Make your own hoof balm: 3 proven recipes

Why make it yourself?

A jar of unbranded hoof grease costs between 8 and 15 euros for 500 ml. Making your own usually comes out to 3 to 5 euros for the same amount, especially if you buy ingredients in bulk. More importantly, you avoid unnecessary additives — some ready-made products contain perfume or synthetic antioxidants that sensitive hooves don't always appreciate. Homemade balm is also easy to adjust to the season or your horse's specific needs.

Ingredients you'll need

Most ingredients can be ordered online or purchased from a cosmetic raw materials supplier. Store everything dry and dark — it will keep for at least 12 months.

• Beeswax (yellow or white, in pellets or blocks)
• Lanolin (wool grease, pure grade)
• Fish oil or cod liver oil (cold-pressed, unrefined)
• Coconut oil (unrefined)
• Tar or pine tar (optional, for the classic recipe)
• Vitamin E oil (as a natural preservative)

Recipe 1: classic beeswax balm

This is the most versatile balm, suitable year-round and for most hoof types. Melt 60 g beeswax in a heat-resistant bowl using a double boiler method. Add 120 g lanolin and stir until everything is liquid. Remove from heat and mix in 30 ml fish oil. Optionally add 5 ml vitamin E oil as a preservative. Pour into clean, dry jars and let cool without a lid. The balm will be ready to use after about an hour. Yield: approximately 200 ml. Use: 2 to 3 times per week, applied with a brush to cleaned hooves.

Recipe 2: deep-nourishing winter balm

In winter, hooves are exposed to moisture, mud, and cold — a combination that quickly makes them dry and brittle. This variant has a higher fat concentration and penetrates deeper into the hoof wall. Melt 40 g beeswax with 80 g lanolin. Add 50 ml fish oil and 30 ml unrefined coconut oil. Mix 5 ml vitamin E oil through the mixture just before pouring. The consistency is softer than recipe 1 and melts more easily at body temperature — ideal for massaging along the coronary band. Preferably store this balm in a cool place, then it will keep for up to 9 months.

Recipe 3: light summer balm

In dry summers you want to hydrate hooves without weighing them down or blocking their natural breathability. Melt 30 g beeswax with 60 g coconut oil — don't use lanolin in this recipe. Stir in 20 ml fish oil and optionally add 3 ml vitamin E oil. Pour into a small jar or silicone mold for handy blocks. The balm melts quickly on the hoof and leaves no greasy layer. Suitable for daily use during warm periods.

How to track results

Hoof care only really works if you do it consistently and track what works. Record in your EquiSight horse dossier which recipe you're using, how often you apply it, and how the hoof quality is developing. Take a photo of all four hooves every 4 weeks — then you can see at a glance whether the hoof wall is getting stronger or drier. You can also ask EquiCoach to create a grooming schedule based on the season and your horse's activity level. That way you combine homemade with smart management.

Safety and storage

• Always use clean, dry jars — moisture causes mold
• Never melt beeswax directly on an open flame, always use a double boiler
• Add vitamin E oil after removing from heat, not during heating
• Label each jar with recipe, date, and quantity
• Discard balm that smells rancid or is discolored