Thursday, July 30, 2009

How to use Venice Turpentine?

I own a Percheron X. I just had his shoes pulled because of the costs. He has been really sensative to walking on stones and basically any hard ground.
I just bought Venice Turpentine. I have heard that this works wonderfully with hardening the soles for which might help with his soreness/sensativety. The only problem is there really isn't exact instructions on how to use this stuff. My questions are...
Where to apply it? where NOT to apply it?
How many times a week do I apply?
When I apply it, do I need to hold up the hoof to let it dry? and it so, how long till it drys?
Do I need to wash the hoof first before I apply?
Answers:
Venice Turpentine is good for hardening the soles. Just keep track of how much you use it; using it too much can make them almost too hard, which is bad news for your farrier's back!
If you have one of those little warming devices, they work miracles in the cold weather. Or just soak the whole can in hot water for a bit to make it thinner. *Be careful with this stuff, though. It's a doozy to get out of clothing and even off your hands. It does not go anywhere on the coronet band, either.
I usually apply turpentine to the sole of the foot. You don't really need a lot, just make sure you swirl the brush around and get in all the little crevices and the clefts. Applying 2 - 3 times a week is usually a good rule of thumb. The thing about turpentine is that is does strengthen, but does not moisturize. Hard, brittle hooves are bad things, as I am sure you know. Once you apply the turpentine, you do not need to wait for it to dry; just apply and go. Yes, the bedding and dirt will stick to it, but it's a thick enough substance that it will still do its job. Generally it is better to clean the foot before applying anything to it. Because of the consistency of the product, anything that's on the foot will stick to the brush and get into the can, making thole whole thing dirty. Generally I just brush them thoroughly with a stiff brush to get rid of all the dirt thta is hiding.
As a rule of thumb I try never to get any hoof products on the skin with the exception of the cream conditioners, since alot of products can easily burn the skin. The feet should be clean, at least picked well. You can apply with hoof brush, paint brush, pretty much anything, it will however leave a sticky mess so avoid nice clean aisles. It won't hurt to use often, even everyday until your horses' feet toughen, it really depends on the degree of your horses' sensitivity. You can paint the whole hoof or just the sole, i've always left them unwrapped although I know some like to use it in conjunction with hoof boots, or wrapping w/ sheet cotton. You do not have to hold your horses' feet until it dries. Good luck.

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