Best advice for thin/bruised soles?

lisan

lisan

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We have had gel pads on, but with all the wet weather, then the hard ground she has gone lame, had the farrier out today who has done a fab job and put 'plaster casts' on both fronts and nailed the shoes to them.

But her soles are really thin and very soft and wondered if iodine was the best thing for hardening them?
 
I would say you need to enable her to grow thick strong soles. Putting any lotion or potion on wont help I'm afraid. I would give the usual barefoot advice, address her diet, management and look at a period barefoot with good hoof protection until her feet begin to strengthen and a proper thick sole grows.
Strong hooves are grown they can't be made overnight sadly.
 
Those Equicasts are brill... although they can be slippery if your horse is prone to being a dillon in the paddock !!

No advice sorry - my old boys feet improved using Cytek shoes because they aggravate the sole and it grows thicker... but Cyteks are only as good as the farrier who fits them...and they are few and far between.
 
I found that gel pads worked brilliantly through the summer - but once the weather and ground became wet they had to be taken off, due to the soles becoming soft and porous (exacerbated by lack of air and too much moisture because of the pads).

They resolved very quickly once the pads were taken off, and the sole hardened naturally.

I certainly wouldn't advocate taking a horse with thin soles barefoot.
 
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Thanks for the advice guys.

I have some Keretex, will start that from tonight.

She cannot go barefoot, she physically cannot cope at all without shoes! I always have to carry a hoof boot with a nappy in it incase she every loses a shoe!

Last time we had the gel pads off they did harden up, but she was getting very footy August time so I had them put back on.

will have a look at the Cytek ones
 
Vet told me last year that deep shavings beds for horses with soft, squidgy soles, tons of Keratex on the sole AND the frog despite what it says on the bottle!!

If the ground is very wet then don't turn out - you want the soles to be really dry. Took my TB about 4 weeks to get tougher, stronger soles and they were never a problem again.
 
carolineb said:
Vet told me last year that deep shavings beds for horses with soft, squidgy soles, tons of Keratex on the sole AND the frog despite what it says on the bottle!!

If the ground is very wet then don't turn out - you want the soles to be really dry. Took my TB about 4 weeks to get tougher, stronger soles and they were never a problem again.
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echo this and i also invested in some Gmac boots for him as shoeing is a issue. I swear by these boots.
 
lisan said:
She cannot go barefoot, she physically cannot cope at all without shoes! I always have to carry a hoof boot with a nappy in it incase she every loses a shoe!
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Lol - if I had a quid for every time someone said that to me! I'm a barefoot trimmer btw! I've yet to take the shoes off a horse who couldn't cope and many of those the owners had said to me before hand that their horse was crippled if they lost just one shoe. Every owner was amazed when I took all four shoes off and their horse was just fine!

Thin soles are down to two things - an unsuitable diet and lack of stimulation. Both things combine to produce a weak foot structure, where the pedal bone sits low in the foot and the sole is thin. Tender soles can also be due to inflammation in the solar corium - which is down to a diet too high in sugar/starch.

So my first bit of advice would be to look at her diet - cut out any feeds containing molasses. Secondly the only way to improve foot structure is to go barefoot - get that stimulation going which promotes growth, the sole will thicken up and in the long term you will have healthier hooves and a healthier horse. In the transition phase use hoof boots to work her on surfaces that are challenging. It'll work wonders I promise.

I should add that one of the people who trained me to trim was a former Cytek farrier - needless to say he has seen far better results with all his client's horses now they are barefoot compared to when they had Cytek shoes on.
 
If you have a horse with thin soles and you:

don't want to get advice from a reputable hoof care professional who has experience of transforming them

don't want to make the changes needed to grow a healthy foot

aren't prepared to work your horse sufficiently and appropriately

aren't prepared to recognise that bad management is largely responsible for thin soles

aren't prepared to put your horse first and use boots if and when required

Then don't go barefoot

However if you are prepared to accept that thin soles are not inevitable and with the right care can be made thick and beautiful, then I highly recommend the barefoot approach.
 
lisan said:
Thanks for the advice guys.

I have some Keretex, will start that from tonight.

She cannot go barefoot, she physically cannot cope at all without shoes! I always have to carry a hoof boot with a nappy in it incase she every loses a shoe!

