KERALIT Hoof Elast Care Oil for increased moisture.
KERALIT Hoof Elast Care Oil as a damping element in the horse's musculoskeletal system, the hoof in particular is subject to high elastic deformation. Under load, the healthy hoof deforms, expands and lowers by several millimeters before returning to its original shape during the relief phase. This is the so-called "hoof mechanism".
It has a shock-absorbing, springy effect and thus protects the overlying ligament, joint and bone structures. The hoof mechanism is also said to have a pumping effect on the circulation (forwarding) of blood in the horse's leg.
If the hoof mechanism is restricted or no longer present, these important properties can no longer function, or only to a limited extent. This can result in hoof problems such as cracks, horn splitting, wall horn breaking out, loose shoes and musculoskeletal disorders. The elasticity of the horn and thus that of the entire hoof is primarily dependent on its moisture content.
Healthy wall horn contains approx. 20% water. Weather and temperature-related fluctuations over short periods of time are normal. The wall horn is supplied with the necessary moisture from the inside via the hides and from the outside through washing, rain or damp ground.
The water content is also regulated by the glaze layer, a thin, superficial layer of horn. This prevents the increased evaporation of water from the horn substance, especially in dry periods.
In riding horses, the glaze layer is only intact in the coronet area due to hoof trimming and, in particular, riding on sandy ground, which greatly increases the release of moisture.