Tick off these three steps to be perfectly prepared for a successful FormaHoof Application.
Whether you are applying FormaHoof as a professional, horse owner or book a FormaHoof service with an applicator but have your own product, there are a few steps to take which will make your life easier on the application day.
Communication is key and if you are unsure, contact us or your applicator before the application day.
FormaHoof Advanced Polymer is a Polyurethane is especially designed to ensure the horse is comfortable during the application process and to provide and excellent durability.
As stated on the tubes, the ideal storage and working temperature for the materials is 12-26 degrees Celsius (55-78 Fahrenheit). This can be reduced slightly for foal applications or very sore horses (eg. those with severe laminitis or abscesses).
Product stored outside of this temperature range may affect your curing temperature, but can also damage the Polyurethane and cause application failure. Extreme heat or frost can lead to tubes imploding or exploding and damage the components in the material.
Simple rules in the summer:
– Use a cooling box when travelling to a horse
– Use ice packs in the box to cool down the box temperature
– Avoid direct contact with the ice pack and the tubes. A great option is to use the carton box your product is delivered in and place this in a cooler with ice packs. You are then ready to go.
Simple rules in the winter:
– The same box functions in winters with a hot water bottle (for temperatures around zero degrees Celsius)
– Advanced setups with electric temperature checks can be beneficial for those living in extreme conditions.
If you have purchased a Kit or Advanced Polymer directly from FormaHoof – please ensure that the correct storage guidelines are adhered to, to avoid issues with the application.
These should have been delivered to you by email shortly after you place an order, if you have not, please reach out to customercare@formahoof.com
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Occasional rough handling of our polymer tubes during the shipment caused uneven settings in the tubes that have been delivered to customers. Consequently, we are requesting that you check your AP tubes before commencing a FormaHoof application.
This does not mean that the Advanced Polymer is damaged in any way and we encourage applicators to please perform the following steps to troubleshoot uneven plungers of FormaHoof Advanced Polymer, to ensure a quality application:
1. Purging is key to eliminating this problem. This needs to be done before the mixing tip is put on. Purging ensures that any settling and differential air pressure that has occurred during transportation is rebalanced and that the tubes are even. Please rest assured that the AP tubes are filled perfectly before they leave our facility.
2. Another key element is the applicator gun. There is an adjusting screw on the back of the gun on each piston. If one is longer than the other, the pistons can come off, so please ensure that they are even.
Remember the hoof needs a basic trim before the FormaHoof application goes on, if you booked your service with a professional applicator, they will will usually bring their own tools and have experience with what they need.
This does not mean that the Advanced Polymer is damaged in any way and we encourage applicators to please perform the following steps to troubleshoot uneven plungers of FormaHoof Advanced Polymer, to ensure a quality application:
If you are applying FormaHoof yourself, make sure the basic trim is followed by the wall preparation with one of the following rasps:
1. Cody James (medium) rasp
Used to prepare the wall for the application and to allow the application to bond better with the hoof wall
2. Shinto rasp
Similar to the Cody James, this rasp can be used to prepare the hoof and wall. It is a more compact version and can help to prepare smaller feet more easily than a regular-sized rasp.
Other rasps may work as well, but these are tested by FormaHoof and various applicators.
If you haven’t ordered Red Horse Sole Cleanser from the official FormaHoof shop, please ensure to have a disinfection spray ready to clean and disinfect the hoof before applying FormaHoof.
Cleaning your FormaHoof Moulds regularly with a good quality silicon base spray will extend their life and help to prevent them from becoming damaged.
At FormaHoof, we use WD-40 Silicon. However, other brands can provide the same effect.
Depending on personal preferences and your case you may want to add other products such as dental impression material under your application.
Please read our advice regarding additional products here.
This will totally depend on your applicator, your horse and regional preferences. As with any farriery or trimming appointment, a handler may. be required to hold the horse or the foot.
If you a horse needs sedation (for pain management or nerve management) a veterinarian may be requested to be present as not every country allows a farrier or trimmer to sedate a horse or resect a food to a certain extend.
Discuss these options well in advance and arrange accordingly.
If your horse is suffering from a problem which previously involved lameness or strict stall rest, it is important to allow your horse plenty of time to adjust to the new comfort.
No matter how tempting it is to allow unlimited and free movement when your horse shows comfort and improvements in FormaHoof, the internal structures of the hoof are still healing. By allowing too much too quick, you may disturb the healing process. E.g. if your horse was on stall rest due to laminitis and had difficulties to walk, but shows instant improvement after the application, do not be fooled and turn them out for a long awaited run or buck. Introduce changes slowly. More information can be found in our article – Laminitis Rehab Plan
Sharing is caring and we love seeing and sharing your horses’ progress posted on various social media channels.
However, it is important for professional hoof care providers to remember asking the owner for consent before posting a case.
At FormaHoof we love to share your stories on our channels, by tagging @FormaHoof or #FormaHoof, we assume all involved parties gave their permission to publish. If we repost an existing post, we will always tag the content owner (as long as privacy settings allow tagging).
1. Clean your Mould after and before usage with silicon spray
2. Use authentic FormaHoof Polymer to protect your horses feet and your Mould from damages
3. Make sure your mesh sits under the top seal of your Mould before applying FormaHoof Advanced Polymer
4. Refit the reusable Mould and apply more Polymer if you see a weak spot in your first application
5. Introduce horses’ back to movement in a timely manner according to their rehab protocol
1. Don’t store FormaHoof products in heat or direct sunlight (Neither Moulds nor Advanced Polymer)
2. Don’t store it in freezing temperatures (Neither Moulds nor Advanced Polymer)
3. Don’t use boiling hot water when warming up your Polymer tubes in winter (use warm water but not boiling)
4. Don’t overuse mesh, the more mesh you use the less Advanced Polymer fits into your application which can weaken the application
5. Don’t expect FormaHoof to be witchcraft, your horse may recover faster, but still needs time to grow healthy hooves
Like anything in life, FormaHoof has a learning curve which for most people runs flat but for some is may be a bit bumpy. If you have watched the FormaHoof Basics Tutorial and follow the application steps as mentioned, it is rather unlikely you will be facing difficulties.
However, in the unlikely event, that you are facing a problem with your application, we highly recommend reaching out to your applicator and have a 1:1 chat regarding any concern.
If you applied FormaHoof yourself, please reach out to customercare@FormaHoof.com at any time or drop us a message via the Facebook or Instagram messenger, we are here to help you along the way.
Many tips and tricks are also shared in the FormaHoof – Experience Exchange Facebook group, you can chat to a variety of horse owners and professionals here about their experience as well as tips and tricks around the application and rehab process.
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