My senior OTTB with ridiculous crappy feet was very sore this go-round when our farrier came and he commented again on her thin soles. I saw some recommendations on FB for Hoof Armor and was wondering if anyone here had any experience with this or other products that may help out the old girl.
Hoof armor is a kind of superglue I believe. I haven’t seen it used IRL. If your horse is barefoot, you might consider hoof boots.
What is your farrier doing to IMPROVE the thin soles? He is not letting the toe get too long, or the heel under-run, is he? Is he removing the sole during trims?
I find as a whole that TBs do not have any poorer quality hooves than other breeds, once they are trimmed correctly… but the problem is, with OTTBs especially, they have been poorly trimmed for so long that it usually takes a while to really produce a fully balanced, healthy hoof.
In the mean time, apply Durasole to protect the sole, and consider rim-pads to lift the sole off of the ground. Thin soles can be made thinner by constant shearing of the sole from contact with hard substrate, so sometimes shoes are a necessary evil to lift the sole off the ground and protect it short-term.
Consider also, if the horse is older… cushings and/or PPID are not uncommon in older horses, and cushings especially seems to interfere with good hoof production… very common to see older horses (with cushings) develop thin soles.
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I have used Hoof Armor, and found it helpful. However, the biggest factors in improving thin soles are diet and trim. The Hoof Armor is easy to use and does seem to keep sole from wearing, thereby helping to thicken soles a bit faster. It may also have a tiny bit of cushion effect, although not 100% sure about that.
I haven’t tried it yet, I’d like to, but my neighbour, who is a trainer, is using it on multiple horses (barefoot & shod) & really likes it, she has found it helpful & is getting a more effective & longer lasting effect than Durasole.
It is, according to their website, a “non-toxic epoxy base.” I would prefer using something like that rather than Durasole – I really like Durasole, have used it a long time, it does help, but one of its primary ingredients is formaldehyde (probably actually formalin). They include a lot of unneccessary language to try and make it sound fancier on their website, but it’s simply a tissue fixer (I’m going to start using “preserving morphology” at work now, LOL, that’s a great euphemism). It only binds the outer layer, so you have to keep applying it as old sole sheds off. It’s not something I love handling all the time (since I already do at work); you can find the full OSHA sheet at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owa…able=standards
As others have noted, neither product is a true fix, they are band-aids or patches, however useful. Good hoof care & nutrition will play the biggest role, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also use patches. Just don’t expect to paint something on the soles & ride off happily into the sunset forever more (if only!!).
But a primary factor in sole thickness is genetics. There is only so much you can do to change it.
OP - how is the farrier measuring sole depth? Or is he just saying the soles are likely to be thin because she is a TB?
My TB has thin soles (and walls) and skin, in general she is pretty typical of a TB. She is retired but in shoes. Barefoot is not a good option for her during a good part of the year and/or when she was in work.
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From what I understand about Hoof Armor and the formalin based products, they can make the sole harder and they can cause the sole to retain rather than shed layers. Formalin may also protect against rot, thrush, and degradation from wet.
But they are not going to make the sole thicker unless you count retaining false sole that would chip away naturally.
I don’t know if this is enough to make a foot more comfortable.
I have a mare that is on the edge of being totally OK w t c on our gravel trails depending on season and weather and time in trim cycle. I have hoof boots on front and she strides out perfectly t c in them, but right now sucks back a bit on very hard ground barefoot.
I’ve thought about using hoof armor or a formalin product but honestly am uneasy about altering her hoof ecology. At the moment she sheds false sole a little at a time. I don’t really want her retaining chunks of false sole. Not sure if that would happen?
It is my understanding that Hoof Armor is a kevlar based formula - not a formalin. It does not harden the sole or change the composition, it just protects the sole from wear. I do think it made my tender footed horse more comfortable, for what it’s worth.
I personally found it much more effective than Durasole.
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I’ve used Durasole, Hoof Armor, and boots. I prefer Hoof Armor over Durasole, seemed to protect the sole better to me. Hoof didn’t wear down as quickly. If on anything rocky…just add boots for protection. Hoof armor doesn’t protect against rocks, bruises, anything caused by super hard ground. It only helps keep the hoof from wearing away, not cushioning at all.
Only thing that helps sole depth is a good trim and encouraging correct growth. IMO.
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To the OP: Is your horse ouchy, unsound or just diagnosed with thin soles? It sounds like she does not have pads on, but is she shod? I am new to the thin sole discussion. I have just changed farriers, and I am going to talk to him about the old boys (28 and 29) and the need for shoes, or pads or could they go barefoot. They are both TB’s but have always had good feet. My old farrier kept them in front shoes “just because”, but I want to find out what the new farrier will say.
If he actually has thin soles (showing on radiographs) putting him in pads will likely help over the course of several months. Mine had low sole thickness (10-11mm) and six months in leather pads improved it to 17mm in one foot, less in the other. As far as I know, adding leather or pour-in pads is one of the main ways farriers can help thicken a sole over time (and make a thin-soled horse more comfortable immediately).
How does this work? Does increased movement build more hoof growth? Or does the sole just not exfoliate?
Sole is naturally sheared by substrate - even healthy sole. Placing rim pads with most thin soled horses, helps to lift the sole off the ground and prevent further shearing/loss of further sole. Lots of horses grow plenty of sole, but have trouble retaining it… especially horses that are outside, 24/7, on rocky or hard footing.
Pads are a catch 22 – on the one hand, it’s good to protect them so that they don’t shear or thin… but on the other, strong, healthy sole develops callouses by being in constant contact with the substrate – and it’s difficult to callous a sole if there is leather or a full pad blocking it. For that reason I prefer rim pads for most situations.
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I’ve had it explained that the sole contact/support of the pad (in addition to protecting it) can also help promote growth. My horse currently goes in pads regardless for other issues, but that explanation seemed to make sense to me.
Thanks for all the intel. She is currently in a regular shoe; numerous farriers have told me that she’s not a barefoot candidate. She was ouchy this shoeing which is how the topic came up. If she continues to be sore, I’ll get our vet involved with rads.
22 y/o, no other indicators of Cushings, pasture puff who gets the best possible care in her life of leisure. Stalled for a few hours a day to eat or in inclement weather. Sandy loam soil with minimum rocks.
Pads are an option that I’ll bring up to him prior to our next shoeing, but was hoping something like the Hoof Armor would be of assistance as well.
I have Keratex on hand so started with that and will discuss pads with my farrier for the next go-round.
I do admit that I rely on farriers’ expertise and trust their judgement, but will take a more active role with the suggestions here going forward.
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Very different scenario, but I’ve been using Hoof Armour and have been super happy. We transitioned my mare to barefoot last fall since we’re at a barn with amazing footing and we’re strictly recreational at the moment. She’s 14 and has been in shoes since she was a youngster. She got a bit outchy when it got hotter and drier so we gave it a shot and it seems to be working beautifully. Much more comfortable walking across the crusher driveway etc.The plan is to use it to get her over the hump, with plan B to use it all summer. Plan C to put her back in shoes if I really have to, but I’m cautiously optimistic we won’t need to go that route.
