Frog squashed flat after having pads on front hooves for at least 6 months

[NikKnock]

Soon after getting my chunky thoroughbred the farrier and I decided to give pads a go on the front feet, this because he didn't cope well on stony ground, I guess because he has rather typical thoroughbred, long, splayed, flattish feet. This has been his shoeing routine for the last 6 months at least and he's been as sound as a pound ever since. However today he lost a front shoe and it meant I had the chance to see his foot without the pad and was shocked to see that as a result of wearing them his frog has been squashed almost flat. He was also incredibly foot sore when I had to lead him across gravl and in fact hopping a bit when I checked if he was OK trotting in the sand school. I'm concerned that in using pads we've done more harm than good. Does anyone have a similar experience, and do I have to accept that I'll always have to shoe him with pads?

 

[Landcruiser]

Do you have any photos?
I don't know much about pads, but would assume they would encourage fungal infection, as well as act as a "sticking plaster" rather than address the issue of improving his feet. Long splayed flattish feet need sorting out, they will cause joint damage in the long term...

 

[ester]

IMO the most important thing about pads is what is put on under the pads. In a lot of ways they should be improving the use of the whole hoof and therefore helping to stimulate and build frog not destroy it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

There are new materials that are used for pads now that shouldn't interfere with the frog, my farrier uses the dental impression stuff with gauze so that moulds around the foot without crushing the frog, he also uses silicone that doesn't crush the frog either my horse had pads on for about 3 or 4 shoeing cycles and his frogs were fine.

 

[ycbm]

Does anyone have a similar experience, and do I have to accept that I'll always have to shoe him with pads

Back before the days of these new materials I had to have a horse with a hole in his foot shod with a pad for one cycle. As he put it on, the farrier said "the easiest way to create a horse that can't be ridden without pads is to shoe them with pads. I've never forgotten it.

 

[meleeka]

As above, it depends on what is used with the pads. Just pads on their own will create a soft, squishy mess over time. Are you sure your farrier hasn’t overly trimmed the frog?

Pads used correctly should help the shod foot improve.

 

[tallyho!]

Frogs are supposed to mould to their environment, it’s one of their jobs… my barefoot horses have “flat” frogs but I would consider that a healthy functioning frog on a good working foot. Without photos, I wouldn’t like to say what’s going on with the frog you are talking about here, maybe take a photo and post it?

 

[lynz88]

Agree with the others that it depends on what has been used between the pad and the foot. I would also add that when my horse was in any type of pad, my farrier refused to do feet when it was raining and/or the foot was wet as he didn't want to trap any extra moisture in that could lead to rot.

 

[sbloom]

Our idea of what a normal/healthy frog looks like is usually wrong and they are flatter and wider than we expect. There are amazing shoeing/pad systems these days, and they do not need to cause issues or a dependency on the pads - see https://www.facebook.com/hoofscanandhoofcarecentre.

Agree, we need photos, square on of the sole, and ideally some. taken literally from ground level, as low as you can get the lens, side shots too.

 

[NikKnock]

General response to all. Thank you for your thoughts, all really interesting. He's certainly gone really well since having pads at front, no footiness and can cope all but the sharpest stones really well. His frog and sole don't look thrushy or squishy, and maybe what I'm seeing is a trimmed frog. We dispensed with the dental impression material last two shoeings and it is just a plastic (or rubber?) pad that has a frog shaped bit with aerated branches coming off which sit either side of frog and the rest of the pad encircles the hoof wall and sits between shoe and hoof. I will call back in on him and take a photo of said shoeless foot and post. The farrier comes this afternoon to shoe all round so we'll talk and maybe he'll put my mind at rest as to continued use and the fact the pad has made quite a dent at back of frog just before heel.

 

[sbloom]

In most cases a method of shoeing should make a horse more sound each time the shoes come off, so something's not quite working for your horse.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I had the late chestnut git shod with pads for several shoeing cycles after he started feeling stoney ground as a youngster. The pads were a thick non breathable flexible rubber type material. I was surprised that his feet coped fine with this, and he never got thrush.

He only needed them for a bit, and he was still sound at 25yo. Quirky as heck, but sound...

 

[NikKnock]

Hi all again! Farrier been and we've decided to see how he goes without pads. Sorry I forgot about the photos, but I'm feeling reassured. So rode him on hack straight after shoeing and yes he's obviously bruised his near fore somewhere since losing that shoe yesterday BUT I could tell he wasn't at all footsore on the other three (minus pads)..ie a transformation from the horse I first acquired last October. I can only assume that his feet have improved, his overall condition is loads better, the farrier must have got the angles all correct and despite being a thin skinned, thin soled thoroughbred he was fine on tarmac, gravel, roots, uneven surface etc on the hack. So I'm hopeful that the pads plus correct trimming and shoeing has sorted him out. Just got to get him better from the this touch of lameness (which is only apparent in trot) and fingers crossed pads got us through a transition period.

 

[NikKnock]

I had the late chestnut git shod with pads for several shoeing cycles after he started feeling stoney ground as a youngster. The pads were a thick non breathable flexible rubber type material. I was surprised that his feet coped fine with this, and he never got thrush.

He only needed them for a bit, and he was still sound at 25yo. Quirky as heck, but sound...

Hi Tiddlypom. I'm hoping we're going to have a similar story. Mines a ginger git, and although nine two days ago, green and low mileage. A late developer and certainly weak and unbalanced all over when I first got him, so much so I thought I'd made a terrible mistake buying the stumbling, tender-footed, toe dragging twonk. But nine months on he's strong, fit , doesn't trip (well not unless he's looking at the view rather than where he should be putting his feet!) and is developing a top line and rarely toe drags at the back, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that like you and your boy, the pads (which sound exactly the same btw and no thrush or problems either) were just getting us through a transition period from wimpy boy to tough guy!☺