Posted by Patty Stiller on May 16, 2000 at 23:42:18:
In Reply to: EDSS, navicular and some thrush posted by jean donato on May 15, 2000 at 19:49:28:
: hi.
: my horse has navicular. has been recently shod with "open" pads in front and barefoot in back. have been leaving dirt packed in there. but live in the northeast and there has been tons of snow and mud. even when i pick out his feet, the mud packs back in when he is turned out. don't want to confine him to his stall.
: want to set him up with EDSS next week; has done very well with them in the past. (should have stayed with them from the start.) anyway, how is frog deterioration going to affect shoeing, impression material and frog support? not sure if rails are going to be needed.
: farrier has expressed concern about frogs being too tender. also concerned about shoes pulling off in mud. last time they were put on by Gene himself and i only lost one frog support. (deep sucking-type mud on trail)
Your farrier has a valid concern. If the frogs are badly deteriorated(probably due to a lack of use from the heel soreness, a viscious cycle) they may not tolerate direct frog support right the start.On those horses I use a EDSS P3 fracture plate instead of the standard pad.frog support system. I can still use the rails if elevation is needed, and the plate will give the foot more gentle support until the frog gets a bit healthier.I may or may not use impression material the first time. it depends on just how bad the frog is. if the frog is large enough to contact the plate on it's own,I will use a medicated hoof packing , and really stuff the central sulci with an oil absorbant packing such as "foot felt" or oakum. If the frog is too diseased to effectively contact the plate, then I will use some impression material, but pack the diseased central sulci first with a "wick" of the oil absorbant material. This allows treatment with a thrush medicationfrom the rear of the foot while still supporting the frog. One of the problems with leaving the frog uncovered while using rim, or "open" pads is that the frog then loses all ability to get suppoer and stimulation. This lack of stimulation is a ,major player in the growth of thrush. That is where the plate under the shoe helps. It acts as support, in place of the natural ground that the frog cannot contact on it's own. If the farrier doesn't have EDSS P3 fracture plates, he can manufacture soid plates out of 1/8" aluminum, or use the hard white "castle" brand "performance" pads. Their 1/4"thick pads work real well for this. The plate, or hard pad should be fastened down to the toe of the EDS shoe with the same screw that comes with the standard pad. Tyge castle pads are easily drilled and countersunk fo this purpose. The ready made P3 plates are already prepared.
After the frog develops some health, then a standard EDSS pad and frog support can be used. Hoof testers will help determine if the foot will take this support. Test directly over the center of the frog.A big reaction says to me to use a plate instead of the frog support.If I get only a mild reaction , and the frog is healthy, I use the standard EDSS. Patty