Shoeing a senior horse with thin soles has me looking for better methods

I've been shoeing a 20-year-old horse with really thin soles. The shoes don't seem to provide enough support, and the horse is still sore. I tried using pads, but they didn't help much. Does anyone have experience with this? I'd love to hear what works for you.

3 comments

3 Comments

blake_lewis1mo ago

Whoa, you said the horse is still sore even with pads? That's wild, I always thought pads were the go-to for thin soles. A twenty-year-old horse must have really worn down feet by now. Maybe the shoes are too hard or something. Have you talked to a vet about possible other issues?

thea_webb791mo ago

That sounds rough, my old gelding had the same issue. Like @robert_young51 said about pour-in pads, we actually had good luck with glue-on shoes instead of nailed ones. They gave way better support without stressing the hoof wall.

robert_young511mo ago

At our county fair last year, a farrier told me pour-in pads help thin soles. This is like when old cars need special parts, not just new tires. The standard shoes and pads might not be enough now. You could look into softer shoes or different ways to attach them. Sometimes the base is too worn for the usual fixes.