Looking for recommendations for a material I can use to pack the collateral grooves to treat and use as a preventative for thrush. I am pregnant and cannot use the copper sulfate and wax combo due to the toxicity of copper sulfate. I need something durable that will stay put for a few days. What product(s) have you had success with?
Thanks
Can you wear gloves? I find that stuff and cotton swabs are the best for this, I just use rubber gloves.
Vetericyn makes a hoof gel that has worked great. Not sure what’s in it but it’s easy to spray on.
Artimud is one of the best products Ive found for this.
This one came up on another thread and had many positive reviews. I am going to get some for the wet season. My mare got thrush last year for the first time in her life. I don’t want it again.
https://news.ruruana.com/products/artimud-hoof-clay-750g?currency=USD&variant_sku_code=6576665-0-0-0-0-0-0&msclkid=e851ce01f1db137a7afba928d8dcdc56
Edited to add FjordBCRF beat me to it.
I used Life Data Hoof Clay when my horse got a massive rock that left a crater in his hoof, which is also for thrush. It is definitely more pleasant to use than Magic Cushion, but for me didn’t stay in without wrapping.
Third-ing Artimud. I also really like the Field Paste made by the same folks (Red Horse Products). I find it sticks a little better for horses that are turned out in areas that are sloppy. It has more honey in it so is stickier. It got us through some really gnarly wet winters the last couple years, where there was still gross poo-mud in some areas they chose to stand despite having $10k worth of hardstanding available to them. 
I would consistently find evidence of it still in collateral grooves a week after application in really sloppy conditions.
I use Artimud primarily under shoes and boots, and would use it over Field Paste in horses that are going to be stalled for a few hours at a time or who will be in fairly dry conditions.
The Red Horse products would be good for that. The Hoof Stuff is sort of like cotton shreds soaked in a cream/paste that is zinc oxide based. It’s good for central sulcus stuff. Not sure how long it’d stay in the collateral grooves.
You should be fine with nitrile gauntlets (gloves that go to the elbow). But I always agree with better safe than sorry! Regardless to what you go with, I’d recommend nitrile or butyl gauntlets for an abundance of caution.
Artimud says it contains essential oils. Many essential oils have reproductive toxicity. Without knowing which ones they’re actually using, I’d be wary of it as well. Natural does not automatically equal non-toxic.
16.9% iodine. Pour it on, smooth a cotton ball in with a hoof pick, add enough iodine to wet the cotton ball.
It should stay in for a few days, no problem.
It’s not a packing, but have you tried hoof doctor? https://hoofdoctor.ca/?srsltid=AfmBOoriVZ41W78unV-nFsoLL0kvFX2aBC1nv24qBIIuy5g8XyYnjsoY
I’m so pleasantly surprised by its effectiveness.
They use eucalyptus oil in Artimud. It has four ingredients. They used to include tea tree oil, but removed it due to concerns about it being caustic and causing allergic reactions.
Hoof Doctor (I think it’s called Hoof Mender in the US) is amazing! They do have a putty which you can use to pack, along with their original oil and a new dust. They can also be used in combination for longer-lasting effectiveness. I just asked about this last weekend at the Royal.
The company is great to deal with and they can answer your questions about what would be effective for your situation, @Warmblood1 .
I also have a discount code - PM me if you want it (anybody else is welcome to use it too). Not sure if I’m allowed to post it.
Thanks to this thread I have ordered field paste and I’m excited for it.
While there are about 1.5 non-muddy acres horse can hang out in, the area up by the barn where the hay and water are is deep poopy, clay-ey mud with pockets of standing water right now. The horses have to step through this to get inside at turn in, and then they hang out overnight in their stalls with their mud-packed feet if I’m not there late. Hoping this stays in for the off days I can’t come out!
I was told by a vet that Tomorrow mastitis ointment works great. It comes with a soft syringe tip so you can squirt it deep in there. I haven’t tried it personally but she swears by it.
Oh yeah my farrier recommended Tomorrow for a bad case of thrush
AFAIK, Tomorrow is no longer available over the counter anywhere in the US. You need a prescription to order it, which makes it pretty prohibitive now.
Back to report that Field Paste is super cool. I applied before being gone for the weekend, and I came back to (still mud packed) harder, drier soles that smelled nice. His central sulcus on each frog was even wider. I’m tickled.
Where did you order the Field Paste from? It sounds promising!
I ordered from Well Shod
Shipping was $10. My farrier (who already sells Artimud) said he could start carrying Field Paste too if I liked it, so hoping to avoid the shipping for the next tub.
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