Last time we had the gel pads off they did harden up, but she was getting very footy August time so I had them put back on.

will have a look at the Cytek ones
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Have you ever wondered why she has such thin soles? And why she is so very lame when she loses a shoe?
 
uh-oh !! the barefoot vultures are circling !!

Look, one size does NOT fit all... I have experience of both barefoot and traditional shoes.

OP, you know your horse. Take advice from your vet, take advice from all around you but dont feel heavied into thinking there is only way one to get your horses soles hardened

Not all athletes are Zola Budd.... and never could be. I had an old mare that we retired barefoot. Yes sure, her soles went like concrete and she recovered from her tendon injury...eventually... but she was never sound on her feet and it was quite frankly the biggest mistake we ever made.

No doubt there will be the "oh yes but who trimmed her" calls to try and explain away the issues she faced but quite frankly, it didnt suit her and thats the end of it. I couldnt run about with bare feet either...
 
mrussell said:
uh-oh !! the barefoot vultures are circling !!

Look, one size does NOT fit all... I have experience of both barefoot and traditional shoes.

OP, you know your horse. Take advice from your vet, take advice from all around you but dont feel heavied into thinking there is only way one to get your horses soles hardened

Not all athletes are Zola Budd.... and never could be. I had an old mare that we retired barefoot. Yes sure, her soles went like concrete and she recovered from her tendon injury...eventually... but she was never sound on her feet and it was quite frankly the biggest mistake we ever made.

No doubt there will be the "oh yes but who trimmed her" calls to try and explain away the issues she faced but quite frankly, it didnt suit her and thats the end of it. I couldnt run about with bare feet either...
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I've also had experience of shod and barefoot. As we say, time after time, you can't simply take shoes off a horse and expect it to develop strong healthy feet by just throwing it out in a field. Diet and environment are at least, if not more important than the trim. How can barefoot not suit any horse - for crying out loud... they weren't born with shoes on!
 
mrdarcy said:
How can barefoot not suit any horse - for crying out loud... they weren't born with shoes on!
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No but then they werent born trotting down the roads and jumping round cross country courses either ! Lets face it, we dont all keep our horses running about in herds on the plains. Some of our horses have to do more than just "be" grazing herd animals.

In the same way that we were born barefoot and yet not many of us are able to continue to live and work that way.

I applaud anyone who can maintain their horses, doing what they want them to do, barefoot. But it simply isnt an option for eveyone... and does not suit every horse in every job.
 
mrussell said:
uh-oh !! the barefoot vultures are circling !!

Look, one size does NOT fit all... I have experience of both barefoot and traditional shoes.

OP, you know your horse. Take advice from your vet, take advice from all around you but dont feel heavied into thinking there is only way one to get your horses soles hardened

Not all athletes are Zola Budd.... and never could be. I had an old mare that we retired barefoot. Yes sure, her soles went like concrete and she recovered from her tendon injury...eventually... but she was never sound on her feet and it was quite frankly the biggest mistake we ever made.

No doubt there will be the "oh yes but who trimmed her" calls to try and explain away the issues she faced but quite frankly, it didnt suit her and thats the end of it. I couldnt run about with bare feet either...
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Excuse me. I do not appreciate being referred to as a 'barefoot vulture'.

I am sorry about your old mare but please don't grind your axe with me.

The OP asked a question on what to do with thin soles and in my experience throwing money at it with lotions and fancy shoes and pads only patches over the problem. It doesn't solve the original issue.

I doubt the horse was born with this problem. Not a genetics issue that some people are so fond of saying.

So how did the problem start?

In the past competition horses would routinely have their shoes removed out of season so the hoof would get a break from shoes. We don't seem to do this anymore.

I am not anti shoe. If a horse is more comfortable in shoes - then great. But the OP's horse is clearly not - so I would ask why.

Please don't be so hostile to other forum users. It is not necessary.
 
Oberon said:
Excuse me. I do not appreciate being referred to as a 'barefoot vulture'.


Please don't be so hostile to other forum users. It is not necessary.
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You are excused... and I bet you dont.... but then I didnt in anycase.

I'm not being hostile... Im pointing out that barefoot doesnt suit everyone, no matter what some people might say.
 
Sadly and in all probability you'll carry on as you are and it'll cost you a fortune.

