What are the pros and cons of each? I have always used, when needed, full pads (leather) with magic cushion or Equipak beneath. Farrier suggested a rim pad for this horse. I am not very familiar. Anyone care to share? My google results have not been so fruitful.
This would be for a horse with thin soles.
Our farrier would occasionally put on rim pads for sore feet to raise the sole further off the ground. In that case we wouldn’t want a full pad because we wouldn’t want any extra layers pressing on the sole. There may also have been a bit of shock absorption provided by the rim pad. In other cases we’d do what you mention - full pads - to provide a protective barrier from the ground (esp. rocky). Full pads with pour ins were usually for support/correction reasons.
ETA that rim pads also allow you to paint the soles.
When I use pads, it’s generally because I am doing a lot of trot miles on rocky or gravel trails. I think I would tend more towards the Durasole route for “thin soles”
This horse is highly sensitive in nature, both physically and mentally, and he is slightly ouchy within the 2 weeks following even the slightest trim. Not necessarily lame, but sensitive. Seriously, the farrier only uses a light rasping, and does not use a knife on the sole at all. He is kept on a 4 week schedule, with the exception of the last 2 cycles being 6 week spread. I apply Keratex a couple days a week to soles and slightly less often to bottom of hoof exterior. He is not currently shod. Farrier suggests trying rim pad and shoes.
I will say though, this is the wettest year we’ve had. Both the summer and this winter have been wet, muddy, and nasty. He is 24/7 turnout with the exception of coming in to eat his grain.
Rim soles aren’t as much padding. Also by raising the foot higher off the ground you lose some of the hoof stimulation that you might get from Equipak or a frog support pad. But, if the horse cannot tolerate Equipak or the sole pressure from other types of pads with something like Equipak underneath, then the benefit to a rim pad in wet and muddy weather is that you are going to be less likely to get mud underneath the pad which would cause its own problems. I think also Equipak removes some of the grip from the shoe and concave foot in muddy or snowy or icy conditions because the shoe can’t really punch through and grip. A rim pad would allow this to happen, again without trapping mud underneath a full pad like a leather pad.
The horse is currently barefoot?
If so i think it’s reasonable to try shoes and rim pads first before shoes and full pads. When possible my farrier likes my horse to have her soles uncovered…its healthier for them. But sometimes she needs full pads for protection from frozen ruts in mud, etc.
If you find that she still needs sole protection you can add full pads. But she may do well with shoes plus rim pads and still have the sole open.
I’ve always viewed rim pads as a necessary evil for snowy/icy weather… I’ve had several farriers tell me that they are not good for long-term soundness.
We use rims on shod horses who live outdoors in the winter.
Some rim pads are for snowball prevention and others are just pads for cushion under the shoe but not to cover the sole. I didn’t get the impression that these were for snowball prevention.
My horse is currently in a 2 degree wedge pad (full pad) on the front right with Equipac underneath to prevent dirt from getting underneath, and a rim pad on the front left for snow ball prevention. In the summer he is ouchy walking over gravel, and there was one shoeing cycle where the farrier put Equipac with copper sulphate on the front left for thrush, and with both soles covered (pad and Equipac) he was much more comfortable.
We are in South Georgia, so the rim pad would be non-snow related. Just for elevation and cushion beneath the shoe. Thank you all for the feedback so far!
With a sole sensitive horse why ever are you normally on a 4 week schedule? I would think your current 6 week schedule would be far more sensible.
There is no real cushion with rim pads just elevation. they do incline towards a healthier more natural sole than full pads.
Because when I bought him in May last year, he had been turned out to pasture for the last 4 years while his owner was on the road pro rodeoing and his hooves were atrocious. We are trying to get them back into shape.The hooves are no longer dished and look quite good now. Every 4 weeks because little baby trims are easier than more major ones. Now I know.
Leave this one barefoot and don’t trim so often. I’ve gone as long as 8 weeks growing out oucchy feet that were sore for more then a week after trims ,He doesn’t need shoes or pads right now and I sure wouldn’t start him in shoes with full pads. It take a year or more to grow out healthy hooves, be patient, there’s no Majik pill here.
I like rim pads if and when a pad is needed, never had a problem.
I have a gelding that sounds similar. Very sensitive to life in general. We tried full pads and he was crippled at the walk from the pressure on his soles. Delicate little snowflake now goes successfully in rim pads.
Can you expand on why they think it is not good for long term soundness? I have not heard that before but would be curious to hear more about what they think on that.
Back to the OP - your most recent post suggests this horse is in the process of having his bad feet rehabbed - if so, the 4 week sounds much more reasonable, except, if he had really bad feet, he likely had very long toes and underrun heels, so the sole is probably very, very thin to begin with. The 4 week schedule is probably too much for him right now, since each successive cycle would set the toe back a bit more and put much more pressure on the walls and soles during rehab.
It may be better and easier on him to let him go 6-8 weeks between trims… and if he is really uncomfortable, get shoes on to elevate his sole from the ground, and the rim pads would help keep the sole from being bruised or having contact with the soil.
I’ve had good luck using rim-pads for one of my geldings, who has correct angles but given the nature of our turnout (he is on full T/O) which is rocky substrate/topsoil, he can shear off his hoof and sole quickly. The shoes + rim-pads were a good compromise - I had him in full pads for a while but disliked how his frogs looked after each successive trim, plus, he often would get dirt balled in between the pads and shoes.
I’m not completely sure… I know just enough about farrier work to realize how little I truly understand!! I believe it has to do with pressure on the sole and keeping the hoof growing in a way to provide the best support possible for the leg structures.
I’ve always gone with full pads if they are needed for soundness, only using rim pads in the winter on horses that do not wear pads the rest of the year.
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