If you can get ahold of Artimud, Hoof Stuff or Field Paste by Red Horse Products, they help a lot with thrush and white line issues. If the white line disease is really bad, you can also try to find some pure Oregano Oil and use that to treat it.

Wrong

It's kind of frustrating to have a pair of 'pasture' mares in my care for the past 15 years, and just now have to search for information, current treatments and a diet for one of my girls. I saw her limping this winter. The farrier said she had laminitis. She's and older pasture mare, has 16 acres to roam, and not overweight. I was saddened to hear the 16% sweet feed that they get a scoop of about 3 times a week all year long, with an apple or carrot, may have contributed to her condition. Why didn't I know this until now? Not blaming anyone but me, but one would think there would be more warnings or information out there considering how serious the condition can be. I guess I'm frustrated at just now having to search for information after the fact. In many cases, it's a little too late to save the horse. It seems too many others are searching for answers and treatments as well.

Thanks for your feedback. It is still a successfully used application for many vets and farriers around the country. It isn't the only option out there that is successful but for many horses and many situations, it is the best option. So although I can respect your opinion and recommendation, I don't really agree so I'll probably keep it up. Thank you though.

This application is still a widely used and successful approach for acute laminitis, and in many horses and situations the best option. Although I appreciate your input and recommendation, I don't agree and will go ahead and keep the video up. Thank you.

@@codyovnicek3736 It wasn’t my intention to insult you. It’s just that there are more effective ways of doing this procedure with much better results. This video only cushions the foot without taking pressure off the toe. The horse isn’t getting as much relief as it could with a little more heel support. Seems like a no brainer.

@@sudburyhouse I didn't take it as an insult, I just have a difference of opinion is all. I don't know if you watched the whole video or know the whole process, but after the first layer compresses in a day or so, we remove it, trim the front portion away from the sole, put the back half back into the foot (as it has produced a good mold of the frog, bars, and sole in the back of the foot - where most of the load should be for most of these cases), and then a new layer is put over the top of that. What that second layer does is increases the support for the back half of the foot and creates a gap between the sole in the toe (beneath the tip of P3) and the pad to minimize contact. Many horses do great with 2 layers, especially as it crushes, the edges become more crushed, and allows for leverage reduction in all directions. If that layer becomes too compressed, you just remove it, trim the second layer to match the first, put both of those 2 layers back in the back of the foot (thereby establishing more caudal loading), and tape a 3rd layer on to again create more gap below the tip of P3. If you haven't seen how this procedure takes pressure off toe, offers cushion and relief, and offers protection to the bone, then perhaps you haven't seen the process done correctly or don't understand the correct way to use it. I know some people stop at one Styrofoam pad, but that is not the correct application. Styrofoam is super easy to modify with a rasp or saw, its cheap, its forgiving, and its effective. I agree that there are other products and approaches on the market that also work and have successes. Many are more expensive, some are not as forgiving, some add cushion and support but actually increase leverage, etc. I don't think pulling informational videos on procedures that have been very effective for almost 30 years and continue to be successful is necessarily a benefit to the industry. It is still very beneficial, still very widely used, and still very relevant. You can disagree with me all you want. I talk to people everyday who use this protocol and tools and are very grateful they found out about them, many from this video. Thanks again for your input though.

@@codyovnicek3736 I did watch the video and I do understand the mechanics of the foot. I guess I just have a different opinion on the process. Rather than putting the styrofoam block on to be compressed then adding an additional block days after seems too little too late. why not support the heal under the block the first time? it seems a little unfair for the horse to have to wait days for relief with such a painful condition. also the compressed block doesn't give enough support or offset in my opinion. I will admit I may have gone a little nuclear having only watched part of the video before commenting. My apologies! However I went back and watched the entire video and still feel there is a more proactive approach. I have seen horses get much more relief from other applications without having to wait days to get it. This isn"t to say that your video was in anyway done wrong i just think it wasn't enough considering the severity of the condition. maybe 12 years ago it was our only option. I don't know. If I broke my ankle I wouldn't want to walk around on it for two days with a compression sock before getting a cast. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

@@codyovnicek3736 I just watched your laminitis first aide treatment-podiatry pads video. That’s what I’m talking about. I wouldn’t have commented on the Styrofoam support pads had I seen your other video! The first aide treatment video made much more sense! I still however think the styrofoam support pads video needs to go. I Don’t understand why there needs to be two stages of treatment. Just do the second one first. Thanks

