NT-Dry (Thrush Powder) - Please tell me it helps ?

[Spangles]

Our horse was suffering from recurrent thrush in all 4 feet and since subsequently being diagnosed with Cushings and having been taking Prascend for about 7-8 weeks, we are in a much better place apart from one hind foot where she has now developed a really deep in the central sulcus going up the heel bulb. This has happened the past week with all the wet weather.

Can anyone give me hope that NT-Dry powder will help to treat/ close this deep split/ crack. Any tips and advice gratefully received on application, frequency of use etc. It doesn't smell thrush (yet) but keen to get on top of dealing with this. It's been such a huge headache !

Thank you !

 

[TPO]

It didn't work for one of mine at all.

Have you tried any Red Horse products? I've had the most success with them. I like Field Paste best and it's worked wonders for me. Hoof Stuff is great for packing into cracks and holes. I also like using Sole Cleanse to flush out crevices.

 

[Burnttoast]

Hoof stuff for me.

 

[Spangles]

It didn't work for one of mine at all.

Have you tried any Red Horse products? I've had the most success with them. I like Field Paste best and it's worked wonders for me. Hoof Stuff is great for packing into cracks and holes. I also like using Sole Cleanse to flush out crevices.

Hi, what would be best to pack this into the big crack ? Will it dry up the crack and kill bacteria ? How often should it be replaced? Sorry for questions. The heel bulb either side of the crack looks white and soft - bit like you hands when you've been in the bath too long.

 

[Identityincrisis]

I have used all kinds on different horses but my favourite and easiest is salt water! I put a few inches of salt water in a bucket and let it soak a few minutes and scrub with a scrubbing brush, i also like to get a syringe and syringe it right in. I dry the hoof by packing it with kitchen roll (right into the crevice) or cotton makeup pads, once dry I slather hoof paste all in the grooves and cracks. Everything takes time but the above is cheap and effective

 

[TPO]

Hi, what would be best to pack this into the big crack ? Will it dry up the crack and kill bacteria ? How often should it be replaced? Sorry for questions. The heel bulb either side of the crack looks white and soft - bit like you hands when you've been in the bath too long.

Like this? (Photos on separate photos because it messes up quotes if I try and do one post)

Is horse in overnight?

I'd flush out with Sole Cleanse then thoroughly dry with blue paper/kitchen towel.

Once completely dry I'd pack with Hoof Stuff. It should stay in overnight but you might need to top it up.

When my horse was really bad I flushed and dried 2x a day then packed.

I used field paste daily too and got it right in central sulcus and collateral grooves.

 

[TPO]

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My Cushings mare responded very well to Tea-tree oil spray. Farrier recommended a RedHirse product having seen it used by another client. I ordered it but there was a 2 week wait, so I used the tea-tree oil spray in the meantime. By the time the Red Hirse stuff was delivered her feet problems were cleared up.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Make sure the foot is balanced and weighting the heel correctly. You may need boots and pads for a few weeks to allow this to happen, as thrush is painful. Unless the frog is 'kissing' the ground with every step, then unfortunately, the thrush will persist. It took me two years to accept this, and thanks to Pete Ramey's articles on thrush I changed from a farrier to a barefoot trimmer and never looked back.

 

[tyner]

Something with thrush-- it's important that the diet is right--if something is low they are susceptible to it and it doesn't matter how clean the conditions are and how much Red Horse you put on it.

My horse had the worst thrush when he was in the hospital, in the cleanest setting. The reason partly was because they were feeding him something with beet in it which he doesn't digest well (they knew that but fed it anyway, another story).

Check your feed and make sure he's getting enough copper, protein, iodine, calcium, all things really important for connective tissue and strong immune system. In my case we were really low on all these things. It seems like everything with hooves starts in their stomach.

 

[paddy555]

Something with thrush-- it's important that the diet is right--if something is low they are susceptible to it and it doesn't matter how clean the conditions are and how much Red Horse you put on it.

My horse had the worst thrush when he was in the hospital, in the cleanest setting. The reason partly was because they were feeding him something with beet in it which he doesn't digest well (they knew that but fed it anyway, another story).

Check your feed and make sure he's getting enough copper, protein, iodine, calcium, all things really important for connective tissue and strong immune system. In my case we were really low on all these things. It seems like everything with hooves starts in their stomach.

sorry to disagree with this but everything with hooves, or at least thrush, starts in the back of the foot ie a heel landing. Getting this will keep thrush at bay. I haven't found that diet makes any difference nor any amount of lotions and potions nor cleanliness as you say. .

To get rid of it I would soak the foot copper sulphate solution twice 4 days apart and keep the split open. Give it a clean with cotton wool but leave it open Stuffing anything in provides a lovely home for bugs.

