What Can You Put on Dry, Cracked Horse Hooves? A Shea Butter Hoof and Heel Balm

Dry hoof walls and rough heels are common in hot summers, dusty paddocks and wet winters. This page gives you a simple balm made from three plain ingredients, the amounts to use, how to adjust it for the weather in your barn, and when to leave the tub shut and call your farrier or vet instead.

The balm is built on shea butter, a rich vegetable fat that women in Ghana have made and used for generations, both on skin and in cooking. The recipe has no fragrance, no preservatives, no fillers and nothing synthetic.

What can you put on dry, cracked horse hooves?

Many owners rub a simple balm of Baraka shea butter, beeswax and baobab oil onto dry hoof walls and heels, and that is the balm this page shows you how to make.

Use it on the outside of the hoof wall, on the coronet band (the line where hoof meets skin) and on dry heels. Keep the layer thin. Keep it away from the eyes and from any open skin. Patch test first: rub a little on a small patch of skin, such as the back of the pastern, and look again the next day. Stop using it if you see any redness.

Some problems are not dry-skin problems. Do not put balm on, and call your farrier or vet, if you see any of these:

• Deep cracks that reach sensitive tissue or bleed.
• A hoof that is hot, swollen or smells bad, which can mean thrush or an abscess.
• Lameness, or a horse that does not want to put weight on a foot.
• Wounds, or weeping and scabby skin on the heels, which can mean mud fever or rain rot.
• Heat or swelling in the leg.

Those need a proper diagnosis and treatment. This balm is for dry-looking hooves and comfort, nothing more. It is not a treatment for any hoof or skin problem.

The ingredients and what each one does

Shea butter is the hero. It is rich, creamy and soft, and it melts at about body temperature, so it spreads easily from your fingers onto the hoof. It naturally contains vitamins A and E. Our raw shea butter is made by hand by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana, and Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade. You can read about the women and their work in the Impact Report.

Beeswax is the firm part. It makes the balm hold its shape in the tin and stay put on the hoof instead of running off. Use pure beeswax pastilles, which melt quickly and evenly.

Baobab oil keeps the balm soft and light. It absorbs quickly, so the balm does not feel heavy. Our baobab oil is made by hand in Ghana.

Two things are left out on purpose. There are no essential oils, because some of them, such as tea tree, are toxic to dogs, and dogs and horses often share a barn. There is no fragrance either. There is also no cocoa butter, because it contains theobromine, which dogs should not eat.

Shea butter hoof and heel balm: the recipe

Yield: about 7 oz (198 g), enough to fill two 4 fl oz (118 ml) tins or jars.

You will need:

• 4 oz (113 g) shea butter
• 1 oz (28 g) beeswax pastilles
• 2 oz (57 g) baobab oil
• A heatproof glass bowl or jug and a saucepan
• A clean spoon
• Two clean 4 fl oz (118 ml) tins or jars

Method:

1. Half fill the saucepan with water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Set the bowl on top, so the bowl does not touch the water.
2. Add the beeswax and let it melt. It melts at about 145°F (63°C).
3. When the wax is nearly melted, add the shea butter and stir until both are liquid. Shea butter does not need much heat, so keep it below about 160°F (71°C).
4. Lift the bowl off the heat and stir in the baobab oil.
5. Pour into the tins straight away.
6. Shea butter can turn grainy if it cools slowly. For a smooth balm, put the tins in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes, then leave them at room temperature, around 70°F (21°C), until fully set.

How to use it: Pick out and brush the hoof clean, and let it dry. Warm about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of balm between your fingers for each hoof. Rub a thin layer over the hoof wall and the coronet band. Wipe your fingers on a cloth, not on the horse's face.

Looking for a general balm for the whole barn? Our natural all-purpose animal balm and our guide Natural Pet Care with Shea Butter: Dogs, Cats, Horses, Goats cover the wider picture.

Should you put hoof oil on a horse's hooves?

It is a choice, not a must, and farriers do not all agree on how much a hoof dressing does.

Many owners put a dressing on the outside of the hoof wall because it makes dry hooves look and feel better cared for. Some report that hooves feel less brittle in dry weather. Farriers often point out that hoof quality depends mostly on diet, regular trimming and the ground the horse stands on, not on what is rubbed on the outside. Ask your farrier what suits your horse.

If you do use a dressing, a balm has an advantage over a plain oil. Oil is runny and slides off. A balm of shea butter and beeswax stays where you put it, and the baobab oil in it gives you the softness of an oil.

How often should you apply hoof balm?

Many owners use a thin coat once a day in dry weather and two to three times a week the rest of the time.

Apply it to clean, dry hooves. Wet, muddy hooves will not hold a balm, so brush the dirt off and wait until the hoof is dry. A small dab is plenty. More is not better, and a thick layer only attracts dust and bedding.

