newbie here - edumacate me on using leather pads

[TalkIsCheap]

Retired from the show ring & have happily Cubbed as a newbie this season. Our terrain is rocky, hence my question on the pros & cons of leather (or other) pads up front. (Show Hunter Land consisted of steel or aluminum for me - so no experience with such)

Currently he’s shod all around in steel with borium, which is fine when out hacking, ringwork, on our local roads and out in the lovely terrain of those fixtures consisting of open fields & mulchy trails. He’s not been sore with the Cubbing. However, I asked my farrier about the use of pads up front due to the geography of our particular hunt. Many of these trails we go over are very rocky, altho the leaf litter helps a bit…but still rocky.

Farrier’s not too keen on pads unless needed. Reason being the sole never really being truly dry, thrush, overall cleanliness, grit working it’s way in, etc. He’s not keen on snow rims either. Then again… not using them may invite a stone bruise & abcessing. But on the other hand, if he throws a shoe, does the pad & shoe combo rip off more hoof wall? And am I stuck with a soft foot?

Our huntsman does not use them on any of his horses (TBs), nor do the whips but some of the more senior lady members I chatted with do.

Any input on pros, cons & maintenance issues?
Should I invest in an EasyBoot sort of thing, dilemma solved?

Thanks!

[Drive_NJ]

You could try painting the sole of the foot with Venice Turpentine to toughen it up

Been a long time since Ive done it but probably once a week or so til you get the sole tougher

Just putting shoes on our flat soled DraftX made the difference for him in feeling the stones

[5chestnuts]

I second the suggestion to use some Venice Turpentine to keep the sole tough.

You can’t use Easyboots over a shoe with borium - you can (using the old fashioned boot) on a smooth shoe. If your front shoes are smooth, then slap a pair of boots over them.

As far as pads go, leather was the original old fashioned solution when there were no other options. In light of all the polymer pads out there now, leather has more negatives than positives - if it gets wet then it gets heavy and swells, and it can rip and tear if the terrain is too abusive. Leather pads aren’t that flexible so it will lug on the nails, and your farrier needs to keep a longer clinch so the nails don’t pull out of the foot. And yes, if your shoe and pad come off, they will come off together, hopefully not taking chunks of the hoot with it!

The best pad I’ve found thus far has been the DuraShock - lightweight super-soft super-flexible plastic. Not cheap, but they stand up to anything and everything, the worse terrain you can imagine, and really absorb impact while providing the best protection for the sole. Those are what I use for both hunting and endurance riding. Because they are so resiliant and so abuse-resistant, I’ve gotten 10 resets out of some pairs.

[lesyl]

Where can you find DuraShock pads? Those sound pretty interesting and might help the super tender footed TB.

[TalkIsCheap]

Great info ! Anyone else have any input?

[Underthebridge]

My gelding wore leather pads until he retired, never any problems, he was not in the mud much.

[enjoytheride]

My mare has been in leather pads for over a year. They were the cheapest option to start with and my farrier says that they breath well and mold to the foot. I can get 1 - 3 resets out of them depending, and she the two times she ripped a shoe off it didn’t do any damage. I keep bellboots on her now just in case.

My farrier stuffs them with some thick gooey stuff that smells like turpentine.

My only issue is that they will pack in wet mud/dirt or ice and will build up so you have to pick them out. I don’t ride outside in the winter though so it wasn’t an issue, and my mare didn’t have problems in turn out.

[wateryglen]

I vote NO!!

Fohgitaboutit!!
Too many problems associated with them. Feet get softer under pads when you’re trying to make them harder. Wet/damp=soft. Dry=hard. Lotsa thrush problems. Shoes come off quicker. Less traction. Leather provides no “cushioning”. bla, bla, bla…
Third the venice turpentine which also kills thrush.
Less is more in this case. You’re thinking like a show ring person!! :winkgrin:

[5chestnuts]

[QUOTE=lesyl;5988290]
Where can you find DuraShock pads? Those sound pretty interesting and might help the super tender footed TB.[/QUOTE]
You can buy them online at any of the farrier supplies websites - such as this one. Get the #1 flat, and make sure your farrier doesn’t throw them out at each trim/set/re-set of the shoes. They wear like iron and never lose their flexibility, so they are excellent for multiple re-use.

Don’t use any packing underneath them - except a soft hoof packing like Forshners (which is medicated and prevents thrush and other associated bad stuff) - because you don’t want to negate the pad’s ability to absorb and flex over bad footing. Also paint the sole with Venice Turpentine before putting on the pad - it helps the sole remain hard from shoeing to shoeing.

[TalkIsCheap]

Great advice again!

What about using Durasole instead for just toughening up the sole & keeping things simple?

Anyone have any experience with this product?

[JSwan]

I’ve used Durasole but now just use Venice Turpentine. Cheap and it works.

Though for hunting I’ve always put pads on my horses, as a precaution. Never had any problems with thrush, soft soles, or other issues. One horse has a tendency towards a flatter sole - he bruises easily.

Used to use borium, now I’m back to using screw in studs on one horse. Other horse still gets borium.

Though this season flippers and scuba gear would have been a better choice.

Do whatever works for your horse. If there is a rule for hunting…it’s that you do what works for your horse and the territory.

If you want to hunt in the snow - you’ll need some type of snow pad.

Happy hunting.

[enjoytheride]

I have not had a problem with thrush, soft soles, or the shoe coming off easier. I did get a couple missing shoes when I added hind shoes to the mix but a pair of bellboots fixed that. Never had a problem with them being too wet or dry. I’m a lower level eventer, never had traction problems but I always evented at a snails pace and on good footing.

Durasole is fantastic stuff but sometimes it just isn’t enough. I messed arond with durasole for quite while trying to be cheaper/natural. Ended up not riding often as I’d have a lame horse. Not every horse can go barefoot/in boots/in plain shoes.

Leather pads will collect mud which you will need to pick out, I didn’t notice a difference between pads/no pads and snow build up but I don’t ride in snow or mud.

My farrier does pack the pads, I have never had anything get under the pads and make my horse lame.

My farrier says to do what you need to get a sound horse, he will refuse to put shoes on a horse that is going sound barefoot and suggest all manner of options starting with the cheapest if it isn’t sound. He suggested we start with leather pads and go from there but the leather pads work great.

[TheOrangeOne]

When my horse was in leather pads, I never had any problems with thrush, and he was the single most thrush prone horse I have ever encountered. The farrier put magic cushion underneath the pads, which has thrush killing properties, although I am sure that most of the other packing materials out there have the same effect.