Red horse field paste, artimud and hoof stuff - Thrush

[Queenbee]

Talk to me - what's the difference/what is best.

So a little while ago before I moved up here I went away for a few days and ben didn't have his hooves checked when I cam back there was a stone that had wedged itself into the tip of his frog and by the time I found it and took it out had created a pocket of sorts. Well we were doing so well keeping any nasties at bay and making progress (or so I thought) but today he was resting his foot and sore on it when he came in and it was packed again with mud and gravel. At the same time I noticed something I should have spotted earlier but it was so gradual... the collateral sulcus on all four hooves were getting deeper. At first when this happened I was pleased as he never really had any to speak of, his feet were really quite flat, when they started to deepen, they looked more normal. However, they are deeper than I would like and although not smelly at all, there is a black substance on the pick when I pick them and the tip of this one frog out. The central sulcus on the other hand on all 4 hooves is amazingly good. So I need to nip this in the bud and work on getting that tip right.

Tonight I decided a couple of days at least off the damp field is in order... with some turnout in the arena and some walking in hand. He wasn't sore after I cleared the pocket out. Picked out the hoof, scrubbed and hosed it out, then I just tipped iodine down there for now. However, I need something to paint/pack down the collateral sulcus and poke into this hole for turnout. Now I have never used Red Horse products... never needed to, but I know their reputation and they were the first website I went to when I got home.

But they have 3 products and I am confused as hell, I have no idea which one to use for the best outcome. Can people who have used them give me some idea of the differences anddirection/recommendation for which would be best? Thank you!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have never used Red Horse products but swear by tea-tree oil spray for dealing with minor hoof problems (including thrush/thrush prevention). It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and drying.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I use Red Horse Sole Cleanse for keeping the feet healthy. Because it's a spray it gets right down into the crevices of the hoof and neither of mine have had thrush since using it and they are up to their ankles in mud at the moment.

 

[Surbie]

I have field paste, sole cleanse and hoof stuff. Sole cleanse first to get clean - or weak iodine wash if I can't find it. Field paste is a clay and will not stay put in a hoof in a wet field, but it is good if you are stabling them. I stick it in the crevices - it smells nice and seems to do the trick at drying out and killing off thrushy bits.

Hoof stuff is brilliant for filling holes and gaps once they are clean. It's like chewing gum - it has fibrous stuff in it, is sticky and has stayed in cobbus's hoof gaps for a couple of days, and he's turned out in a boggy field. So personally I'd go for that if you want something to pack the sulcus with. I clean the stuff out every other day and clean & repack. Not sure if that's overkill.

 

[ester]

I have field paste, sole cleanse and hoof stuff too. (the field paste was mostly bought for mum because she kept forgetting .
My usual is squirt with sole cleanse and pack with hoof stuff which depending on what your CG actually look like will likely stay in.

 

[Queenbee]

I have field paste, sole cleanse and hoof stuff. Sole cleanse first to get clean - or weak iodine wash if I can't find it. Field paste is a clay and will not stay put in a hoof in a wet field, but it is good if you are stabling them. I stick it in the crevices - it smells nice and seems to do the trick at drying out and killing off thrushy bits.

Hoof stuff is brilliant for filling holes and gaps once they are clean. It's like chewing gum - it has fibrous stuff in it, is sticky and has stayed in cobbus's hoof gaps for a couple of days, and he's turned out in a boggy field. So personally I'd go for that if you want something to pack the sulcus with. I clean the stuff out every other day and clean & repack. Nt sure if that's overkill.

Thank you,

I have ordered sole cleanse and hoof stuff, I had a look at some of the paste reviews and they said exactly the same, that it was a great product but not good in muddy fields.

