Can Rain Maker be used in the Winter?

Question

I live in Wisconsin, and we can have bad winters, My horse Phoenix has some cracks in his hooves so my mom got me some rain maker for him, I am just worried that if I put it on him that it might freeze, then if it warms up, which is about every other day, to above freezing that it will thaw, then expand again when it freezes, causing more cracks. We had a dry summer and I know that is why he has them, but I just bought him from his last owner a couple months ago and I was more focused on giving him his new name, doctoring up his cuts from getting bullied by other horses, and putting some weight on him, now that I have accomplished all that I want to get his hooves in good condition, so can I use Rain Maker in the winter or should I just wait until Spring.

Update:

He is a healthy weight and has a good diet

We had a bad drought all summer in Wisconsin

He has a good farrier, and gets regular trimmings

They are small cracks on the walls of his hooves, not chips

I just want to know if rain maker can be used in the winter

? · Accepted Answer

I know you're not trying to debate the subject, but I have to chime in. I really haven't had outstanding results with rain maker. Think of it this way, does the special polish you put on your nails really *strengthen* them? Not really. It has to come from within. Moisture comes from within the hoof, making dressings pretty useless. Soft, wet feet actually crack easier, shown in recent studies. It takes away strength from the hoof. A lot of dressings (not sure about rainmaker) have petroleum, which is very very bad for the hoof. If the crack is vertical, it's usually do the way the hoof is trimmed (pressure on the walls or imbalance)

Lack of nutrients is almost always what causes brittle or cracked feet (dry is a GOOD thing). Nutrients such as copper, zinc, iodine, magnesium, amino acids, ect. I have found that giving Biotin really helps strengthen hooves. I actually take it for my nails and skin - love it! I believe you when you say your horse is on a good diet. Not trying to insult you. But it's the same with people, even if we are well fed, we are always lacking certain nutrients.

To actually answer your question! Winters can be wet and slushy, so I would not use it in the winter. If you're set on using the stuff, my farrier told me that a whole bottle should last a horses lifetime...even if that horse lives for a lifetime. I use to use it too before I decided to research the stuff. I worked for the previous editor of Natural Horse Magazine, and learned a LOT!

Finley · Answer

rain maker doesn't fix cracks.

good trimming fixes cracks and keeps them from becoming bad cracks.

all hooves can get some chipping. that's normal.

if your horse gets pretty bad cracks, I'd find someone else to do his feet. OR.... if your horse is barefoot, he should get trimmed more often. you may be waiting too long.
typical trim time for bare feet isn't the same as shoeing times.

barefoot = 5 weeks or more (depending on the hoof)
shoes = 6-8 weeks or up to 12 wks (depending on the hoof)

as for using rain maker in wet weather, that seems pointless. 
rainmaker is just oil to keep the hoof wet. why would you add wetness to an already wet hoof?

just find a better trimmer or get the feet trimmed more often.

I should also add, that bad cracks happen also due to bad diet. 
if your horse isn't getting enough to eat, his feet will suffer.

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Can Rain Maker be used in the Winter?

2 Answers