Hoof Polish Questions

[Keri]

I black hooves if they are a performance horse. Most of my horses are, so they get black hooves. Just looks more finished if the horse is jumping or driving. But if they are a halter horse, I sprayed clear my horses hooves that were stripped. Anything else got blacked and then sprayed clear to sparkle.

But the greatest thing I found was water soluable black hoof polish. Goes on black and dull and then I spray with the ultra hoof finisher spray. Makes them nice, shiny and black. I have always had a problem with getting hoof black all over me and my horses would run it up their legs. So if this happens, it just washes right off with a wet towel. But the clear spray keeps it on the hoof in a rain storm or wiping dust off.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

susanne, thanks for that. I guess the only way to really see if I can make it look decent is to try it. I already KNOW the clear looks nice but those feet need so much scrubbing and sanding to be sure they are ready to shine and I'd like to simplify it a LITTLE if I can. Still, tried and tested will work until I am satisfied at home.

 

[Jetiki]

rubbing alcohol will take hoof black off your hands and horses' legs, I also but a small amount of Vaseline on the rim of the hoof black keeps it from getting cemented on so tight.

Karen

 

[Carolyn R]

But the greatest thing I found was water soluable black hoof polish. Goes on black and dull and then I spray with the ultra hoof finisher spray. Makes them nice, shiny and black. I have always had a problem with getting hoof black all over me and my horses would run it up their legs. So if this happens, it just washes right off with a wet towel. But the clear spray keeps it on the hoof in a rain storm or wiping dust off.

I found that my daughters old socks work well if I cut the toes off, slide them up the leg.apply the polish, and slip off the sock when the hoof is dry. Its nothing I would go crazy over if I didn't have the old socks on hand, but if I am going to pitch them anyway, this works like a charm to keep the legs polish free.

Carolyn

I forgot to ad that you slip the cut end on first, that way you still have a nice bound edge near the hoof, no stray threads to get in th way.

 

[ruffian]

Carolyn - Great idea! I'll have to try that with my palomino stallion, white legged driving horses, and pinto filly!

 

[victoria]

susanne, thanks for that. I guess the only way to really see if I can make it look decent is to try it. I already KNOW the clear looks nice but those feet need so much scrubbing and sanding to be sure they are ready to shine and I'd like to simplify it a LITTLE if I can. Still, tried and tested will work until I am satisfied at home.

I used to sand and sand the whites and then just apply the clear. Then I had one get a quite bad bruise on a white hoof and was considering painting them black to cover the bruise. Then I had a friend helping me get some horses ready after my son had been in hospital and she told me how she does the white shoe polish thing (like some of the others I had tried it and hated the look I got in the past so was secptical) She used the type of polish that you get in a can. Applied it to the whole hoof quite thickly and then put the horse back in its box overnight. The next day the white was buffed up and then the clear put on over top. Looked quite good and did cover up some of the marks. However I wouldn't say you coud do it without sanding etc first.

 

[Jetiki]

When using black on white or lighter legged horses, you can also take a magic marker, sharpie etc color the top of the foot near the hair line when you put the polish on you go about half way up your colored section, no polish going up the hairs, then you spray with the Ultra or even some clear quick dry spray paint such as Krylon. You can also do this with striped feet, color the stripe then spray the clear.

Karen

 

[icspots]

As someone that has nearly 100% pintos, which means lots of white socks, an interesting FYI for everyone except those people that are polishing 2 minutes before the class. Once the hoof polish is dry, it will easily brush out of the hair with something as soft as a finishing brush. Once you've done that you can follow up with the enhancer and voila, feet look great! Something else that will take the polish off of your hands is hairspray!

 

[susanne]

So tell me, has anyone ever tried this one?

The people whose horse was stalled next to ours at one show told me that you can remove hoof polish with Pepsi or Coke -- the original sugar sweetened kind. They swore that they had done it and that it works...

I've never tried it (we only buy sugar-free), but I've always been curious to see if it truly works. Doesn't make me want to drink the stuff, though...

 

[susanne]

Back to the topic of white shoe polish...

Curiosity got the better of me and I did a quick search. Turns out it was Kim of Willowwood Stables who suggested this:

White feet, never use clear as it makes them yellowish, so I sand, then wash with SOS pads and then use white sneaker polish once dry..rub off excess then clear.

This was on a great thread on show tips (one that should really be on The Best Of LB)

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.ph...;hl=shoe+polish

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

susanne you are a font of information

. This last sounds much like what victoria posted except it sounds like her source used the waxy shoe polish. Both seem to suggest removing some so (I'm assuming) you get a thin coat of it and then gloss so the foot isn't truly white but whiter than it was. I wish it were spring and I'd do some practice runs to test which method works/looks the best. I don't know WHAT I was thinking when I bought a horse with 4 white feet. Good grief.