My horse has thin walls and thin soles. My farrier told me this past week to soak his feet in about 1/2 inch of copper sulfate and vinegar twice a week. Anyone ever done this? Where did you buy copper sulfate? Did you make the mixture half and half? Thanks!
I’d be interested to hear if others have tired this as well…
You can buy Copper Sulfate at an agricultural chemical supply company or gardening center. We’ve used it to kill Spanish moss on trees.
I’ve never heard of this, but would love to hear from anyone who has.
Southern States will have the CuSO4. I’d be interested to know how that works out.
Well, I use apple cider vinegar to prevent thrush, but don’t see how it could help thin walls (???).
Copper Sulfate is also used for pond maintenance. When I bought it at our ag supply/feed store, that is how they identified it. It seems to be working well on the thrush and I have used it for white line also. My farrier always puts some copper sulfate crystals under the poured in rubber.
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Ok I just had to check on to see how soluble copper sulfate is in a dilute acid solution such as vinegar cuz copper sulfate does not have the greatest solubility at room temp in H2O. Could not resist.
I use copper sulfate in my water tanks to stop algae. It is very easy to find locally at farm stores, mills and even other stores. You can also order it online.
And the results of my chemistry experiment that is sitting here “cooking away” as I type is a big NO. 50:50 copper sulfate to vinegar does not dissolve. Tho it is observable that copper sulfate is more soluble in vinegar than tap water you are not goingto get anywhere near 50:50.
Seems to me tho if effective ( and you need to please let us know) that you could put some copper sulfate into a spray bottle add vinegar. The solution would super saturation and copper sulfate crystals deposite to the bottom. And instead if soaking just spray on. You might have to trim the suction tube a bit so crystals do not get pulled into the pump mech.
Copper Sulfate is an anti-fungal which is why the blue equi-pak is blue; it contains copper sulfate. I’ve always used Farrier’s Barrier and it too contains copper sulfate to control thrush.
Supposedly copper sulfate will dissolve in water overnight. Not sure about dissolution in acid.
Apparently you can purchase liquid copper sulfate but I cannot readily find it in my home improvement stores. Will try Tractor Supply later today.
So my thoughts are that the copper sulfate should be an anti-fungal.
The vinegar would also raise pH and make it difficult for fungus to grow.
alteringwego in gray
My horse has thin walls and thin soles. My farrier told me this past week to soak his feet in about 1/2 inch of copper sulfate and vinegar twice a week. Anyone ever done this? Where did you buy copper sulfate? Did you make the mixture half and half? Thanks!
Years ago, when Ray Green CJF was Sergeant Ray Green and in charge of the US Modern Pentathlon horses at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio, every horse going in or out of the barn had to walk through a foot bath of water and copper sulfate. I have no idea of the concentration, but none of the Pentathlon horses that were used for AFA CF and CJF testing ever had any sign of thrush.
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Copper sulfate does dissolve in water (to make a pretty blue solution), though not well enough to make a 50% solution. The acetic acid in the vinegar would likely make it somewhat less soluble than it is in plain water (cupric ion is acidic, so less soluble in acid and the sulfate is probably close enough to neutral for the acid not to have a large affect).
Assuming you’re dealing with the hydrate form, copper sulfate is a blue crystalline solid. Any “liquid” forms would be dissolved in water.
You can dissolve 316 g of the hydrate form in 1 L of water at 0°C (assuming the water hasn’t frozen) or 2,303 g/L at 100°C. 1L of water is 1000g.
I mix mine in a very unscientific fashion. Add copper sulfate to vinegar. Shake. If all dissolves, add more. (It is a very pretty shade of blue) Continue until it stops dissolving. I haven’t had to mix it but twice, so haven’t tried measuring. I just use a small bottle of vinegar. I apply either with a syringe or tooth brush.
^^^ Excellent method.
[QUOTE=D Taylor;5803387]
I use copper sulfate in my water tanks to stop algae. It is very easy to find locally at farm stores, mills and even other stores. You can also order it online.[/QUOTE]
Sorry to hijack, but how much do you use? I still have some sitting around from the big Pat Coleby natural supplement experiment a few years ago…
I am using Copper Sulfate now, with Apple Cider Vinegar. The formula I was given is 1 TBS of CS and 3 C of ACV. If you are going to spray, you add 2 cups of water to this formula. I am seeing a definite improvement in my horse’s hoofs. The frogs aren’t looking like thrush anymore but I do think there are some underlying bacteria. My plan, if the mud finally holds off, is to soak every day for a week to see if that kills everything.
Welcome to the Forums, Ode. If you look in the top left corner of a post, you’ll see the date. Lots of good stuff archived here, so read away, but wanted you to be aware. 
(This particular thread is from 2011.)
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