The 5-Minute Drink & Seal Routine for Dry Summer Hooves

Hooves Hot, dry weather can be tough on your horse’s hooves. And when summer ground becomes hard and unforgiving, keeping hooves in good condition becomes even more important.

Think of the hoof a little like a piece of wood. A spell of sunshine isn’t necessarily a problem, but prolonged hot, dry conditions can cause moisture levels to drop. As the hoof dries, it can become harder and more brittle, making it more prone to chips and cracks.

That’s where our simple Drink & Seal routine comes in.

It takes around five minutes and combines water with PEDI-SPA to help maintain moisture in the hoof during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather.

Think of it a little like moisturising your own skin: first give the hoof the water it needs, then help keep that moisture where you want it.

Water is the “drink” part of the routine. Thoroughly wetting the hoof and giving it a few minutes in contact with water gives the hoof an opportunity to take up moisture.

PEDI-SPA is the “seal”. Applying it while the hoof is still damp helps slow that newly introduced moisture from being lost again.

If you apply a product to an already very dry hoof, there’s simply less moisture there to retain in the first place.

So the order matters: Drink first. Seal second.

Start by thoroughly hosing your horse’s hooves.

Keep going until the ground immediately around their feet — whether that’s mats or grass — begins to puddle slightly. This will typically take around one minute.

The aim is to give the hooves plenty of contact with water rather than simply giving them a quick rinse.

Wait for around 3–4 minutes, ideally allowing your horse to continue standing in the small amount of water you’ve created.

No complicated soaking boots. No lengthy routine. Just a few quiet minutes for the hooves to remain in contact with the water.

Just before the water on the hoof begins to dry, apply PEDI-SPA to help seal in that moisture.

Apply it across the sole, frog and hoof wall, following the product directions.

And that’s it: Drink. Wait. Seal.

During particularly hot weather, we recommend doing the Drink & Seal routine after your horse has experienced the main heat of the day.

If your horse lives out, that could mean making it part of your evening routine — for example, after 6pm — rather than applying it before they spend hours in the sun.

Depending on your horse, their environment and the weather, you can repeat the routine as needed.

The horse featured in our video is a 17-year-old barefoot international Small Tour dressage horse living in the South of France.

His hooves have been dealing with temperatures of 40°C+ over the past eight weeks — exactly the sort of prolonged hot, dry conditions that can make summer hoof care challenging.

And we think his feet are looking pretty fantastic.

So, when the temperature climbs and the ground dries out, remember the routine:

Drink. Wait. Seal. Five minutes for happier summer hooves.