 

[paddy555]

Make sure the foot is balanced and weighting the heel correctly. You may need boots and pads for a few weeks to allow this to happen, as thrush is painful. Unless the frog is 'kissing' the ground with every step, then unfortunately, the thrush will persist. It took me two years to accept this, and thanks to Pete Ramey's articles on thrush I changed from a farrier to a barefoot trimmer and never looked back.

there seem to be lots of posts on all these threads about thrush and lotions and potions but far less about this. Possibly those with good heel landings don't have thrush and therefore don't read thrush threads. Those with thrush post about lots of products.

"Kissing the ground" is the best expression I've heard for it. Love it

 

[Puddock]

NT-Dry worked fabulously well for my old horse, who probably had sub-clinical cushings. I fought the problem for many years and tried all the products mentioned above, as well as iodine, hydrogen peroxide, hibiscrub and various others. Diet was carefully evaluated, horse was carefully and sympathetically barefoot trimmed by an excellent remedial farrier, we tried literally everything. Two months using this stuff and all four feet were fully healed. Never had a problem again, just used to apply it twice a week in the winter.

I would expect to see an improvement after about 2 weeks’ daily use, and healing after a month. A big bottle should let you do all four feet every day for a month. I used a hoof pick with a little brush on the back - one puff over the frog and then lightly brush it, then one puff right into the central sulcus, pushing it in with the “blade” of the hoofpick if the horse will allow. Honestly, it’s a game-changer.

 

[onemoretime]

It didn't work for one of mine at all.

Have you tried any Red Horse products? I've had the most success with them. I like Field Paste best and it's worked wonders for me. Hoof Stuff is great for packing into cracks and holes. I also like using Sole Cleanse to flush out crevices.

Agree with this ^^^. Have a look at Red Horse Products as they have a range of products to suit most hoof problems. Also get your farrier to have a good look and he may need to cut some parts away to get the necessary product into the area.

 

[HuskyFluff]

https://www.horseleads.co.uk/product-page/horse-leads-hoof-clay-1kg-hoof-spray-500ml-saver-combo

 

[Spangles]

My Cushings mare responded very well to Tea-tree oil spray. Farrier recommended a RedHirse product having seen it used by another client. I ordered it but there was a 2 week wait, so I used the tea-tree oil spray in the meantime. By the time the Red Hirse stuff was delivered her feet problems were cleared up.

Can I please ask which spray ? Does it not sting ?

sorry to disagree with this but everything with hooves, or at least thrush, starts in the back of the foot ie a heel landing. Getting this will keep thrush at bay. I haven't found that diet makes any difference nor any amount of lotions and potions nor cleanliness as you say. .

To get rid of it I would soak the foot copper sulphate solution twice 4 days apart and keep the split open. Give it a clean with cotton wool but leave it open Stuffing anything in provides a lovely home for bugs.

What ratio did you use ? I thought copper Sulphate would sting ? How long did you soak for please ?
How will the split heal now were into wet conditions? It’s so hard

 

[sollimum]

My young cob has a central sulcus split at the moment. He came with thrush in all four and I have managed to clear 3. Everyday it is flushed wish red horse sole cleanse and then I pack with red horse hoof stuff - as recommended by EP. He also told me to buy an engineer's marker off amazon for £4 to push the hoof stuff into the hole as otherwise I was doing it with a hoofpick and it fell out.

 

[Identityincrisis]

It’s all very well and good saying a heel first landing is the best thing for thrush but the horse has to be comfortable on said heels to achieve heel first and having thrush makes heels painful, therefore you have to treat the thrush!

And as for saying the diet doesn’t matter, some horses it is vital, not every horse, but some!

 

[paddy555]

Can I please ask which spray ? Does it not sting ?

What ratio did you use ? I thought copper Sulphate would sting ? How long did you soak for please ?
How will the split heal now were into wet conditions? It’s so hard

100g per litre. No one has ever complained it has stung.
How long? if you can get a soaking boot on go for about 15 mins, same in a bucket.

If the horse is really difficult about I have just mixed some up and sponged it into the area with cotton wool for as long as the horse copes.

 

[paddy555]

It’s all very well and good saying a heel first landing is the best thing for thrush but the horse has to be comfortable on said heels to achieve heel first and having thrush makes heels painful, therefore you have to treat the thrush!

And as for saying the diet doesn’t matter, some horses it is vital, not every horse, but some!

I agree with your first para but some of these horses appear to have thrush forever. I'm not saying you don't have to treat it but having done that then sort the heel landing out because that is what will help for the future.

