Soft and firm pad material

[John Barney]

Has anyone have ever used soft pad material for a cushion layer and then applied firm material to the ground level? Doing a foundered horse per vet instructions and was considering this for the pad he wanted. Thanks

JB

[Cal Chilton]

Hi John,

You can use the Equi-Pak under the Equi-Build. If a horse is very ouchy, Equi-Build may be too firm for that particular horse. However, if the horse is that foot sore, I would load to ground level with the Equi-Pak and switch at the next shoeing to the Equi-Build.
Normally, this isn't necessary and you just start with Equi-Build, which will provide the support needed to obtain faster, thicker sole and wall growth.

All the best,
Cal Chilton, Vettec.

[Ronald Aalders]

Why would you want to use the black hoofpacking on top of the clear hoofpacking. I know the black is a lot harder but I just fill everything up with the clear stuff.

What's the extra when a layer of the black hoofpack is added?



Ronald Aalders

[J.H. shoeing]

Ronald

In this instance a thin layer of the Pak with the rest filled in with the Build would give a horse a "softer application of equi-build". I have had some that had soft spots in the sole and the build was too firm but combined with a thin layer of the pak they were just right. In this rocky country the build last longer. The pak, alone, will still be there at the end of a shoeing cycle but sometimes it is pretty chewed up.

Jeff Holder RGB (real good boy)

[John Barney]

Thanks for the responses. Jeff, how thick do you make the soft layer? Your reasons are why I wanted to do this, the horse is turned out and I thought it would last longer. Thanks

JB

[Donnie Walker]

John - I do basically the same as Jeff as we are in the same rocky area. It works great. In the case of a soft spot, I apply a Dr. Scholls corn pad, with duct tape covering the hole, to prevent pressure and thus allowing the area to heal without irritation. You can also fill the hole with Keratex or other medication.

[J.H. shoeing]

John

I really don't know for sure how thick I lay the pak in. I would say about an 1/8th of an inch or a little more. Maybe to the bottom of the shoe. I just leave the mesh a little loose and that way I make sure the build will have something to help hold it in.

Jeff

[Cal Chilton]

I would like to elaborate on Donnie Walkers reply, regarding a hole in the applied Equi-Pak and/or Equi-Build.
Before the application, build a vertical "plug" of Play Dough or modeling clay over any open wounds or other areas you want access to. Make it high enough that it won't be covered by the Pak or Build. Apply Equi-Pak or Equi-Build and after cured, remove the plug. The rest of the hoof is protected and the hole can either be left open to drain or you can apply medication, cover with gauze, and duct tape over the hole. You now, in effect, have a supportive hospital plate.

Cal Chilton (Vettec)

[J.H. shoeing]

Cal

I pak'ed a horse the other day using the playdough plug and it worked out great. Tabb showed me how to do at a clinic in Nacogdoches it was the best hands on clinic I have been to in a long time. Before I went to the clinic Tabb, phone coached, me thru it last year. You guys are great!!

Jeff

[Dave Whitaker]

I've got a client with a barrel horse that just goes super with the equipac over her soles....however she was constantly "wearing" it out by 3 weeks or so. She would actually rip big chunks out of it.(Even with the mesh). Soooo... after fiddling around a bit.... I cut out 2 thicknesses of the blue foam pads that would fit inside the shoe, stuck theses to a full coverage foam pad and filled from the heels with equipac, removed the pads, took a thickness of the inside foam off, restuck the pad to the shoe and filled the remainder with equibuild. Worked perfect! It leaves the equibuild just above the ground surface of the shoe and it comes out perfectly smooth and level. She's gone 3 shoeings like this now being raced every week and they still look great at the 5 1/2 to 6 week shoeing cycle. Most expensive front feet on any barrel horse I've ever done........Dave

[J.H. shoeing]

Dave

If your are in a hurry you can put two foam boards together put it on the foot then set it down. Do the other foot the same way then go back to the first foot and pak it. It will have a great concave shape to the sole. Found this by accident using the equi-build. Set a foot down before the build had set and when I pulled off the board it was concaved like a sole. hmm... So I tried two boards just for kicks.

I am going to try your cut out method tomorrow.

Jeff

[Donnie Walker]

I need to clarify the use of the Dr. Scholls pad referenced in my earlier post. I use it not as a hospital plate but as a protection against pressure to a sensitive area. It is totally covered by the equithane material. The hole is covered to prevent entry of the equithane or it is filled with medication prior to adding the equithane. I also use play-doh when I want access to the area and it works great.