experience. Horses can be wary of the sound and the vibration the clippers make. Remember to keep the clippers cable away from your horse’s legs.

   

    

5. Once you have started clipping, remember to place a rug over your horse to keep him warm – you can place the rug over his quarters while you are working on the front, and pull it forward while you work towards the quarters
6. As you clip, adjust the direction your clippers to follow the hair growth patterns, which will help reduce clipper lines.
7. When you have finished, give your horse a “hot towel” bath which will lift any dust, loose hair and excess grease from the skin and coat and leave him feeling refreshed and looking shiny.  Add some Absorbine Liquid Embrocation to a bucket of hot water with a towel, wring it out and rub the horse all over.
8. Finally, put rugs on and take your horse for a brisk walk to get his circulation going again – clipping can be time consuming and he will welcome the exercise after standing for a while. 
9. Remember to put rugs on as the temperature dictates. The more hair you remove the heavier the rug you’ll require, for example a horse with a full clip might need a heavy turnout with a neck cover whilst a horse with a bib clip will only require a lightweight.

   

   Add caption

10. Use a good quality detangler such as Showsheen Detangler Gel and use your fingers to comb through manes and tails to avoid breaking hair.

The full range of Absorbine products are available from your regular Absorbine Equestrian Retailer.  For more product information, visit www.absorbine.co.uk or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/AbsorbineUK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absorbine Magic Cushion Hoof Packing

Absorbine® Magic Cushion® hoof packing is an efficient way to cool and cushion bruised soles and sore feet.  Thermographic tests show that the all-natural formula starts working to reduce heat in hooves in just one hour and the cleaning and cushioning properties help to keep soles in good condition, even under pads.

Magic Cushion is available in two strengths, Magic Cushion original for regular use, and Magic Cushion Xtreme, formulated for performance horse use with a higher concentration of ingredients.  Both are available in 1.8kg and 4kg sizes.

Hooflex Magic Cushion can be used on shod and barefoot horses.  It's sticky, spongy texture enables it to mould perfectly to the horse's sole. One application of Magic Cushion lasts up to 48 hours.

Magic Cushion is formulated for use before and after athletic competition and under pads. It is a natural, capsicum free product.

Visit www.absorbine.co.uk or find us on facebook www.facebook.com/AbsorbineUK.