Boarding and Thrush in Horse’s Hoofs
Horses in the wild don’t have thrush to the extent that horses are in boarding situations. There are many reasons, but the main reason is horses in the wild don’t have any restrictions on movement; they move from food areas to water sources at will. This difference allows natural flexing of the hoof, causing the organic matter to fall out, naturally oxygenating the hoof’s bottom.
This movement from place to place also keeps the hoof capsule worn down and trimmed up. They also are in fresh, clean soil at all times of the night and day. A healthy functional hoof deters the growth of thrush in the hoof naturally.
We stable horses for safety and convenience. This trade-off changes the natural function of the hoof. Also, by doing this, the horse relies on us to trim and clean the hoof to mimic the natural state of the wild. They stand in one area of their stall, and no matter how clean we try to make it, bacteria and other organisms will eventually grow. It only takes the right conditions in the hoof for thrush to flourish.
Our job is to change the conditions of the horses that are boarded to give them the best chance not to develop thrush, like picking out the hoofs, cleaning up the stall from manure and urine, keeping the hoof trimmed, and doing a maintenance treatment of Thrush Stuff.
Even the simple task of turning your horse out in the pasture or an arena will aid in the non-development of thrush. In Wet conditions, that can’t be changed. So the use of an astringent (Thrush Stuff) applied to the bottom of the hoof is necessary for the horse’s general health.
If thrush takes hold of your horse’s hoof, it will eat the frog’s tissue and invade the softer areas of the hoof.
Is Thrush painful for horses?
The simple answer is yes in mild to severe cases.
The horse owner can easily treat mild infections just by cleaning the hoof and changing a few sanitary conditions; they usually don’t have lameness. A more dramatic response is warranted if your horse has moderate to severe thrush.
How to Treat a Horse with Thrush?
Remove any dead and necrosis from the hoof in a clean environment for immediate treatment when using Outlaw Thrush Stuff. Like new bedding, digging out urine spots or adding rubber mats, or, in some instances, moving the horse to a different stall. In these cases, lameness in the hoof is a common concern, and caution is advised not to pick aggressively at the frog. For it will bleed excessively and will cause pain in the hoof. Antiseptic and astringent should heal these cases.
What kills thrush in horses hoofs?
It would be best to have an antiseptic to treat the root cause. Then an astringent is necessary to stop reinfection of the tissue. This approach is the most effective way to combat thrush in horses’ hooves.