Tess Vogel

Tess Vogel twists open a small tin and applies some of the silky golden salve inside onto her wrist. Her German Shepherd is observing nearby, sniffing the air. The distinct herbal aroma hints at a blend of all-natural ingredients: New Zealand manuka honey, wormwood, comfrey, marshmallow root, and witch hazel bark make up The Hoof & Paw Co.’s

The Hoof & Paw Co.

turned to my mother and said with complete confidence, “Mommy, I’ve finally found my passion in life!” From then on, I took lessons consistently. I started showing in Short Stirrup on the A-Circuit with my leased pony named Tilly and got to travel to lots of local shows.

When I was a kid, riding was truly allencompassing — if I wasn’t at the barn, I signature formulation, Manuka Honey Salve. Tess explains the benefits of each select ingredient with excitement. “I wouldn’t put anything on my animals that I wouldn’t be comfortable putting on my own skin,” she says.

Combining a lifelong love of horses and dogs, a curiosity for scientific research, and a knack for marketing, Tess began The Hoof & Paw Co. in 2021 as a line of topical products that’s safe and effective for horses, dogs, and humans. She develops and makes all her products at her farm in Woodbury, Connecticut. For Tess, it’s all about giving the animals we love the best possible care.

CH: How did your passion for horses begin?

Tess: My first riding lesson was when I was seven years old. Immediately afterward, I was thinking about the barn and my pony, and when I could get there next.

I continued to ride throughout my childhood and showed on the A-Circuit until I was in high school. Unfortunately, when the recession hit in 2008 the showing had to stop. I had a hard time letting it go, but I still wanted to be around horses however I could. For me, horses were never a hobby; they were a lifestyle. I picked up working student positions and different jobs at barns. I made the most of it, and still felt lucky that I could be around horses at all.

CH: How did that early experience with horses shape your life today?

Tess: So much of the person I am now is a result of having the responsibility of caring for horses at a young age. It instilled in me the ability to be organized and accountable and made me driven to achieve my goals. It also gave me a sincere appreciation for all life forms, and an instinct to care for animals.

As an Equestrian Specialist with William Raveis, Amanda is passionate about helping her clients realize their dreams. She is a Realtor who grew up on the Cape and has won numerous awards in sales and for her excellent customer service. Dedication, honesty, and passion all describe Amanda.

It became more difficult to stay involved with horses as I went off to college and started working, but I’ve always tried to keep them in my life in some capacity. Right now, I work part-time at a local plant nursery, and I also run The Hoof & Paw Co., which is my line of natural, animal wellness products. I’m not riding at the moment but thankfully, running my business has kept me very involved with horses.

CH: How’d you start The Hoof & Paw Co.?

Tess: I started The Hoof & Paw Co. by first making custom horse- and dogthemed decals. I discovered Etsy, and began selling my decals there, and found I really enjoyed the product development process. In college, I majored in biology and always had a curiosity toward researching natural ingredients. I first started making a paw balm for my German Shepherd, and soon expanded into equine products. I started looking for overlap between the two species, since horse owners typically have dogs, and as a result developed an entire line of wellness and grooming products that are safe and effective for both horses and dogs.

My background is unique and has really shaped the way I’ve built my business. My biology major gave me a strong interest in science and research, and my mother had her own marketing firm. This specific skill set allowed me to build the business in my own vision, and I’ve been able to carry out all the roles it requires myself. Right now, I do everything from product development to quality control to label development to fulfilling orders.

CH: How do you develop products?

Tess: A lot of initial research goes into each of our products. I love reading peerreviewed studies, and have a natural curiosity toward learning about ingredients. There are a lot of “old wives’” remedies on the internet these days. Some of them might work — unfortunately many of them really don’t. This is where research is so critical. All the ingredients used in my products have had thorough, peer-reviewed studies performed on them to prove their effectiveness and safety, and our suppliers perform routine purity and safety tests. The quality of our ingredients is very important to me.

Everything in our products is plantbased; we use a lot of plant extracts and colloids. And each product is thoroughly tested. First, I test the products on myself, then on my own dogs, and then on horses. It usually takes a long time to develop a product and get it just right, and I like to spend a lot of time formulating and testing before it goes to market. I’m also always thinking about the user experience, and how a new product might make the grooming or care process better. I want each product to be developed in a way that will make our customers’ lives a little easier, creating stronger, better relationships with their animals.

CH: What’s your favorite The Hoof & Paw Co. product?

Tess: Our All-Natural Hoof Oil for Horses is our most popular product and it has also become my favorite product. The most important ingredient in this formula is natural venetian turpentine, which is quite difficult to acquire — it can only be found in Europe. It’s a tree resin, which is a natural product, unlike the refined turpentines in other hoof products that can be relatively dangerous. Our hoof oil is actually our simplest product to make, but a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into its development, and I’m really pleased with the way it came out. As a horse person, it’s one of my favorite grooming products to use. It’s so satisfying to apply a fresh coat of hoof oil!

CH: What are some of your goals for the future of The Hoof & Paw Co.?

Tess: One aspect I love most about running this business is helping educate customers on the benefits of natural, plant-based products and I would love the opportunity to do more of that. I would like to see The Hoof & Paw Co. become an educational resource for a more holistic approach to animal health care and horsemanship.

We want our customers to understand that natural doesn’t necessarily mean better. It’s only when natural ingredients are coupled with thorough research, precise formulation, and responsible marketing that the perfect natural product is created. I’m working on developing a blog and some product literature right now to help me connect with customers more deeply on these educational topics. That will help this business go beyond simply selling a product and will really be helping people make informed decisions for their animal’s overall wellness.

I want to grow the business, add products to our line, and continue to improve our products. I love getting customer feedback and thinking about how we can give them better experiences. As we grow, I still want to keep the business at a size where I can manage quality and ensure that each product going out into the world is always the best it can be.

CH: How about your future with horses? Do you think you’ll get back in the saddle?

Tess: My boyfriend and I recently bought a house here in Woodbury with a barn and land! We’re working on fixing up the barn and installing a fence; I hope to bring horses home this summer and get back to riding.

CH: What brings you the most joy in running The Hoof & Paw Co.?

Tess: When we care for animals, we are giving them our heart; in return they give us their hearts back in a big way. Our animal companions deserve to be treated with every ounce of love and respect we have, and I believe our products can help do that. It’s so fulfilling to see a product come to fruition, and then used to improve an animal’s life.

It truly warms my heart when a customer reaches out and tells us that one our products made their dog or horse more comfortable. The stories are incredible — I love having that connection with our customers, and seeing their animals thrive.

Alessandra Corbett is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

by Alessandra Corbett