Not getting anywhere with thrush...

C

Christmas Crumpet

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Horse has had thrush in one hind foot for quite a while - he isn't sensitive when I stick the hoof pick in his central sulcus but the gap does go right to the back of his foot up to the hairline. I've tried Sole Cleanse, terramycin and Hoof Stuff. I clean out his foot every night and scrub it with water to get the mud out, dry it then have been applying either Sole Cleanse or terramycin. The Hoof Stuff I couldn't get to stay in.

He had his shoes off a couple of days ago and actually seems ok without them - he's been on Pro Hoof for a year and has also been on a low starch/sugar diet too since then. He is currently out on rubbish grazing (mostly mud as we are trying to rest the other fields to roll and harrow them), 12 hour 2 year old soaked hay and a token feed of Copra & Speedibeet to get his supplements in (salt, Pro Hoof & Vit E Oil). He is on holiday and shoes will be off for 12 weeks approx. He is fine over the 10 yards of stones we have to go across (we have a gravel area that goes from the yard to the top of the drive which is about 20 yards. I have got rubber mats over the first 10 yards but have run out of any more to put down!!). Normally that would be ok as the grass verge would be dry enough to walk on but its not quite there yet and its the garden so OH gets a bit funny with hoof prints all over it!!!). We've been going for walks down the road when I get him in at night and he's quite happy walking on the tarmac too. So hopefully the good diet and Pro Hoof has given him good soles. Anyway I digress...!!!

What can I do to get rid of this very stubborn thrush? Or is it thrush? Farrier said it didn't smell and was a clean gap in his foot but I know it shouldn't be there. His feet aren't brilliant - bit underrun and low heels but he hasn't had any time out of shoes for about 5 years or so I reckon. I've had him since this time last year. I'm sure the Hoof Stuff will stay in better once its a bit dryer but until then, what can I do to really attack it?
 
If it doesn't smell I think it's probably not thrush but a sheared heel. If you keep it clean it will very likely put itself right now you have the shoes off and the horse can find the right balance to even up the pressure between the two sides for himself. Can you try to get him wearing his own balance and avoid trimming? The foot may look unbalanced but he will wear it to suit the bones in his leg and foot.

I've fixed several sheared heels by taking off the shoes.
 
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I didn't have his feet trimmed or touched at all when he had his shoes off - literally whipped them off and that was that. My intention is to give him his holiday but will walk him in hand every day on the road. I must take some photos of his feet now to see how they change. I hadn't actually thought of a sheared heel but looking at photos, I think you could be right. Very glad he's got his shoes off!!
 
it could well be a sheared heel but just in case iodine just brushed on works well. No need to wash the foot.
If you have run out of rubber mats what about carpet? I have often made walkways for sore horses just out of shoes with strips of old carpets.
 
For a horse with stubborn thrush I used to scrub it everyday with hibiscrub and then iodine it worked a treat :). if you're really brave then you can use hydrogen peroxide does clear it up but not the nicest chemical!
 
Mine's always been prone to it over winter/spring. Found a miracle cure this year. Apple Cider Vinegar!

I've put it on my my lads frogs twice since the last week and it's cleared it straight up. I've tried iodine, peroxide, saline, various potions over the years of owning him....nothing has sorted it that quickly!
 
Mine had it for a long period last year. I used peroxide on farriers advice b-blonde cream cos it was easier to direct and work into gaps than the liquid stuff) plus 'silver thrush' powder. I think the powder is supposed to pack into the gaps and stop the thrush taking hold there again, and that did eventually work for us. This year they were on formula 4feet (farriers advice again) and miraculously hardly any thrush this winter even in madams dodgy hoof whilst out in liquid mud since November.

If you have a gap, it may be old thrush which is now cleared rather than current if it's not smelly as it will take time to grow back. I would strongly recommend continuing with mild thrush treatment until your gap is grown out or ground is dry though audit does easily take hold in them again.
 
gnubee said:
If you have a gap, it may be old thrush which is now cleared rather than current if it's not smelly as it will take time to grow back. I would strongly recommend continuing with mild thrush treatment until your gap is grown out or ground is dry though audit does easily take hold in them again.
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if you are worried it still is thrushy cleantrax and white lightening (not the cider) have very good reps for stubborn cases.
 
It does sound more like sheared heels than thrush, but I would probably make sure it stays that way with a bit of flossing with water and then something mild like sudacreme on a cloth so you can get it right in the central sulcus. I never had much luck with Hoof Stuff but swear by Artimud fo staying in and keeping things thrush free.

For your own piece of mind, you could do a cleantrax soak if your horses is sensible enough with foot handling. Its a time-consuming faff and not cheap but in cleans up absolutely everything in one go so you can be completely confident there is no infection.
 
Agree it doesn't sound like thrush...my lad had similar, cleared up with the weather and the ground plus changed him to shavings rather than straw (made a difference!) , fed linseed which had improved feet coat hooves, no sign since and that was 7 years ago...
 
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