He is going to stay in for a few days on a big dry straw bed with wood pellets underneath and a nice big dry hardstanding area in his stable too as its 14 x 16 with sandschool turnout. The sole cleanse and hoof stuff should be here by tuesday as I did RM 1st class and in the meantime I will be scrubbing with an iodine solution. Will probably turn him out on Wednesday with the hoof stuff in if he seems ok and it has arrived

 

[Queenbee]

I have field paste, sole cleanse and hoof stuff too. (the field paste was mostly bought for mum because she kept forgetting .
My usual is squirt with sole cleanse and pack with hoof stuff which depending on what your CG actually look like will likely stay in.

Thanks Ester, yep gone for the hoof stuff and sole cleanse, will take a pic tomorrow of all 4 so I can chart/assess progress and will post them on here for peoples thoughts xx

 

[ester]

Also you can always measure them to keep an eye quite a lot is read into CG depth.

 

[Queenbee]

Good idea thanks for the tip x

 

[Fransurrey]

You should be fine with hoof stuff. I make my own version, but having the fibres really enables me to pack it into the deep sulcii and it's always still there (and dry!) when i go to replace it 2-3 days later. I use a Paddy Finegan hoof stand to make it easier for me an coblet - having both hands to work it in really helps!

 

[Queenbee]

Evening all, an update on the beast... spent today in for the most part. Went turned him out in the sandschool for an hour although he didn't do much walking around - he was too fixated on the YO's horses that came to say hello. After this I hosed, picked and scrubbed with a dishwasher brush and an iodine solution. He was a good boy, all four feet were done, he was definately still a little sore on his near hind but not to walk on, more when I picked him his other hooves. I left him for a bit on the hardstanding with his haynet then walked him out in hand for some grass, then back in the stable with his new bag of pellets down. Went up this evening to do hay/water/feed and skip out and took some pics. Have also pm'd the farrier as he is in need of a trim anyway. The collateral sulcus on all was a bit black but only one was slightly smelly.... Off fore I think. The near hind is the one with the issue at the end of the apex of the frog... doesn't show up that well in the pics but have circled it.

Near fore




Near Hiind


Off Fore


Off Hind

I have side and front profiles too... just got to re-size them.

 

[Queenbee]

You should be fine with hoof stuff. I make my own version, but having the fibres really enables me to pack it into the deep sulcii and it's always still there (and dry!) when i go to replace it 2-3 days later. I use a Paddy Finegan hoof stand to make it easier for me an coblet - having both hands to work it in really helps!

Thank you! Great tip, my back aches just from today lol!

 

[Queenbee]

ok, the rest of the pics...

front profile of the fronts... you can see they both have a crack :/

Near Fore



Off Fore



Side Pics
Near Fore



Off Hind



Near Hind



Off Fore



Hope I have labelled them right... going cross eyed with the re-sizing and naming of each hoof pic!

 

[DabDab]

Can't really comment on the thrush much from those pics, but those cracks in the front do look a bit seedy toe esk. Would be worth getting the farrier to have a look, because if it's bacteria causing the crack then he'll need to make a little mouse hole for you so you can get some treatment in there and pack it with hoof stuff or similar. Otherwise the crack will just keep growing.

 

[Queenbee]

yep I am with you re the farrier, he has pm'd me back and is coming out this week some time. It is something I have been keeping an eye on as he had some stones trapped in his white lines last time the farrier was out and these cracks... they don't seem to have gotten worse but I don't like them being there!! He always used to chip bits off his hooves in chunks in Cornwall and his fronts often grew quite splayed which didn't help and I would always be finding a crack . But this new farrier in Cumbria did a fantastic job in September I requested a slight rasp around the edge on his fronts at the time and it's done wonders, no chipping, no visible growth in cracks and the front hooves shape has visibly changed for the better. I gave the lines a good scrub too today and will see what he says when he comes.

