tb has very soft heel bulbs making her very sore

[angelabishopo]

My ex-race horse has very soft heel bulbs at present. It is so wet everywhere at the moment.
I use Keratex Hoof Hardener on her hoof walls with great success. I used to use it on her soles but she how has pads, equine digital support putty and heart bar shoes, which has corrected her hoof pastern angles and she is much more comfortable and working very well - dressage and jumping.
I've been putting povidone iodine on her heel bulbs but they are still really soft. I read on a forum somewhere that someone's vet had said using Keratex Hoof Hardener on heels is ok, even though Keratex say don't use it on heels and frogs.
Yesterday in exasperation I painted a little on her heel bulbs. Later she happily walked through a puddle to get back to her stable, where she would normally stay as far away from the wet as she could. My stables are virtually the only dry area I have at present.
I'm sure my TB isn't the only horse with incredibly soft heels and I'm sure many other people are struggling with the amount of rain we've had over the last few days. What have other people used successfully to make their horses more comfortable please? Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Surgical spirit or Eucalyptus oil both have hardening qualities. Iodine & Eucalyptus oil I mix and paint on sole, frog and walls to promote hardness and eliminate thrush although I've never put on bulbs of heel but only because I've not needed to.

I'd ask vet for advice.

 

[angelabishopo]

thank you, hopscotch bandit. that's really helpful. I was wondering about surgical spirit but couldn't find anything about it. Iodine and Eucalyptus oil sounds good. How much of each do you mix together please?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Surgical spirit can harden skin and using a medicated or regular talcum powder will help draw moisture out of the feet, I pick out let them stand in the clean shaving bed for a bit then smother the whole foot with powder and pat, i just buy anti fungal foot powder meant for human's it's £1 in savers.

 

[angelabishopo]

Surgical spirit can harden skin and using a medicated or regular talcum powder will help draw moisture out of the feet, I pick out let them stand in the clean shaving bed for a bit then smother the whole foot with powder and pat, i just buy anti fungal foot powder meant for human's it's £1 in savers.

Surgical spirit can harden skin and using a medicated or regular talcum powder will help draw moisture out of the feet, I pick out let them stand in the clean shaving bed for a bit then smother the whole foot with powder and pat, i just buy anti fungal foot powder meant for human's it's £1 in savers.

thank you Pinkvboots

 

[Birker2020]

thank you, hopscotch bandit. that's really helpful. I was wondering about surgical spirit but couldn't find anything about it. Iodine and Eucalyptus oil sounds good. How much of each do you mix together please?

I bought the iodine off ebay for around £11 for 500ml and the eucalptus from ebay for around £2.25. I pour around 250ml into a bottle and probably add half the eucalpytus which is half of a 20ml bottle.

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules to be honest. Darn sight cheaper than the £23 that the vet quoted me anyway for a 500ml ready mixed bottle from them! But they often make up their own connoctions which you can buy a lot cheaper but that's how they make their money to be fair.

I digress somewhat but here is an interesting story - I can't use Surgical Spirit on my horse. My horse had some wiped on her neck prior to joint medication of her neck at the horspital. God knows why they use SS now but never mind. I'm not very good with long needles of the type used for necks and backs so went to the car and sat and had a fag. When I walked back in 20 mins later there was total chaos with two of the vets and a nurse from the practice rushing around injecting her with anithistamine and sponging her neck down with copious amounts of water. The two vets said in their combined years of veterinary practice they had never seen such a reaction! The rivulets of S.S had run down her neck and you could see where they'd run and her neck had reacted in those places. So its on her records now that she can't go near the stuff! Some years later she had to have an injection to calm her one night at the yard (long story) and I forgot about telling the vet about the allergic reaction to SS as we were deep in conversation. The vet injected her and she started rubbing her neck vigoursly up the walls. Turned out she'd just dabbed her with a bit prior to injection. She was okay as it wasn't the same amount as the previous occassion.

 

[Carrottom]

Mud shield powder made by Keratex or the similar one by Lincoln, muddy buddy I think. Rub into dry lower leg and heels and it keeps the wet out.
If you rub it in with your hand and then put it in water you'll see the effect.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mud shield powder made by Keratex or the similar one by Lincoln, muddy buddy I think. Rub into dry lower leg and heels and it keeps the wet out.
If you rub it in with your hand and then put it in water you'll see the effect.

Which is best the Lincoln or keratex?

 

[Carrottom]

Both powders seem the same ? I think the muddy buddy was cheaper.

 

[vhf]

I was wondering about trying the Keratex hoof gel for exactly this issue but hoping to hear from a real person (i.e not adverts) whether it was worth it before I forked out. Wonder if bog standard talc might help in the meantime though?