Please help Black or clear hooves.??

[Katie.C]

Hi,

I will firstly apologise for bringing this topic up as I'm sure it's been done over and over but I'm puzzled.

Will upload photos but needing opinions on what looks better.

Black - IMO just looks finished off, but does look a tiny bit odd at times.

Clear - To me just looks unfinished and I can never no matter what get them clean, he's also prone to always having the tiny little pink bruises.

Please be honest as to what you think.

First pic with - sorry its a terrible photo

Second without

 

[Leeana]

I usually paint what is black and then spray with hoof polish enhancer to bring out the shine on the clear and over the black. Hoof polish enhancer/clear polish over the entirely white feet. We use Ultra products you can get from sstack.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

I would to black on horses with dark hooves, and clear on horses with white hooves--but I like Leeana's idea too =)

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I personally think it looks tacky when a horse with obviously white hooves has them painted black. It looks really polished to have white hooves scrubbed clean and painted w a shiny clear coat!

I personally think it looks tacky when a horse with obviously white hooves has them painted black. It looks really polished to have white hooves scrubbed clean and painted w a shiny clear coat!

 

[Sandee]

With the long white socks, unless he has some natural black on his feet, the white/clear feet would be the way I'd go. I have one that has all white feet and legs and the black polish looks out of place. I have another that has white socks but striped feet and being lazy I black her feet completely (it helps that she also has ermine marks on her fetlocks.

 

[KLM]

I have seen and done both.. My trainer and 4 judges suggested for me to do my mares feet black (My Avatar) Since she is black and white they informed me it gave her a "framed picture appearance" and was desireable. Prior to that show I was doing her feet clear. My Chestnut pinto with whote legs gets done clear, and my palomino gets done clear... I really think it comes down to a personal preference.

Another way is to check and see what all the top trainers are doing. I always look at the AMHA website to regional and world winners photos to see whats happening. For the most part, they are all going black... even on horses I would do clear!

(For the record... the first horse is Grahams Ragtime and Casey Campbell winning WORLD SUPREME HALTER HORSE)

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

I would do black with the finishing polish that makes them look like patent leather.

 

[Performancemini]

We have two grays that are almost pure white now. The whitest has dark hooves all the way around, the other has dark hooves with some light stripes (he was born pinto). We black both of their hooves all the way around. They do have some gray to accent the black hooves. Dark around eyes, gray muzzles, some silver gray in mane and/or tail or on knees.

 

[supaspot]

I always put black on black and clear on white but your boy looks nice with the dark , it doesnt suit some horses though so I think decide on the individual

 

[joylee123]

Without looks much nicer on this horse

The clear polish gives this horse the appearance of a much longer length of leg.

Very pretty horse by the way

 

[susanne]

I generally hate the look of blackened hoofs against a white leg, but your horse could pull either off well. I agree, however, that his legs look longer with clear.

Years ago here on LB, someone suggested the following:

apply white shoe polish

let it set for a bit

wipe it off

let it dry

apply clear polish

The idea is to lighten and minimize the bruises, but avoid the caky white look you would get if the white shoe polish were left full-strength on the hoof. I haven't tried this and would want to give it a try at home first, but you might find it worth a try.

 

[amysue]

I usually put black on dark hooves and clear on light hooves. On black and white horses i think black hooves look classy. However on light colored horses I think it looks foolish, it makes them look fake. I really dont like when people black hooves of horses with tall socks on horses other colors than black because it makes their legs look uneven and their stride look choppy just my opinion. If you want to get light hooves clean use a hand held power sander with FINE sand paper to gently sand the dirt and peely cuticle around the corinaryband away. Two coats of clear polish (allow to dry inbetween coats) if your horses get bruises easily, try feeding a biotin supplement, remove rocks and other hazards from paddocks, keep fly repellent on so they dont stomp their feet constantly and try mustads tuff stuff dressing as it is a good hardener. I also like straight arrows hoofmaker lotion. I like the idea of checking out the scene ti see whats popular...as trends are always changing.

 

[wingnut]

On my silver bay mare, I use clear. She'd look great with black but I can't get it on her without making a huge mess that gets all over her light gray legs. This year, I'm also going to be showing in trail/hunter/jumper my smokey black horse whose hooves are all black. I'm thinking I have a little more wiggle room for error since her lower legs are pretty much solid black.

 

[Jean_B]

I was once told by a trainer/judge at a seminar put on by the miniature horse club that if the horse has white socks/stockings and white hooves to use clear polish. If you use black - it will give the optical illusion that the legs are shorter. Obviously if the hooves are dark and the legs are colored, black would be the way to go.

 

[HGFarm]

The proper way with big horses is clear on white feet and black on dark feet- however I have talked to some Mini judges who want black no matter what and some like it done the other way............ so with that being said, I would say do it to your own preference and what you think looks good, LOL