 

[Queenbee]

So after 24 hrs in on a dry combo bed of pellets and straw and a good scrub down with an iodine solution yesterday lunch time, his feet are looking a lot better. Since it was relatively frosty today the ground was nice and hard (not muddy) and he was chucked out with some hay in his paddock. The woman who turned him out said he walked out much better and when I bought him in this evening he was striding in nicely. I did the same trick tonight... pick out, scrub with water then scrubbed with iodine. I am still concerned about the apex of the frog on his hind but the other areas are much better today. He is staying in tomorrow though as I suspect his hoof stuff and sole cleanse will arrive. So I want his feet bone dry when I pack the crevice. Still waiting to hear what day the farrier is coming this week but he has confirmed it will be this week.

 

[Reacher]

Glad feet are looking better. I didn’t realise you are barefoot, you might be interested to know there is a barefoot trimmer in your vicinity, she is pretty knowledgeable from what I gather, though she is very “hard core” re diet etc. (I found her a bit too hard core!😂)

My retired mare (TB) is prone to toe cracks and my trimmer (not the one mentioned above ) keeps toe very short and between (6 week) visits I rasp both horses feet to keep them balanced and keep to pressure of TB’s toe (I went on the trimmer’s owners course first where you practice on cadaver feet)

Out of sheer nosiness who is your farrier ? Feel free to pm or ignore me if I’m being too nosy 😁 !)

 

[Mrs G]

I agree with DabDab that the cracks in the front might be seedy toe. My TB had a similar crack for months that got no worse but wouldnt go away. Farrier at the time said as it wasnt getting worse and wasnt causing issues to leave it but new farrier cut it out as soon as he saw it and advised if I continued to leave it and it ever did get worse it could end up needing drastic treatment. Horse looked like he had a cloven hoof for a couple of months while it grew out but the hoof is now a thing of beauty and no cracks! Hoof stuff I use for deep central sulcus crevices; it is tricky to use but really does the job if you really cram it in.

 

[holeymoley]

They’re looking better. If you don’t get any further improvements I really recommend Kevin Bacon Hoof Dressing. It’s a tiny bottle but works miracles! The only thing that got my guy’s under control.

 

[Queenbee]

Glad feet are looking better. I didn’t realise you are barefoot, you might be interested to know there is a barefoot trimmer in your vicinity, she is pretty knowledgeable from what I gather, though she is very “hard core” re diet etc. (I found her a bit too hard core!😂)

My retired mare (TB) is prone to toe cracks and my trimmer (not the one mentioned above ) keeps toe very short and between (6 week) visits I rasp both horses feet to keep them balanced and keep to pressure of TB’s toe (I went on the trimmer’s owners course first where you practice on cadaver feet)

Out of sheer nosiness who is your farrier ? Feel free to pm or ignore me if I’m being too nosy 😁 !)

I've been using John Stalker. I was very impressed with the job he did. He took his time and was very thorough.

Oh I went to the white mare this weekend. Lovely food!!

If he has shoes on the cracks go, but he is a good barefooter generally. The cracks tend to show when his feet go a bit splayed. However, since John had a go at them they seem to have maintained a much better shape and the concavity on his sole had improved he was quite flat footed before moving and it never changed these changes for the better in hoof shape I am hoping will reduce stress in the cracked areas.

 

[Queenbee]

So - more of an update... my Sole Cleanse and Hoof Stuff arrived today, beast spent the day in the dry, I have just been up and done his feet. I know there are some who won't/don't agree with hydrogen peroxide, but many years ago it was recommended by my farrier for my first pony and I do really rate it. I managed to pick up a bottle at boots with a syringe.

I picked and brushed off the feet. The apex of the frog on the near hind is the worst affected area and the other two areas with a bit of black stuff are the two collateral sulcus where they meet the heel bulb on the off fore. All three areas had a 3% solution of HP squirted in them followed by a dry with a tissue. Next those three areas were packed with hoof stuff...man! That is some fiddly, sticky, gloopy stuff, but I *think* I got the hang of it! I packed it in tight as I could. Next I sprayed all four soles with sole cleanse and also the two cracks on his fronts. He is going out tomorrow but the mud in his field is quite gloopy so am swapping him with the other horse I turn out, the gateway in his field is muddy but its runny mud not the kind that will steal your wellies! Hopefully the hoof stuff will still be in place when he comes in!

