Pour-in pad questions

[anon55755751]

Maybe I just haven’t searched with the right terms, but I haven’t really seen answers to these questions about pour-in pads:

1. Is breathability (or lack of) a concern in terms of either the health of the foot tissues or creating an anaerobic environment for microbes?

2. Specifically re: microbes, is it necessary to disinfect the foot prior to application, and if so, what is the right way to go about doing that? If I understand correctly, denatured alcohol is used to clean the foot for product adhesion, or is that also to protect the foot? There’s Equi-Pak CS for thrush - does it actually work? Does it also protect against white line fungi?

[NorthernHunter]

My mare wears pour in pads and has never had any issues with thrush or fungus. There is a medicated thrush pour in if it’s an issue but we’ve never had the need. The foot doesn’t get disinfected, it gets trimmed; hot shod, and then the hoof pad and shoe are nailed on… the last step is putting the pour in under the pad (it looks like a caulk gun). When her shoes are removed the pour in comes right off too, so It’s not something that adheres to the hoof, it fills the void between hoof and hoof pad. Please note I’m not a farrier lol but we have a great one which has been the key to keeping maresie happy and well shod; also my experience is that not all farriers offer pour ins, so it might take some looking around to find someone who does.

[DressageLin]

My farrier sprinkles a bit of copper sulfate in areas of my horse’s hooves that tend to get soft or are more prone to be a touch thrushy. That seems to do the trick. I also have a spray bottle with copper sulfate dissolved in water and I will spritz his hooves occasionally as well. The pour in pads have been wonderful for my horse, so it’s worth the effort to keep the foot healthy.

[IPEsq]

My farrier hasn’t noticed a difference between using the CS or regular version. He would sprinkle some copper sulfate in first if needed, but generally because it bonds to the sole, stuff doesn’t get in between the pad and the sole so thrush etc. doesn’t develop. We do not disinfect the foot, just trim.