Something I have very limited experience with is hoof packing…
I feel like I am missing something. The amount of horses I see at show grounds with packed feet… they can’t all have hoof problems? Is there that much benefit to packing a horses feet, that doesn’t present foot problems?
And ponies with hoof ice boots…
If I was showing somewhere and the footing wasn’t the best or if my horse was feeling sensitive, I’d pack his feet as a preventative before he presented as sore. It’s only going to help, it won’t hurt them.
I’ve packed his feet before many times (when he was having an issue, not for a show) and it makes a huge difference.
It’s part of the aftercare routine in some show barns.
Unless the horse is racing and/or competing at the UL, I don’t see the point. It is one of those rituals that I think makes the owner/riders feel better.
I feel that for anything less than the big sticks, a horse should be able to go around a course regardless of footing or difficulty and not need ice boots or hoof packing after.
If we’re hunter pacing on hard ground and covering 6-8 miles, I might pack feet afterward.
Most of the time at shows, we’re on lovely soft footing so I don’t see much point for that.
But I agree with @beowulf…. I think most of the time, it just makes us feel better.
I am sure packing hooves did more for me than it did for my horse, but my goal was to make my horse as comfortable as possible after it worked hard for me at the show that day.
Most horses are working much longer and harder at a show, than they do at home, and usually with far less turnout for movement and recovery. Packing feet can be useful to help prevent soreness. Same with poulticing legs. It doesn’t hurt, and it may be the difference between winning, and no ribbon.
At home, jump sessions are 1-2 days a week, schooling the trouble spots, getting better.
At even a 1-day H/J show, a horse might do 2 divisions (occasionally 3 or even 4), which is a warmup before each one, and 2 full courses for each one. Double that for a 2-day show. That’s way more work than a normal schooling day at home.
Some of these fiber surfaces at the shows are not that kind to the feet either. Seems like some venues are working on/replacing their sand mixes. So it can be standard aftercare for that reason alone. But usually it’s a combination of the footing, lack of room for horses to move during downtime and jumping more jumps at the show than your average day at home.
As in going back to just sand? I’ve always thought of the fiber footing to be more consistent than sand alone, or sand with rubber.
No, but I think the type of materials used in the mixes as well as drainage/irrigation systems are being tweaked at the big venues. Fiber footing has tended to be a bit too springy, not enough shear, which for a jumping horse can mean more concussion on landing, and sore feet and coffin joints. They wanted to make the European products work here but we don’t necessarily have the same sand types available in many locations in this country, and also often not the same irrigation systems they have over there (often sub-terrain irrigation). The right mix using fiber products is hugely dependent on water as well as sand size and shape in the mix.
After a long day at a horse show, I usually want to put my feet in a bucket of Epsom salts, too.
I pack feet if the footing is of a markedly different character from my home footing and I feel my horse reacted to that. I also pack feet in the summer if it hasn’t rained in 2 weeks and my horse is out in the field stamping at flies the whole time. It doesn’t hurt him any.
Packing and icing feet is a good idea. Human runners and other athletes do it all the time.
Iciing as a preventative has been debunked and shown to slow down recovery time. Still good for acute injury.
What is packing meant to do?
Hoof packing has anti-inflammatory, drawing, and toughening ingredients usually. But unlike a dressing, the consistency of the packing keeps those ingredients in contact with the sole for longer.
Common hoof packing products have ingredients like pine tar, arnica, iodine, Epsom salts, turpentine.
When used as aftercare, it is supposed to take the sting out of sore feet. I mean, I could use Epsom salts and arnica after a horse show myself. And some ibuprofen and/or Voltaren and/or Robaxin. 
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
