SuperFast for thin soles?

[Xanthoria]

My TB gelding has thin soles (and I have the x-rays to prove it!)

He wears shoes except during winter, but this year I am attempting to keep him barefoot behind as he gets very contracted when shod, with resultant thrush and hassles.

Would it work to put a few millimeter thick layer of SuperFast on his hind soles, not the frog, to provide a little extra thickness for his comfort?

How long would you expect it to last? He lives out in pasture, in California. Wet right now, but very dry soon and for most of the year.

I do use Boa boots on the hinds on rocky trails. We do some eventing and point-to-points though, and I can't rely on them to stay on his feet while jumping a speed.

Thanks for any input you have!

[SlowShoe]

He gets contracted when shod? I dont want to jump to conclusions, but this sounds more like a shoeing issue. IE incorrect trimming and application of the shoes.

[Bo Terry]

First, it sounds like you have a shoeing/trimming issue. When the heels aren't trimmed properly(usually to the widest part of the frog), they will become "stacked" and contracted. This causes a number of issues...the frog can not make contact with the ground, thrush, heel pain etc...

Second, you don't want to apply any more pressure to an already thin sole (if indeed he does) ...if you are intent on keeping your horse barefoot, my recommendation is to have someone trim your horse properly and then apply a hardener of some sort like Crossapol, Durasole or Keratex. And remember this...it doesn't work in the bottle!!!!!!! So use it.

Lastly, if barefoot/hardener doesn't work for your horse...then you should consider putting shoes back on....properly trimmed feet.

JMO

Good Luck

Bo

[Carolhanq]

Applying a thin layer of superfast to the sole of a horse who's sole was nearly completely pared away was recommended to me by a rather well known gentleman. The owner chose to keep the gelding booted for several months
during recovery so we did not try the treatment. Although, I would love to hear the results if anyone else has ever done this. Carol

[Phil Armitage]

This would increase sole pressure. You would end up with more weight bearing on the sole and less shared by the hoof wall and frog. Thin weak hoof wall probably also exists in these type of feet. It would be better to shoe the horse with a seated out shoe on the foot side add a rim pad and use equipak as frog support. If nailing shoes on is a problem use sigafoos glueons which have a great rim pad. Equipak can be used as support and protection. This way you have no sole pressure and much more protection.

[Xanthoria]

The horse is shod in front - the (bare) hinds look Ok now, not too contracted, and I don't want to reshoe. Yes, I'm pretty sure I need a new shoer. I have done Keratex et al to no avail, and I don't want to get into exotic shoes and pads on hind feet that are a hair's breadth away from being fine barefoot.

But for now, for the hinds, for those that say it would result in too much sole pressure, would painting it on the sole *and* solar walls help?

[Bo Terry]

If you have indeed gone the Keratex route and have truly been diligent in using it with little or no results...put the shoes back on. Some horses just need shoes.

You can try the Superfast , but will be money ahead to have a competent farrier shoe your horse. Again...some horses just need shoes.

JMO

Bo

[Thomas_Ride&Drive]

I've never seen superfast used at all but can someone tell me??

Can you use the likes of superfast when you have a thrush riddled foot??

I'd have thought that the application of a gel on to a foot with thrush would have helped with creating the right environment and hindered its treatment??

Doesn't the foot have to be impeccibly clean and free from likes of thrush, WLD, canker to use it???

I know there's no photos on this posting but the OP elsewhere showed photos of a foot rotten with thrush.

[Phil Armitage]

I've never seen superfast used at all but can someone tell me??

Can you use the likes of superfast when you have a thrush riddled foot??

I'd have thought that the application of a gel on to a foot with thrush would have helped with creating the right environment and hindered its treatment??

Doesn't the foot have to be impeccibly clean and free from likes of thrush, WLD, canker to use it???

I know there's no photos on this posting but the OP elsewhere showed photos of a foot rotten with thrush.

Yes, you want clean feet free of bacteria, abcess or whatever. Never use epoxy on feet like this. Equipak with copper is designed for thrush. I like the idea of slow low level release of copper because it is mixed in the equipak.

[Phil Armitage]

The horse is shod in front - the (bare) hinds look Ok now, not too contracted, and I don't want to reshoe. Yes, I'm pretty sure I need a new shoer. I have done Keratex et al to no avail, and I don't want to get into exotic shoes and pads on hind feet that are a hair's breadth away from being fine barefoot.