Sorry but as far as diet goes I still don't agree. I have had horses (barefoot or unshod as we called it then) on good diets, bad diets and everything in between over the last 50 odd years. Then I had a period of probably around 10years on what would be regarded as pretty good diets for barefoot horses and absolutely no difference. I cannot relate to diet as far as thrush goes. . I can relate that for some horses supplementation is needed to get foot growth.

I do however think that for some wet, warm sugary grass can cause fungal infections. Not eating it but externally in their feet.

My horses over the years that did most work barefoot (there were no boots back then) didn''t get supplements and their diet would have been molassed. Nothing special as I simply couldn't have afforded it. Also no lotions and potions on the feet and little cleaning.

I experimented a lot with various things on feet but came to the conclusion that they, and constant cleaning, did little to help. I noticed the best improvements with nothing. Of my 32 feet I cannot remember the last time I put anything on any of them.

 

[tyner]

sorry to disagree with this but everything with hooves, or at least thrush, starts in the back of the foot ie a heel landing. Getting this will keep thrush at bay. I haven't found that diet makes any difference nor any amount of lotions and potions nor cleanliness as you say. .

To get rid of it I would soak the foot copper sulphate solution twice 4 days apart and keep the split open. Give it a clean with cotton wool but leave it open Stuffing anything in provides a lovely home for bugs.

Thrush most frequently is associated with an infection from Fusobacterium necrophorum.
It's an opportunistic bacteria and just like other bacterial infections, horses that are less healthy or have weaker immune systems, or are over exposed to it in their environment are more susceptible.

You have to look at the animal as a whole system. Thrush is a symptom of bacteria getting in from weakened immunity. It can have a few different root causes. It might be one thing but maybe several at the same time.

It's wrong to say that diet doesn't matter if it's not something that has been consciously looked into and ruled out. What they have in their diet is a big part (but not all) of what supports their immune response. There's a lot of variation between feeds and pastures. Too many take their forage for granted.

The heel first landing is important for the same reason because it's a sign of a healthier horse-- one with a healthier hoof balance, weight distribution and better blood flow.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Here in Ireland where horse husbandry is generally speaking rather basic we use an iodine solution in a spray bottle.

 

[paddy555]

Thrush most frequently is associated with an infection from Fusobacterium necrophorum.
It's an opportunistic bacteria and just like other bacterial infections, horses that are less healthy or have weaker immune systems, or are over exposed to it in their environment are more susceptible.

You have to look at the animal as a whole system. Thrush is a symptom of bacteria getting in from weakened immunity. It can have a few different root causes. It might be one thing but maybe several at the same time.

It's wrong to say that diet doesn't matter if it's not something that has been consciously looked into and ruled out. What they have in their diet is a big part (but not all) of what supports their immune response. There's a lot of variation between feeds and pastures. Too many take their forage for granted.

The heel first landing is important for the same reason because it's a sign of a healthier horse-- one with a healthier hoof balance, weight distribution and better blood flow.

I see the point you are making but to me deep sulchi, contraction and frog raised from the ground are far more common.

 

[ycbm]

I see the point you are making but to me deep sulchi, contraction and frog raised from the ground are far more common.

None of which can be resolved by a heel first landing without being rid of the thrush preventing a heel first landing.

Stuffing anything in provides a lovely home for bugs.

This is nonsense, sorry. If you clean it out and stuff it with an antibacterial/antifungal product you not only kill the infection you will prevent further debris from being stuffed into the hole causing reinfection and/or pain. In the absence of something antibacterial the bugs will multiply again as soon as there's a plug of dirt in the hole, they breed in an anaerobic environment.

My current horse's frogs were tunnelled with thrush which broke to the surface with deep splits after I got him. Red Horse Hoof Stuff did a fantastic job. When the holes were no longer deep enough to hold it I packed them with copper sulphate powder which finished the job nicely.
.

 

[paddy555]

None of which can be resolved by a heel first landing without being rid of the thrush preventing a heel first landing.

I think I did agree with this in my first para of post 20.

This is nonsense, sorry. If you clean it out and stuff it with an antibacterial/antifungal product you not only kill the infection you will prevent further debris from being stuffed into the hole causing reinfection and/or pain. In the absence of something antibacterial the bugs will multiply again as soon as there's a plug of dirt in the hole, they breed in an anaerobic environment.

My current horse's frogs were tunnelled with thrush which broke to the surface with deep splits after I got him. Red Horse Hoof Stuff did a fantastic job. When the holes were no longer deep enough to hold it I packed them with copper sulphate powder which finished the job nicely.
.

I don't pack with anything. I have never found it stays in particuarly well. A few minutes in the field or yarded and moving around and it is gone. If it stays in I found the packing (and the cavity) just becomes muddy. I use soaks for about 20 mins and would clean the sulchus/split out to remove mud in between. I have tried packing in the past (and many other things) but find leaving it open works better and quicker for me at least.