There are several approaches that could be used to accomplish something that would appear to be similar, and those options you mentioned are certainly used a lot as well. One problem with using shoes with the cuff is that the tendency is the have a shoe that is fit slightly wider (bigger) than the foot to get the tabs and cuffs fit (unless you know how to alter them), which actually can increase the leverage. To counter act that, you need to grind the leverage back into the shoe to get those release points further under the foot where you might want them. With applying the clog this way (especially the black urethane clog), it is more rigid and can withstand rasping or grinding the leverage release points much further in that you can with other shoes and the shoe won't invert. Likewise, for this particular horse, Chris wanted to glue the entire sole at the same time which this horse does well with, and the solid foot surface of the clog works well for this use. Again, it's not the only way to apply a similar style package, this particular horse just does better with this type of clog prepared and applied in this way. Chris has used the other version like you described on this horse in the past and he does the best so far in this application. Keep an eye out because Chris is working on another video with a clog application using cuffs (Coming Soon!).

@@EDSSHoofcare thank you. I am just learning and interested in, not only having alternatives, but understanding the differences and reasoning. I'll be watching for the next one!

The plastic can come of once the casting is set, so usually 10 minutes or so is sufficient time.

The majority of the time they are used on front feet, as they tend to be affected by laminitis and founder more often (at least most noticeably affected). They can be used on hind feet and some horse do fine with them and others can be more reactive as they don't generally have something of that size or height on hind feet. Most get used to it in a short period of time though. Is it used on the hind feet much less than the front though.

Basically if you leave the casting under the ground surface of the shoe in the heel region, as the wooden part wears down over time just from the horse's movement, the front part can wear more than the back creating a wedge. In some cases, a wedge might be what the horse needs, but if not, you don't want to create a wedge by leaving the casting under the heel if that is not what your plan was. It is mostly about creating a situation where you do not have any unintended consequences of what you are putting on. There can be some very beneficial or even necessary things that can happen from having the shoe wedged if that is indicated. Chris was addressing what can happy if you are not being particular about where the casting goes and unintentionally creating a wedge when you did not mean to and it may not show up until the front half the shoe wears some. Hope that helps.

It didn't show it in the video, but he actually dunked the roll of casting in water for about 5 -10 seconds before he started wrapping. It is recommended to submerge the whole roll of cast in water for a few seconds then apply, rather than applying dry and then wetting the surface. Wetting the whole cast will active all of the resin better than just applying water to the surface because water may not reach the layers closer to the foot if just wetting from the outside. However, the cast will eventually setup without wetting, but it is intended to be wet for optimal performance.

We recommend that you do not completely replace the styrofoam with a new piece each time it crushes. Instead, when the first piece crushes, you should trim it and put the back portion back in the foot and place another new piece over the tope of that one. Once that one crushes, again trim it to match the first layer, put both of those layers back in the foot and place 1 more new pad on top of those. Once this 3rd piece crushes, you can just add some additional tape or even better Elasticon tape over the package to reinforce it for better wear. The most benefit comes from the second and 3rd layers adding more support and protection, while the first layers molds itself into the frog commissures and more evenly distributes the support being offered through the pads. If you replace it each time, you only get a short term relief because you are completely starting over with each new layer. The horse can wear this for up to 2 weeks and you should see some improvement over that time. In most cases, the horses condition will improve, but you may need continue treatment with a more permanent application that still utilizes the same concepts of support, protection and leverage reduction. Here is a link to an article on our website with some additional information: www.edsshoofcare.com/single-post/laminitis-a-general-overview

You can apply these to the front or hind feet, but they are primarily used on front feet. Generally, you would put them on both fronts (or both hind) feet, rather than just 1 foot. They are usually used to treat a particular pathology, like Laminitis or Founder. They can be used in other injuries or pathologies like ring bone, coffin joint disease, collateral ligament strain, etc., but the most common use is Laminitis & Founder. Hope that helps.

@@codyovnicek3736 Thank You For The Information I Was Just Curious About How That Worked.

This is just an example of when and how casting can be used to offer protection, support and maybe some additional stability to a foot that is compromised or just in need of some temporary protection. You could absolutely use a shoe to accomplish those same goals. Sometimes a shoe may not the best option because the hoof quality is not great for nailing or something along those lines. We are not suggesting it is a replacement for good shoeing, just another tool for the toolbox of options.