Cut back when the hooves look supple. If you see no change in dry-looking hooves after a couple of weeks, talk to your farrier. If you see any redness on the skin, stop using the balm.

What is a good hoof balm for heels?

A softer shea butter balm, with a little less beeswax, is a good choice for dry heels because it spreads easily over skin.

The heels and pasterns (the area between the fetlock and the hoof) are skin, not hoof wall, so they like a balm that melts under your fingers. Here is the soft heel version.

• 4 oz (113 g) shea butter
• 1/2 oz (14 g) beeswax pastilles
• 2 1/2 oz (71 g) baobab oil

Yield: about 7 oz (198 g). Make it exactly as the hoof balm above. Rub a small amount gently into clean, dry heels. Do the patch test first, and keep it away from the eyes.

Heels that are red, scabby, weeping, swollen or sore to the touch are not a job for a balm. Mud fever, rain rot and other infections need a vet. Never put balm over a wound.

How to change the texture

The rule of thumb: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape.

• Firmer: add 1/4 oz (7 g) more beeswax.
• Softer: use 1/4 oz (7 g) less beeswax, or add 1/4 oz (7 g) more baobab oil.
• Richer and creamier: add more shea butter and a little less oil.
• Lighter and runnier: add more baobab oil and a little less shea butter.

Change one thing at a time and make a small batch, so you can tell what made the difference.

Melt-point tips for barn temperatures

Shea butter starts to soften at around 90°F (32°C), and beeswax melts at about 145°F (63°C), so the amount of beeswax decides how the balm behaves in your barn. Adjust it for the season.

The shea butter stays at 4 oz (113 g) and the baobab oil at 2 oz (57 g) in each row. To test a batch, leave a filled tin in the tack room for an afternoon. If it slumps or turns to liquid, add more beeswax next time. If it is too hard to scoop, use less.

Is this hoof balm safe if a dog licks it?

Small licks are harmless, because every ingredient here is plain and lick-safe.

Small licks of pure shea butter are harmless. Shea butter is a vegetable fat that has been used for cooking in West Africa for generations. Beeswax and baobab oil are plain, natural ingredients, and the balm has no fragrance and no essential oils. That is why a curious barn dog who licks a hoof or your fingers is not a worry.

One quantity line: a dog that eats a large amount of any fat, such as a whole tub, can get an upset stomach. Keep the tin out of reach. If your dog eats a lot of it, or seems unwell, call your vet. You can read more in our guide to natural skincare for pets, and our dog paw balm uses the same simple approach.

Storage and shelf life

There is no water in this balm, so it keeps well. Homemade, it keeps for about 6 months stored cool, dark and closed. Write the date on the tin. Do not leave it in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill, because shea butter softens in the heat. Throw it out if it smells or looks off. Use a clean spoon or clean fingers each time. A small batch is better than a big one.

Make It Your Own

These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your horse's hooves and heels respond. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.

Many pet owners use these recipes and are happy with the results. They are made from simple, natural ingredients, but they are not veterinary treatments. Your vet should always be your first source of advice for your pet's skin, paws and health.

Quick answers

What can you put on dry, cracked horse hooves?

Many owners rub a simple balm of shea butter, beeswax and baobab oil onto dry hoof walls and heels. Deep cracks, heat, a bad smell or lameness need your farrier or vet, not a balm.

Should you put hoof oil on a horse's hooves?

It is a choice, not a must. Many owners use a dressing on the outer hoof wall, but farriers differ on how much it does, so ask yours.

How often should you apply hoof balm?

Many owners use a thin coat once a day in dry weather and two to three times a week otherwise. Apply it to clean, dry hooves and cut back when they look supple.

What is a good hoof balm for heels?

A softer shea butter balm with less beeswax, such as 4 oz (113 g) shea butter, 1/2 oz (14 g) beeswax and 2 1/2 oz (71 g) baobab oil. Red, scabby, weeping or swollen heels need a vet.

Is this hoof balm safe if a dog licks it?

Small licks are harmless. Pure shea butter is a vegetable fat that has been used for cooking in West Africa for generations, and the other ingredients are plain, with no fragrance or essential oils. A dog that eats a large amount of any fat, such as a whole tub, can get an upset stomach.

How long does homemade hoof balm keep?

Without water in it, about 6 months made at home, stored cool, dark and closed. Throw it out if it smells or looks off.

More DIY care for horses and dogs

• How Do You Condition a Leather Saddle and Tack? A Shea Butter Tack Balm
• Can You Use Coconut Oil on Horses? A Mane and Tail Shine Oil
• How Do You Soften Dog Elbow Calluses? A Shea Butter Elbow Balm
• What Can You Make for Your Dog and Horse with Shea Butter? 5 DIY Recipes

Making balm for a whole barn? Baraka also sells in bulk: https://www.barakasheabutter.com/bulk-wholesale.