Thrush And Packing
Your October 2001 article on thrush alone is worth the price of the subscription, but I do have a question. You mention Hawthorne’s Sole Pack to hold medicines and create a barrier. Would Forshner’s be as effective’ ??Is it OK to use something like Kopertox, Thrush-XX or Thrush Remedy under the packing, or would that be too intense’ ??I’m not able to treat my horse’s thrush twice daily, so I’m looking for ways to optimize my treatments.
-Carol Wolf
Pennsylvania
Hawthorne Sole Pack holds medications in and produces a barrier. We like it in the patty form, about the size of a hamburger, which you place onto the bottom of the foot then mold it into position or you can buy Sole Pack in a tub, like Farnam’s Forshner’s. Whether Forshner’s works as well as Hawthorne’s we can’t say, as we have not field tested this product.
If all your crevices have been opened well, you may not need anything more than the Hawthorne packing. However, if recesses or cracks remain that may harbor the organisms and where the packing material might not penetrate, you should use a liquid thrush remedy under the packing.??
We’d opt first for the Sole Pack liquid.?? If you want to use something else, especially something more caustic like Kopertox or Thrush-XX, be sure you don’t get the liquid onto the bulbs. You may want to use a piece of gauze or cotton between the other medication and the packing or saturate the cotton or gauze with your other medication, put in place and put the Sole Pack packing over that.
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Adoption Article On Target
I’m glad you take the position that ??“the interest of the horse must be top priority” in horse adoption and wish that this were the attitude of everyone acquiring a horse — whether from a shelter or elsewhere — so that there would be less need for rescue organizations. ??I would also like to point out that there are reasons for contacting a local equine rescue group other than adoption: These groups need the help of everyone interested in horses and also offer the opportunity to learn about horse care to those who have horses, wish they did, or are contemplating getting one or more. ??
I’d also like to mention the American Horse Protection Association, Inc., which was not included on your list of references. This organization publishes a list of equine shelters all over the country, and they distinguish between those they have a lot of information on and those of which they know very little.??They can be contacted at 1000 29th Street NW, Suite T-100, Washington, D.C. 20007.
-Jan Bandler
The Horse Shelter
New Mexico
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Thoroughbred Rescue
I was delighted to read the horse adoption story (October 2001). After researching the network and discovering the fate of many Thoroughbreds is European dinner tables, I made it my mission to save one horse this year. I already own three other horses, two of which were special-needs horses, so I was prepared for anything — except the trip to the auction and the difficulty of choosing “one” horse. The only rescue group that would trust me with a horse was the New York Horse Rescue. I adopted a wonderful Thoroughbred that I trail ride, and he far exceeds anything I expected. I can’t encourage people enough to give these wonderful horses a second chance.
-Erika Widens
Georgia
