Vettec hoof protection -- Super Fast and Sole Guard

[susanne]

Ozark MiniTack lists Vettec SoleGuard and SuperFast in their newest print catalog, and I'm curious how they work.

SoleGuard creates a synthetic pad that protects frog and sole, while SuperFast creates a synthetic shoe. They are described on the Vettec website as being good protection for barefoot horses on rough terrain, and thought one or both might give some relief from driving on gravel and/or traction on pavement. I'm curious, though, how safe it is to have the frog and sole covered by SoleGuard.

Has anyone tried these? How did it work for you? Did they stay put?

 

[TaylorMarie]

hi i use these products all the time.the sole guard tends to be a little hard so you have to use a softer pad material in the sulcus of the frog and apply sole guard overtop. the superfast is my favorite product for repairing crack and missing peices. I also use the superfast for lateral extensions on a dwarf who has really crooked feet. these products are quite pricey and don't alway stay on that long but yes they do work!!!

Taylor

(farrier)

 

[normajeanbaker]

I am a Farrier and LOVE the Vettec products. I have not used sole Guard, however, I have used Super Fast and have had very good luck with it. I've used it on both full size horses and Mini's. If you are making a shoe out of the Super Fast, the key to getting it to stay in place for any length of time is the foot prep. Don't take a short cut to save a minute or two on getting the foot ready. If you have a CLEAN and DRY foot to apply it to, it stays put. The Mini I put it on had it on for 6 weeks and it was just starting to loosen. If you try applying it to a dirty unprepped foot, it'll only stick for a few days, if you are lucky. If you prep the foot the way they tell you to, I have had VERY good luck with it. Once it's set up, you can rasp it any way you want and you can also rasp some little grooves on the surface to make for better traction. It is pricey to get set up, as you need the gun plus the product. But, I have had very good luck with Vettec products and have used Super Fast with success. The key with the products and how long they stay put is all in the foot prep and application. It's not a hard thing to do, but the foot prep requires a few extra minutes to insure it's clean and dry.

~Jen~

 

[Gypsygal]

We bought both products last month and love them. Had one mini with a problem sore foot and just used the sole guard on the one foot and it seems to have really helped. Being able to create mini shoes is awesome and like others have said - do good hoof prep and they stay on.

 

[wildoak]

We've used it to create a "lift" if you will for Artie, our mare who had surgery last year on her dislocated femur. Her leg is 2" short now so we built up the 2" with Super Fast on top of an aluminum shoe, and put the whole thing on her foot. She has knocked it off in less time but it usually stays on a full 6 weeks.

Jan

 

[susanne]

Thanks, all of you!

Have you tried these on driving horses? For road/trail/cross country driving?

Assuming the hoof and foot are properly prepared, is there risk of it coming off in the midst of a drive? If that happened, would you remove it from the opposite foot or what?

My gelding, Mingus, is fairly sensitive to gravel, plus I worry about him slipping on paved roads and trails (especially in colder weather, when there is no give). I've considered Easy Boots, Hoof Wings, and other boots...Do the Vettec products compare in any way with boots, or is this comparing apples to oranges?

 

[Gypsygal]

We have not been fortunate to go on a long drive with our "vettec shoes" yet but they have been on now for about 2 weeks and my horses are out in the pasture 24/7. I think they are going to be easier and better than boots because they are not as heavy and large. I like the fact that I am not putting them on and taking them off everytime I take mine out for a drive.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Susanne, I have no experience w/ either product, but might suggest that you measure Mingus' feet, since he is a larger mini...I have had good luck w/Easyboots in their "Pony" size(despite ads that say they do, they do not make a 'Mini' sized boot, but the one on their website designated as "Pony" and having measurements of 3"+ in both hoof width and length is the one I have, and used successfully for my 38" mare. I haven't tried them yet on my newer 37" gelding, but believe they will also fit him. Mine are the traditional, but in the 'latest' design that include the 'Gaiter'...don't think they make anything that would fit a mini in any of their other designs. I also used Easyboots in TOUGH terrain on my Paint mare; they were great!

I have never found them particularly hard to put on or remove, and they are very 'uncomplicated' to use, IMO.

I used Keratex, a sole/wall hardener, awhile back on my new larger gelding, and found the prep of REALLY cleaning the bottom of the foot, kind of tedious...JMO, of course...but for me, the simpler, the better.

I have heard/read good things about Hoofwings, also. They are pricey, but last I read their website, they could be sent back for 're-soling', which to me, would be a plus, I think!

Just another viewpoint....

Margo

 

[Shari]

I have used SuperFast on Maggies front hooves, when I lived at the old farm. It lasted about 6 weeks. Had the farrier put it on for me as Maggie was having hoof issues at the time.

 

[MiniHGal]

Hi Susanne,

I have to reiterate all that has been said before....expensive to set up (gun, tips, glue itself, the mistakes that you make!!), can come off early, but good stuff, all in all!

