Before reaching for hoof packing, it’s important to consider why.

Ask yourself, what’s behind the intention of packing the hoof? How will it benefit the horse? It’s important to scrutinize your reasons and establish an objective.

Hoof packing is employed for many reasons:

• It moisturizes the foot to make it more pliable and make the horse more comfortable.
• It takes excess moisture out of the hoof.
• It helps achieve therapeutic goals, such as controlling microbes, fun­gus, reducing pain and fever or in­flammation.
• It provides support.

Gathering Information

It’s important to gather as much information about the horse as possible.

Frank Dugan, Vettec’s director of sales, asks three questions when receiving inquiries about a product.

“There are certain key issues that need to be addressed,” he says. “When I’m talking with someone who has a question, I always ask: What kind of horse is it? What’s it used for? What environment is the horse in?

“Is the horse standing in a swamp or is it out in the desert? That’s going to dictate a lot in your decision-making process.”

Keeping the…