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by Tabb Pig, Certified Journeyman Farrier

When an equine athlete experiences an episode of Laminitis or Founder it can be a

painful experience. While there are numerous studies and articles on the causes of these

two maladies, there is also a general consensus on what the hoof capsule experiences

after the episodes occur.

When a horse experiences a bout of Laminitis, whether through injury, overfeeding or

pulling off your fingernail in an accident.

The Anatomy of Laminitis and Founder

The relationship between the sensitive and insensitive lamina inside the hoof wall are like

interlacing fingers in a tight hold; once they start to loosen, it does not take much to pull

them apart. At this point it would be described as Founder. In acute stages of Founder,

the hoof’s exterior would not show signs or symptoms of the disease. Once the bone has

rotated, Founder can be detected by an x-ray. Because the fragile attachment of the

lamina is the support of the horse’s body weight, it is critical to get a hoof care team

involved to address the issue fast. Proper diagnosis and treatment are crucial to recovery.

for a laminitic horse is a heart bar. Application of a heart bar shoe should be a very

precise procedure, requiring training and x-rays for proper placement. If necessary, a vet

may call for pads. In some cases, pads may allow sand and moisture to collect under the

pad, which can be trapped between the pad and the foot. If the horse abscesses, the shoe

will have to be removed for treatment. With any of these applications, the coffin bone

and sole have limited support. Without solar or frog support, there will still be stress on

the interior lamina.

When a farrier shoes the horse, all of the weight is placed on the hoof wall. When the

horse moves, the coffin bone and sole are moving downward toward the ground. This

creates more stress on the already inflamed lamina. The goal is to minimize stress, and

support the bone column and sole. During this phase the hoof care team strives to relieve

the stress between the hoof wall and the lamina. The most effective way to do that is to

protect the hoof with a pad or a pour-in pad. These packages are designed to increase

surface area for weight bearing so that the sole can take on some of the horse’s weight,

and not just the hoof wall. Historically, it was thought that anything you put underneath a

pad would help protect and cushion the sole of the horse. This, however, is not always the

case. For instance traditional silicone from the hardware store has been used under a pad,

The best alternative to traditional pads and silicone filling is a liquid pour-in pad made of

urethane adhesive. Products like Vettec’s Equi-Pak offer a versatile solution that is easy

to apply, sets quickly and produces a soft, resilient supportive pad material. Advantages

of pour-in pad materials include:

 an immediate bond to the sole, sealing out moisture and debris.

 the pour-in pad material can be filled to ground level for maximum support and

effectively absorbs concussion, instead of sending it up the leg like silicone

products.

 support to the boney column by loading the entire solar surface with a pour-in

pad, but also positions the weight-bearing load over the entire ground surface and

so that if you do not want to cover an area that may be sensitive, it can be blocked out.

Even if the whole sole cannot be covered, a half pad is 50% more support than not having

any.

Conclusion

Managing a horse’s acute Founder or Laminitis can be a challenge, and it’s important to

have a good team in place to diagnose, manage the treatment and ensure recovery of the

equine athlete. There are a number of treatments on the market today, but consider ones

that will help relieve the internal stresses within the hoof capsule and support the boney

column, providing a speedier recovery and a more comfortable horse. Using liquid pad

by Tab Pigg

No matter the season, anytime wet conditions are present, bacteria and fungus can get

trapped in a horse’s hoof wall. Similar to human toenails, once fungus and bacteria

have set in, it’s very difficult to conquer. This combination of pathogens in the hoof wall

is a recipe for White Line Disease.

The Anatomy of White Line Disease

When looking at the bottom of a horse’s hoof, there is a white line that divides the

When a hoof is already unhealthy or compromised in any way, it’s more prone to

infection. Once White Line Disease has set in, the hoof wall begins to disappear as the

anaerobic bacteria eats away the lining. White Line Disease consists of anaerobic

bacteria, which thrives in conditions with little-to–no oxygen. If a hoof is left untreated,

the infection can become more severe as it moves up the hoof wall. Eventually, the

attachment to the hoof wall is eaten away completely.

Managing White Line Disease

Depending on the severity of the hoof damage, there are different ways to manage this

is carefully removed to expose the area to oxygen which will kill the bacteria.

After a hoof wall is reset, shoes cannot be nailed to hooves, but a horse still needs

support. Modern solar support and pad materials can assist with not only providing

support, but also sealing out moisture and debris during the healing process.

Vettec’s solar support products like Equi-Pak CS and Equi-Build help provide necessary

support and also allow the hoof wall to regrow. Super Fast can be applied to help

provide more support as a “temporary shoe”. Super Fast is a durable, fast- and hard-

setting, urethane formula that is ideal for creating custom shoes directly on the foot

Pak CS is a fast-setting soft instant pad material, and is infused with copper sulfate.

This product provides extra protection and support, and also bonds to the sole. It is also

an effective product for managing White Line Disease. Equi-Build is a firm pad material

that distributes a horse’s weight across the entire hoof-bottom to grow the heel, hoof

wall and sole faster. This product also adheres to the sole, sealing out moisture and

debris. Because the hoof wall is sensitive during re-growth, Equi-Build helps to take the

pressure off hoof wall cracks.

