Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Maybe I should start an official "I love Equi-Pak campaign".....Technically, you should prep the hoof the same way.  I don't.  I have had no problems with it staying in.  I DO use the mess that Equi-pak sells, haven't substituted in any way.  My horses also don't live in a marsh or lowlands.   I cut out the mess, put the shoe one(with mess under) finish off the shoe.  Then, duct tape a thick, clear plastic sheet over the bottom of the hoof.  This is the "form" to hold the paking.  By using the clear, you can see what and how much you putting in.  Then fill from the sides of the frog, working it with the fingers the whole time.  I do a lot of that.  Work it until it is good and firm before setting the foot down.  Do not overfill, in fact, work it into a slightly concave shape like the hoof.  Never let it get above an imaginary level line that would be from where the shoe is touching the hoof across the sole of the hoof.  This stuff shouldn't be what is bearing the weight when the hoof is placed on the ground, that is the shoe's job.  This can cause sole pressure and I have known of horses being lame from it.  Since I have been using it (over a year now) in many different rides, I have never lost it.  It never fell out, popped out or was slung out.  It is there when the shoe is removed 5 weeks later.  The best thing, at KY last weekend, I bet I saw 10 shoes on the trail, all with pads.  It doesn't seem to "suck" off like a pad in mud.  Although, many of the shoes were stepped off that I saw.  (I know how to stop that one too)  I will be using it again at GERA ride on my mare. And then again at Big South Fork (used it last year there)  I haven't found anything about it yet, that I don't like.  Good luck!

 

PS. If your horse has a good concave hoof, you can use it without the mess, but it probably won't stay in longer than that ride.  I have done this too, it stayed in decent with my flat soled mare, but not great.

Chris Eickleberry <eickle@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi- on Ridecamp you said- ?With the Equi-pak products, you can keep from using  pads that also cause wear/tear on the nail holes and hoof wall.  It is wonderful stuff IF applied properly.  I love it.  used it this past weekend on a two day 100 on rocks/hills in KY.  ???????

?could you advise me?I want to try this, my farrier has been using it under my pads, but I?d like to try it without pads- I assume you prep the foot like the directions say (ie clean and dry)- do you use a hairdryer? Is there a trick to doing it? How full do you do the sole? Does it ever just pop out or does it generally just wear out??....I almost came to Summer Breeze but couldn?t

 make it; one of the negatives about going was that I knew it was rocky and do not have pads on right now- sounds like the Equipac might be a good option!!....thanks for any and all advice?.Chris E./Indiana

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