Moisture in hooves

Summer is here, which not only means less computer time, but also, typically drier conditions for us here in the desert country. This year is a little cooler and looks like thundershowers will be more normal. (like today). But hooves dry out and can become abnormally hard. So I thought I’d touch on my opinion of helping the hooves (and the farrier!)
Textbook figures on the moisture content of the hoof structures to be the sole should be 33%; the hoof wall at 25%; and the frog’s moisture content should be around 50%. So what does that mean? Simply the moisture content is important and normal to these structures. So it is not natural when the frog is as hard as the back of my head! On the other hand it is not normal these structures are way too soft.
I am all for overflowing the water tough to make a mud hole (or if you have a fancy watering system get a hose and create a mud spot in a location where the horse has to go). Otherwise, use hoof dressings. Pick a hoof dressing with pine tar. If the product is something that you want on your hands as a lotion I’d keep it in the house and get the stuff you want to wash off your hands! I think it is best to use hoof dressings before the hoof becomes dry. Otherwise it needs to be applied 5-6 times /week until it begins to work and then decrease the times/week accordingly. If your horse has super dry and hard feet and your farrier is scheduled to come take some time (minimum one hour) to hold your horse in a wet spot. This can temporarily soften the hooves to make them manageable for the farrier thus allowing for a better, more precise trim.
If your horse’s hooves seem to be at a good moisture content and you are approaching a dry season or even a wet season, there are hoof sealants out on the market to hold the existing moisture in and not allow excess moisture to be soaked in. But as the conditions persist you need to keep applying the product, and be aware when other measures need to be taken.