Fascination drove in front shoes made out of Superfast for about 2 years, I think, and now has glue on shoes (Epona shoes) that I glue on with the Superfast. The most important thing is definitely the hoof prep. Best for me has been: right after a trim (not even let out to walk around), alcohol to dry, and then a blow dryer to really dry out the hoof. With that, I can get about 4-5 weeks out of a set of glue on shoes--ones that are getting a lot of work and torque from driving. Without....well about 2-3 weeks, probably. Also, if the horse is standing around in moisture and wet, the time on the hoof decreases dramatically. But during the summer, I can be pretty sure they will stay on for as long as I need them too.

Also, the traction on pavement/wet grass isn't great...I wouldn't say any better than barefoot, and possibly worse. On dirt, dry grass, its great!

I've just started using the SoleGuard this fall on Peeks (Prelim mini), as well as on a morgan that I have been competing barefoot in CDEs. The morgan had transitioned from wearing shoes all his life to barefoot in the spring, and was consistently a little sore on hard ground/trails, so he needed some protection while getting used to his 'new' feet. The soleguard was amazing for removing tenderness! He moved out very well with no hesitancy on rocky surfaces...in fact, we won our marathon on a track that was fairly hard with some rocky patches. However, in one of the hazards that had wet grass, he did have a pretty good slip. I think there is less traction with the soleguard than barefoot, which makes sense when you look at the bottom of the hoof with it in. I think it lasted about 2 weeks....even with doing the prepwork beforehand. However, Peeks' filler lasted about 4 weeks. So I am unsure as to how long it will last me on average. I would definitely suspect, though, that wet conditions will decrease the length of time it will stay in.

Bottom line: they may or may not work for you! I've found that it takes more time and effort (obviously) than just barefoot, or even traditional shoes, but, it's what I have to do for my horses.

ETA: Wanted to add a link to a picture of the morgan as he is competing at the Shady Oaks CDE (see the gravel leading into the water and out of it? No problem!), and one of Peeks with Superfast-glued shoes on.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/MiniHGal/IMG_0672.jpg

The morgan

Peeks:

 

[susanne]

Wow, you guys -- what a great range of answers -- exactly the information I needed.

Shari, I trust you were satisfied with the SuperFast when you used it?

Considering our wet climate and lack of a real barn, these might not be the best choice for us -- at least not during an Oregon winter... However, it's good to know that they work great...in the future it may well be the answer.

Now, a question about boots...

Our driving terrain varies from gravel to pavement to dirt to grass. Which boot gives the best traction for these surfaces? Which has the least danger of rubbing and creating sores?

I'll have to measure his hooves -- for a tall boy, he really has small hooves (remember the story of him wedging them into the no-climb fence).

Breanna, both your Morgan and Peekaboo look fantastic! I hope you can make it to more of the northwest CDEs one of these days (hopefully I won't be in the hospital this time!).

Thanks!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Regency minis does CDE... she has something on her web about glue shoes...

Not sure if it is related, but you peaked my interest so I thought I would add it in too.

I can't see putting shoes on my guys so I am interested in anything that might protect the feet.

best wishes.

http://www.regencymini.com/bits/glue.shtml

 

[Margo_C-T]

Susanne, you might try googling for a 'horse boots', or endurance riding--something like that--forum. I'm pretty sure they exist, and there should be plenty of input there regarding your questions about boots. I do think I recall reading that no boot really gives good purchase on grass, though I also *think* there are some that you can screw studs into-though probably NOT in mini horse sizes.

I also should add that I was able to 'tweak' an earlier pair of "PONY" Easyboots--the original design--to where I could use them for basic trips down the gravel road--no gaiter---for my 34" horse, also with smaller,'muleish' feet, by cutting some pieces of rubber carpet runner to place inside, and also, by moving the heel strap to the shorter setting. It meant cutting off the end of the heel strap, which meant there was no 'going back to' the original setting, but it did work. Probably wouldn't have stayed on in rough, uneven terrain or in sucking mud, though.

I personally haven't used my 'newer' ones w/ the Gaiters for any long-distance/long duration driving yet, so not sure about the rubbing. I have read of various ways to minimize the possibility of rubbing, such as slipping an old pantyhose foot and lower leg over the horse's hoof before putting on the boot/gaiter... but have no personal experience w/ that.

I have saved a couple of old 'mouse' pads, with the idea to try cutting a pad for the inside of the Easyboots out of them, to both cushion the foot AND help 'take up slack' for better fit/staying on.

Margo

 

[Shari]

Yes, was quite please with the product.

 

[Jetiki]

In my experience WET grass and Sole Guard DO NOT mix unless ice skates is what you are going for. Mare was sore on gravel, farrier put in sole guard, it rained before marathon the next day started in the grass and she almost ended up with all 4 feet in different directions not good, I went back to the barn vet wrapped her feet and the easy boots fit perfectly they were big before the vet wrap and we got through marathon with no problems. If you have wet grass and inclines I wouldn't risk it.

Karen