Toughening frogs - not thrush problem, not soft soles

[Xanthoria]

My retired guy had some thrushy frogs, and I got tough on them by trimming out all infected tissue and treating 2x a day with No Thrush Dry Formula powder. Simultaneously the weather has been extremely wet and as a result his frogs are very soft and ouchy.

It’s drying up now, but he’s footy (as are a lot of horses are this barn right now). Even with 1g bute BID, which I would like to stop for the sake of his stomach. I have been applying Keratex Hoof Gel to his entire foot, starting twice a day and now once a day. (It doesn’t seem to help at all - even applied to dry feet and allowed to dry in the sun, his hooves look and act the same - am I missing something?)

Keratex Hoof Hardener says don’t apply to frogs. What can I put on the frogs to toughen them up, or am I just going to have to wait it out? Anything aside from Durasole? (I haven’t had much luck with the latter on horses on 24/7 turnout as the built up layer of sole it creates is worn off too quickly)

[Against_All_Odds1]

I ended up spraying my horses feet with Blukote and letting it dry in the barn before turnout. It helped but was a mess. I went to a formal party with what looked like purple spray paint all over my hand when I missed- so wear gloves!

[Dressagelvr]

What is the current shoeing arrangement?

[Xanthoria]

Barefoot

[horsepoor]

I use Durasole, which you say hasn’t helped. I’m not sure that anything can be effective when the horse is out 24/7 in the wet, unfortunately. With my set up, I can apply the Durasole when they are in for the night, so maybe that makes it more effective for me.

[jawa]

I found if I applied multiple coats of Durasole, 4-6, in one grooming session, it made a huge difference in the dryness/toughness of the sole. I did this daily for 1 week and then only applied the Durasole 1-2 times a grooming session every 3 days. We have been in quite a dry spell, and even though he is turned out in the wetter pasture (still has boggy spots he travels through), and I haven’t applied Durasole in weeks and his frogs are still very tough.

[Xanthoria]

Hm, well I ended up ordering venice turpentine due to the old skool / inexpensive / it’s so nasty it must work nature of that goop.

Durasole instructions tell you to use a heat gun to dry the hoof “at least six times daily during the first week; four times daily for the next two weeks; then twice daily as long as the horse is in training.” So if I could do that, I wouldn’t have a problem right? Because my horse would have DRY FEET. And I’d be independently wealthy, as I’d live at the barn, having no job other than to paint my horse’s toes. Actually, sounds great!

My barnmate said she fixed her horse’s feet with DuraCornum but on further investigation horse was also stalled during treatment and HEY PRESTO his feet became drier! Amazing.

[digihorse]

Despite a lot of people poopooing Venice Turpentine… the good stuff really is a wonder and is still used in Chinese herbal medicine. It has very nice antimicrobial properties as well as pain relief.

[IPEsq]

Iodine

[Dressagelvr]

I’d be trying shoes, probably with pads to start. Not every horse does well BF.

[Xanthoria]

He’s been great BF for the last 7 years of his retirement and at this stage/his age shoeing him is not a realistic option. I think some topicals will get him over this spell.

[Pico_Banana]

I’ve been trying to toughen up my horse’s frogs on her front feet (and generally improve their health) for the last three weeks (this is part of a larger hoof/frog/shoeing problem). Both my barn manager and my vet recommended sugardine. So I’ve been doing that every night for three weeks – I leave it on overnight. I have noticed definite improvement in the frog. Her sulcus was really contracted and it has noticeably opened up. Her frogs have also started to shed a bit, which I like to think of as the unhealthy bits coming off with the good stuff left behind. That last part is probably wishful thinking on my part though.