What hoof pads do you reccomend

ticobay831

ticobay831

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HI, just wondering how many use pads under their horses shoes, Im in a bit of dilemma at the moment :-(
Please can you tel me what sort of pad you use an why you use it, hopefully this will help me help my boy.
many thanks xx
 
Discuss it with your farrier & take his advice, he's the professional & will know what will help your boy the most.
 
I'm following with interest, as I was advised by my vet to go this route. I was reluctant as the horse had a deep and tight central sulcus which is very prone to thrush, which covering up with a pad would surely only make worse. The vet says there are medicated pads which can help prevent thrush, but my farrier says the pads are all as bad and a thrush prone horse will get worse thrush under pads. So who is right?

ETA Though interestingly after a week out of shoes, her heels, frog and central sulcus have all expanded and the deep cleft has gone. I was previously packing her central sulcus with hoof stuff and now there's no cleft left to put it in.
 
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I think some farriers are a bit anti pads as they are a PITA to put on, expensive, and don't always stay in place. One of mine had them short term and I think it was the equi-pak that had copper sulphate in it to combat thrush.
 
I use these on my FEI horse
https://www.the3rdmillennium.com/our-products/wedge-frog-support-pads/
I use equipak under them. I only use them from March until October, I've never had a problem with them. I've used leather in the past and thinking of using these on my second horse who has a flat foot as I tried the 3rd millennium and it was very difficult to get the equipak underneath.
I would speak to your farrier and discuss the reasons why you want to pad.
 
I think, if you can bear it and have a supportive farrier, it can work wonders to take the shoes off for 3 months. It only works if nutrition etc is also adjusted, if the hooves are kept clean, and if they are exercised, for example by leading out in hand.

Hooves change remarkably quickly under this regime, the frog will likely bulk up to be its own pad, it will open up too so thrush can't stick. I find that when hand walked on the road, the hoof wears so the heels become in use too and are shorter, so after 3 months the under run heel will be 80% improved (IME).

It is not an easy option, harder work and costs more IME, but after 3 months the better hoof is well worthwhile.
 
My farrier put them on my old boy for no more than two sets. Leather pads with magic cushion underneath to stop any flys, infection etc.

One horse at the stables had plastic ones and got maggots underneath - yuck! I think that's why my farrier only used them for a very short period.
 
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