I’ve offered sugardine as a treatment for thrush, abcesses and foot-soreness on multiple threads and have been asked a ton of questions, so I thought I would start a thread on the topic for more information.
Sugardine is an old horseman’s secret recipe, and I swear by it for all of the above conditions. It is also an amazing wound dressing, especially if you need to draw infection out (punctures, etc.).
A how-to-apply a sugardine poultice blog from my vet (the principal is also an equine lameness specialist and podiatrist): http://www.mpequine.com/education/how-to/apply-sugardine-foot-bandage.aspx
Great article from American Farrier’s Journal: http://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/5090-sugardine---a-stinky-gooey-mess-that-works-when-treating-wound-injuries
Another from Holistic Horse (proof for those so inclined to natural horsemanship): http://holistichorse.com/health-care/hoof-care/hoof-care-sugardine/
For maintenance, I paint it on clean, dry hooves on the sole and lower half of outer wall once a week – more if the ground wet and muddy or is frozen and feet start to chip, or if a shoe is cast and I need to strengthen around torn nail holes or areas where clinches tend to raise.
Be sure to let it dry before returning to stall or field because it is VERY sticky.
And FWIW for those who have asked, I use it both on my show hunter mare who is shod all around and in full work, and on my youngster who is barefoot and mainly plays “National Geographic Stallions” with his pal all day.
edited for grammatical error – nerd!
