Formahoof
I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about what Formahoof is and how it works so thought I might write a general explanation about the product and the most frequently asked questions I answer.
1.) COST
The initial up front cost to apply Formahoof is expensive. Mostly because the moulds are expensive and the Polymer is expensive. To cover material cost just to break even is around $400. This only includes my basic trim price and cost of materials. Formahoof requires a very detail oriented technical application that can take anywhere from 2-4 hours to apply. So cost of materials plus labor works out to approximately $600/pair. Formahoof can be used as a rehab tool and most horses only need 3-4 applications to comfortably go barefoot again immediately or be transitioned to a less expensive package before transitioning to barefoot. The application on average lasts 4-6 weeks. So theoretically even on a longer cycle your horses may rehab in only 18-20 weeks. You compare that to a lifetime in steel shoes or years in glue-ons and composites and the overall cost of Formahoof is actually MUCH cheaper than other hoof protection/rehab products that may or may not yield the same results. The company has actually done research using data from the UK and USA and found that using Formahoof actually reduces customer cost for rehabbing hoof pathologies by up to 80%!
2.) HOW DOES IT WORK?
Formahoof is a polyurethane liquid fit, non-invasive, 3D protective support system. Which is a fancy way of saying it is like a prosthetic for the horses hoof. It is designed to operate just like a healthy hoof does! It flexes and expands like the hoof does while providing protection and facilitating comfortable movement and better circulation which creates an environment for accelerated growth. Because of this most lame horses experience instant pain relief after application.
3.) WHAT PATHOLOGIES IS IT USED TO REHAB?
Formahoof is very versatile and used to treat a variety of hoof pathologies! The top 5 are laminitis, navicular, white line, abscesses, and bruising. I have seen it used to heal prolapsed digital cushions, increase sole depth, heel cracks, and correct NPA as well. It’s one very versatile product that can treat a wide variety of hoof issues!
4.) HOW DOES THE HOOF BREATHE IN A FORMAHOOF APPLICATION?
Hooves actually do not breath! They are predominately made out of a material called keratin and so do not perform any exchange of oxygen or Carbon dioxide or the byproducts associated and released from those gases. Good hoof prep is important and creates a clean, dry, bacteria/fungus free environment prior to application. Which eliminates any type of “hoof funk” from forming underneath the polymer during an application cycle.
5.) CAN I RIDE OR COMPETE ON MY HORSE IN FORMAHOOF?
Yes! This product allows you to ride while your horse is in an application! You may need to check with specific showing organizations but most allow protective hoof products that do not rise above the hairline and Formahoof does not. If an organization does require a traditional steel or aluminum shoe they can be directly nailed through the formahoof application without damaging the hoof wall.
6.) HOW LONG DOES A FORMAHOOF APPLICATION LAST?
The answer to this question is variable. The company says that on average applications generally last for 6-8 weeks. In rehab cases I am finding it varies greatly. Even if an application cracks and needs to be removed “early”, that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Formahoof causes an accelerated rehab and sometimes increases the rate of new growth by 50% or more! So some of the horses that crack or wear through their applications early are only doing so because their hooves are positively changing at an exponential rate. Thus speeding up the rehab cycle and requiring fewer applications over a shorter period of time. And just because an application is showing wear in certain areas doesn’t mean it needs to be removed and reapplied. One of my clients horses wore through the toe of her first application in 3 days (this application actually wasn’t done by me.) but the whole application still continued to make positive changes and provided the support and protection the horse needed for another 6 weeks before we removed it to reapply.