 

[Reacher]

I've been using John Stalker. I was very impressed with the job he did. He took his time and was very thorough.

Oh I went to the white mare this weekend. Lovely food!!

If he has shoes on the cracks go, but he is a good barefooter generally. The cracks tend to show when his feet go a bit splayed. However, since John had a go at them they seem to have maintained a much better shape and the concavity on his sole had improved he was quite flat footed before moving and it never changed these changes for the better in hoof shape I am hoping will reduce stress in the cracked areas.

"
I've not used John but he seems to have a good reputation, sounds like you are in good hands.
Glad you enjoyed the white mare!
Depending on what John does to the toe crack, you could try White lightning, it produces a gas which gets into the cracks
https://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/product/white-lightning-gel-60ml/

Ps - feet look pretty good to me

 

[Queenbee]

"
I've not used John but he seems to have a good reputation, sounds like you are in good hands.
Glad you enjoyed the white mare!
Depending on what John does to the toe crack, you could try White lightning, it produces a gas which gets into the cracks
https://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/product/white-lightning-gel-60ml/

Ps - feet look pretty good to me

lol, thank you! I wish I could find some old pics of his hooves but sadly I changed phones and lost them. His hinds have always held quite a nice compact shape but he would square the ends off and his fronts would always splay outwards making the issue of a flat sole worse. All four feet however, have always been quite flat underneath with no definition, I would always have at least 1 set of shoes on a year to just try and help with the fronts a bit. This spans across the use of three farriers since my old farrier died when he was 4 and so I just always put it down to the beast because all the farriers I used at my old yard have incredible reputations and generally do an excellent job on all other horses I know. But since his move and his trim by John his entire foot shape has noticeably changed for the better, honestly his reputation up here is very well deserved!

I am looking forward to hearing what John has to say re: the cracks 7 weeks on, certainly from the better shape there will be a lot less pressure put on that point but I am happy for him to dig the area out if he deems that necessary, if not I will invest in the gel... thank you for the recommendation.

Loved TWM, I had the duck, it was amazeballs!!

You must pm me some times when you are free, we should catch up for pre christmas drinks x

 

[Reacher]

I will PM you!

 

[Gloi]

I would be wanting to put a bigger roll on the edge of those front feet to take the pressure off the wall where that crack develops.

 

[Queenbee]

Thanks for that Gloi, his old farrier didn't bother with any roll, just a simple trim, but since his new farrier put a slight roll on I saw huge improvement to the shape and integrity of the hoof so I see exactly where you are coming from. When he comes this week I will discuss this with him.

 

[Gloi]

Thanks for that Gloi, his old farrier didn't bother with any roll, just a simple trim, but since his new farrier put a slight roll on I saw huge improvement to the shape and integrity of the hoof so I see exactly where you are coming from. When he comes this week I will discuss this with him.

I had one with a crack at the front and after putting a roll on it back to the white line it pretty quickly stopped developing and grew out. I keep a roll on all of mine's feet now and never have any trouble with chipping or cracking. btw where is that photo taken, I've been trying to work it out.

 

[Queenbee]

In Cumbria on the road that takes tou to amble side after driving the hardknott and wrynose pass x

 

[Pinkvboots]

You can buy a riders rasp to roll the hoof edges yourself it's really easy to use and you can do it as often as you like,and I use swan antibac for the hooves it's good for seedy toe and thrush problems, you just wire brush the feet then drip it around the white line and frog about twice a week.

 

[Queenbee]

Pinky yep I know... I had one... ended up chucking it... Ben's hooves are hard as bloody marble. Like stupidly hard, it never really made a dent in them! I was actually told off by the farrier for him having too hard feet lol, he could barely trim him one time! I *think* that I am ok with the HP and Iodine on hand for occasional use if needed and the sole cleanse and hoof stuff for now... but if I need more in my arsenal I will have a look.