One day though you might pull those shoes as a last resort and give your mare a chance to stand on her own four feet?

Just don't disregard everything offered, shoes can always go back on.
 
amandap said:
Ah, shoes, barefoot and tarmac. For all non vultures to watch carefully. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-us0SxGL2o
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oh I absolutely agree that an unshod foot is better able to absorb the load from above BUT its not always practicle to have your horse unshod. They have to be conditioned for it, hence why places like Rockley Farm spring up as it provides a service to people who have the time and money to try that route PROPERLY. Does it occur to anyone that landing on the heel may be indicative of toe pain ? possibly from tearing of the laminae ? Rather than herald those horses as perfect, I'd be concerned that they land heel first, even up hill... I'd rather see my horse land his hoof straight.

Not everyone does have the time and facilities to go barefoot...and to recommend it as the answer to everyones ills is blindsighted to say the least. Many owners simply do not have the facilities or the time to take their horses barefoot.

We are on heavy clay sloping paddocks with narrow top-dressed lanes. We dont have nice grassy paddocks or miles of decent bridleways to do the conditioning work. Thats why taking our old girl barefoot didnt work. She had totally sore toes at all times... and landed heel first because she was so sore.

Its not the best option for everyone.... simples.

Apologies to the OP... Ive taken this WAY off topic...
 
elsbells said:
Sadly and in all probability you'll carry on as you are and it'll cost you a fortune.
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See, its these generalisations that are worrying..

To suggest going barefoot is any cheaper is a dangerous thing to do... the responsible thing to consider is the time and effort required to get them trimmed properly and conditioned adequately. Its not a cheap option to pull their shoes off and leave them to it.
 
The best advise I can offer the OP is to do what I have done and to look on the internet and in books and read everything about feet that you can. The first thing that you want to look at is diet. Even if you don't go barefoot diet is important and high fibre low sugar/starch is the way to go. Do read all the small print on the bags of food as not all low sugar foods are what they claim to be. It will take some time for this to have an effect and I wouldn't consider taking shoes off until she has been on this diet for a while. In the meantime Keratex hoof hardener is a great help.
 
mrussell said:
We are on heavy clay sloping paddocks with narrow top-dressed lanes. We dont have nice grassy paddocks or miles of decent bridleways to do the conditioning work. Thats why taking our old girl barefoot didnt work.
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Nice grassy paddocks are exactly what you don't want - grassy paddocks are a huge health hazard! If you've got roads to work on then you don't need miles of decent bridleways. And if your only tracks are very stoney then you start out using hoof boots. You don't need special facilities to take your horse barefoot - you just need good advice, knowledge and patience. There are hoof boots to fit every hoof shape and size so no excuses there.
 
mrdarcy said:
So what is the cause of thin soles then?
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In my opinion, soft soles, just like soft hands, is down to environment. If you spend your days washing up, youre more likely to have soft hands than someone who spents their days laying bricks. Sweeping generalisation maybe but what you eat has very little to do with the callouses on your hands. The top layer of your skin is affected by what you subject it to.

Careful stimulation thickens your skin into callouses... too much too soon and you get blisters. This is my point, to go barefoot you need to do the careful prep work and it needs to be ongoing and maintained carefully.

I worry that people think they can send their horse away for conditioning for 6 months then return it to its normal environment without it going down hill.
 
mrussell said:
In my opinion, soft soles, just like soft hands, is down to environment. If you spend your days washing up, youre more likely to have soft hands than someone who spents their days laying bricks. Sweeping generalisation maybe but what you eat has very little to do with the callouses on your hands. The top layer of your skin is affected by what you subject it to.

Careful stimulation thickens your skin into callouses... too much too soon and you get blisters. This is my point, to go barefoot you need to do the careful prep work and it needs to be ongoing and maintained carefully.

I worry that people think they can send their horse away for conditioning for 6 months then return it to its normal environment without it going down hill.
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I'd agree entirely with that. The diet part of sensitive soles is due to inflammation of the supercorium, including the solar corium. Successful barefoot takes work - I always stress that and the fact that hoof strength is a constantly changing thing, so just because your horse is transitioned doesn't mean he will stay that way unless you keep on top of the diet and environment. It's a long term investment but well well worth it.
 
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