Beware of Hoof Dressing.
When the hoofs of a sale horse are seen to be newly daubed with black hoof dressing, polish, or varnish, look out! or rather, look in! for there may be vital need of the artificial coating to hide serious defects. The dressing, if wet, will soil the examiner’s hands, hence he will be less likely to handle the feet and therefore fails to discover that a quarter crack or sand crack has been concealed, or the fact that the hoof has been rasped extensively for the removal of the rings and ridges that if exposed to the notice of the prospective buyer, would tell a plain story of chronic founder.
The sound, healthy, waxy appearing hoof needs no coloring or dressing material, and when such things are freely used they are often applied to hide the marks of the rasp.