Molly left for Africa 5 days ago. I have been left with the daunting task of caring for Bodhi, the most important man in her life. ;) I will be visiting at least once a week to groom him and make sure he is a happy camper. Additionally, to make sure he stays fit, I will be taking lessons with the barn manager. I promised Molly I would chronicle this process on her 'Golden' blog. Please keep in mind, if you're still reading at this point, that I am a horse husband. I enjoy being around horses and I appreciate them as animals but I am not, by any means, a rider or an expert. Having said that, I will do my best to keep the blog interesting and informative. I had my first lesson today. Bodhi is still DISGUSTING because he spends all day wallowing in the Manitoba "gumbo" (mud.) After I finally managed to get him cleaned up, I began the lesson. It was a back-to-basics lesson. We reviewed how to properly tack up (western) and then walked around the ring working on my seat, posture, and steering. We practiced our 'whoa's and 'go's, did lots of serpentines to practice turning, and worked on controlling the speed of his gaits with my seat. I have ridden enough to know what I am supposed to do but not enough to do it correctly or effortlessly. The instructor said I had quiet hands and did a good job. The lesson was a helpful review and a test of Bodhi's patience, which passed with flying colors!
I have a question about hoof care and I would greatly appreciate any advice. I will consult with Molly directly but I think it would nice to hear what her friends and followers think:
I will be applying Thrush Buster as preventative measure once a week while the mud is still bad (once every other week as it dries, etc.) but the barn manager said I should only use it after a problem develops because it can damage the hoof wall. Has anyone else had experience with Thrush Buster or tremendous amounts of mud? Should I continue using it regularly or give it a rest until I notice a problem?
Thanks, in advance, for your input.
I think I need to read the last few posts. Are you leasing Bodhi from Molly?
ReplyDeleteMost commercial thrush treatments are quite caustic and can damage the hoof, so I never use them because of that. I spray hooves every day with either a 1/2 water 1/2 apple cider vinegar mixture or a 2/3 water 1/3 Lysol 4-in-1 Cleanser mixture. If a horse has any major thrush, White LIne Disease, etc., I use White Lightning. And to protect hooves from excess moisture and mud, I use Keratex Hoof Gel. None of these products do damage to any part of the hoof. Hope that helps!
I would only use when you have a problem and you can use this instead. It works great for lots of water and mud.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.smartpakequine.com/absorbine-hooflex-all-natural-dressing-7033p.aspx. Nice to meet you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've never used Thrush Buster so I can't give advice on that. Other things you could use that won't hurt him are dish washing soap and apple cider vinegar. You could wash his feet thoroughly with the soap every couple days and then spritz his frogs with the apple cider vinegar to keep everything fresh and the baddies at bay.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you going above and beyond as a horse husband!
So incredibly sweet of you to be caring for Bodhi while she is gone! I'm so glad you are going to keep up the blog so we can follow along! As for the thrush, I think I agree that I would wait until a problem develops. The best thing you can do for preventative measures is keep his feet cleaned out as often as possible. Bodhi's a pretty tough guy, he may not have a problem. But of course, do whatever Molly says :)
ReplyDeleteI am located in Ontario and we have been experiencing a lot of rain, too. I use simple salt water to keep thrush at bay. It doesn't damage the hoof, kills bad bacteria, is not overly drying and is cost effective. After I clean Gem's feet, I rinse/pour some of the salt water - a heaping tablespoon in a regular 591ml water bottle shaken not stirred :-) - on them and and brush it into the crevices. One salt water bottle will be more than enough for 4 feet; you will probably have leftovers for the next time. I do this once a week, as maintenance. If you have simple thrush, you can use salt water once a day instead of bleach (yikes!). He has never had thrush and salt water is an easy way to ensure he never will. :-) Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteWow, Molly is lucky to have you! And good for you for stepping up and taking lessons...you might just end up hooked, you know. Oh, and I think being told you have quiet hands is about the best compliment there is, nicely done!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the feedback and support! I will be trying a few of these gentler preventative measures for Mr. Bodhi's hooves. He is pretty hearty but his feet (particularly the frogs) have seen better days. This Manitoba gumbo is mean stuff. If you've never seen it, you have no idea. :)
ReplyDeleteAs far as my "stepping up" is concerned, it is my pleasure. I love Bodhi and I have spent a lot of time around horses. It's about time I learn to ride WELL. And the quiet hands... Molly wouldn't have it any other way. :)
A mixture of apple cider vinegar and a small amount of betadyne and/or tea tree oil is great for preventing thrush... I put it in a spray bottle.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good horse husband to take care of Bodhi. Daily, thorough hoof cleaning that exposes all those nooks and crannies around the frog to the air is one of the best things you can do to help prevent thrush from getting a foothold (or hoofhold in this case). I hope you enjoy your lessons.
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