But for now, for the hinds, for those that say it would result in too much sole pressure, would painting it on the sole *and* solar walls help?

Do you need a new shoer or do you need to leave your shoer alone and let him/her do the job. From what I have read in many of your posts it sounds like your too involved. Yes, a client can be too involved. Too many cooks in the kitchen.

[JWHORSESHOEING]

I have used superfast alot. To the point that I should have bought stock in the company. Generally I mix it with fiberglass and nail a shoe to it with the horses that need a shoe but have no foot to nail to. I understand you don't want shoes but I will tell you that every time I have tried to use it on a barefoot horse that wants to be left barefoot the foot expands and contracts too much it will just pop off it about 2-3 weeks. I don't think it is a practical idea. There is a lot of money involved for something that may add too much sole pressure if it does happen to stay on.

[Xanthoria]

Do you need a new shoer or do you need to leave your shoer alone and let him/her do the job. From what I have read in many of your posts it sounds like your too involved. Yes, a client can be too involved. Too many cooks in the kitchen.

Phil, I get the distinct impression that horse owners are not encouraged to have opinions here. I'm sure it's easier if owners just keep quiet and write checks, but sad to say, they're human too.

Too involved? Hah! I have trusted farriers to shoe him and let them alone completely, respected their opinions, done exactly as they said: result - contracted feet, thrush, lameness, all sorts of issues. I have 3 years' worth of photos of his feet showing the same issues over and over again because I allowed these particular farriers to do *exactly* what they wanted.

Should I continue to trust these particular people? Would you? I doubt any intelligent person would.

I'm not condemning all farriers. I've just had 2 in a row who thought contracted feet where fine and dandy, and one of them told me "leaving the toes long will help him with grip when you're galloping..." Hmmm... but now my horse is lame and vet says it's 'cos his toes are way too long...

So here I am, a horse owner who decides to speak up for her horse's welfare and do something, instead of standing aside like a wimp and letting the farrier "do his thing" again. Too many cooks - hah! It'd be funny if the horse wasn't paying the price because I did what you said: "leave your shoer alone and let him/her do the job."

*****

Thomas, I wasn't thinking of putting SuperFast on the frogs, that would seal in the thrush and be a disaster. On the soles only, and on the hinds only as a bit of additional protection from rocks - he has shoes in front.

[SteppinOnTheFrog]

I don't think that superfast is intended as a sole support product. This stuff becomes so hard when it is dried that it is likely to cause further damage applied in the manner suggested to you. If you don't want to nail on shoes what I would suggest is you use the superfast to create a shoe (it essentialy will make a glue on shoe if applied correctly) and then use Equi-Pak to create a full sole support pad (frog and all). If thrush is an issue use the Equi-Pak CS.

[Phil Armitage]

Phil, I get the distinct impression that horse owners are not encouraged to have opinions here. I'm sure it's easier if owners just keep quiet and write checks, but sad to say, they're human too.

Too involved? Hah! I have trusted farriers to shoe him and let them alone completely, respected their opinions, done exactly as they said: result - contracted feet, thrush, lameness, all sorts of issues. I have 3 years' worth of photos of his feet showing the same issues over and over again because I allowed these particular farriers to do *exactly* what they wanted.

Should I continue to trust these particular people? Would you? I doubt any intelligent person would.

I'm not condemning all farriers. I've just had 2 in a row who thought contracted feet where fine and dandy, and one of them told me "leaving the toes long will help him with grip when you're galloping..." Hmmm... but now my horse is lame and vet says it's 'cos his toes are way too long...

So here I am, a horse owner who decides to speak up for her horse's welfare and do something, instead of standing aside like a wimp and letting the farrier "do his thing" again. Too many cooks - hah! It'd be funny if the horse wasn't paying the price because I did what you said: "leave your shoer alone and let him/her do the job."


It is great that your this involved with your horse's welfare. From what I have gathered from your posts, it is you telling your farrier how to trim. The most important part of the job is the trim. If the owner says not to do this or do this, then some of the blame falls on the owner. Personaly I would listen to what you had to say and would tell you point blank if I agreed or not and why.