Managing White Line Disease can be difficult if the condition is not caught in its early

stages. Along with the diagnosis, treatment and support of a horse’s healthcare team,

by Tab Pigg

In the spring, the wet climate, punctuated by ample rain, sets the stage for thrush to run

rampant through the barn. Thrush is a bacterial infection that resides in the soft tissue of

the frog. The moist environment, combined with manure and mud, create unsanitary

conditions in the stall, and dirt, debris and other bacteria get trapped in the frog. If

horses hooves are not picked out on a daily basis, thrush sets in and it can be difficult to

conquer. And, when a horse has beginning stages of thrush, it probably won’t even

show lameness symptoms unless the infection becomes more severe.

ground when a horse is standing, thus, bacteria collects in the frog and remains trapped

if not cleaned out on a regular basis.

Thrush thrives under conditions where there is minimal oxygen. The preliminary sign of

the condition is a strong odor coming from the hoof. Thrush is composed of many

different types of anaerobic bacteria and usually resides in the soft tissue of the frog. If a

horse is barefoot or unshod, the hooves are usually self-cleaned as a horse moves

around and runs, because the debris can escape the hoof cavity more easily. With a

shod horse, it is harder for bacteria to escape. And if a horse has a silicone pad product

applied, bacteria can get trapped underneath the pad.

The use of pads (plastic and leather) with silicone or other packing material underneath

can lead to thrush problems as well. If the area underneath the pad is not completely

sealed, moisture and debris can migrate to the sole creating thrush issues.

Newer pour-in pad materials adhere to the bottom of the foot sealing out moisture and

debris avoiding this problem. Vettec’s Equi–Pak CS will bond to the bottom of a horse’s

foot, eliminating the possibility of bacteria being trapped and causing an infection. Equi-

Pak CS is a fast-setting soft instant pad material, and is infused with copper sulfate to

effectively manage mild and moderate cases of thrush. Equi-Pak CS provides extra

protection and support during wet seasons, and also bonds to the sole eliminating the

need to pick out the feet and apply daily medication. It is also an effective, preventative

Managing and preventing thrush helps to avoid lameness. Using a pour-in pad is a good

way to limit the occurrences of thrush. Advantages of pour-in pad materials include:

• it immediately bonds to the sole, sealing out moisture and debris

• pour-in pad material can be filled to ground level for maximum support and

effectively absorbs concussion, instead of sending it up the leg like silicone

products

• it supports the boney column by loading the entire solar surface with a pour-in pad,

considering care options, choose options that help eliminate the chance of bacteria

getting trapped in the frog, and one that will also provide support to the horse’s hoof.

Using liquid pad technology, veterinarians and farriers now have the ability to use

materials that will bond to the foot, withstand the weight of the horse and help protect

against debris and bacteria from entering the hoof’s internal cavity.

by Larkin Greene

When gearing up for endurance and trail riding season, there is a lot of training and

preparation that go into it for the rider and horse. Both have to be conditioned to face

the 25, 50 or 100-mile race that lies ahead of them. Because a horse will be on their

feet in rocky terrain for long periods of time, it’s important that hooves are properly

protected, supported and prepared for any possibilities, such as uneven, loose footing,

stepping on sharps, cuts and hoof impacts.

place finisher, an equally impressive award is winning “Best Condition.” This award

means that the vital stats, fitness and condition of the horse are best among the top ten

participants who finished the race. In other words, it’s the horse fit enough to continue.

The ability to connect with the horse, and keep it healthy, calm, and focused are

immense accomplishments for riders and support crews during exhausting events like

these. Many riders discover that the mental demands can be as challenging as the

physical ones. Riders often must ride at night and sometimes find themselves alone on

a trail, or their horse might want to go faster than they do to keep up with other horses.

It’s a full body, full mind experience.

conditions of an endurance or trail riding competition.

Protecting Hooves for an Endurance Competition

Most horses in the endurance world are shod with steel or urethane shoes, however,

recent improvements in both glue-on and strap-on hoof boots, provide riders another

option for hoof protection.

One of the limitations of hoof boots has always been fit, especially the short length in

the heels, and gaps in the fit that allow the boot to shift and possibly come off. Vettec

adhesives can be used in three different ways to improve the performance of a boot:

adding adhesive externally to add support where it’s needed, adding a soft urethane

durability and ease of application. Sole Guard is commonly used as a fairly thin,

protective layer and should last through the toughest conditions. Equi-Pak is best when

added support is needed; it can be injected under a pad, or used as a pad itself since it

bonds well to the sole and frog.

Conclusion

When training and preparing a horse for an endurance race, it’s important to have a

hoof care plan and regimen in place that is consistent and reliable for the conditions

found on endurance courses. Whether a horse is shod, unshod or booted, solar support

and pour-in pad materials can provide the support, comfort and durable protection

needed for these kinds of events. More than ever, veterinarians and farriers have the