Hard skin behind Pasterns - Pig Oil or Sudo Cream?

[Jen]

My boy has quite short Pasterns, although this may be allot to do with his breed I don't know? But basically want to know what I can do and if I should try to soften the skin at the back of the Pasterns?

The skin is very thick and hard, and kind of wrinkly...?

I could continue to use Sudo cream every now and again and pack it into the area, as it is quite tight, and hard I don't like to poke my fingers into the creases, as it is uncomfortable for him.

Does anyone else have a short and stocky heavy that has a similar problem?

Or can anyone suggest anything that might help?

I use Pig Oil around the rest of his legs, but I know that if I get it in the creases it stings or hurts him if he has sores....

[Flic]

I use effol on my boys chesnuts and ergots(when i can find them!) it softens the o i can keep them minimal. I dont know if this might help as it is antibacterial and has other properties too, it doesnt sting me when i get it in the cuts on my hands. Dont know if it helps, if not i would use the sudocrem option as it is mild and non hurty.

[Jen]

Thanks Flic, sounds like it might be worth a try. Is it the 'Effol Hoof Ointment' that you are refering to? I have just checked out their website and this seems the closest thing to what I think might do the job.

Also over the years, because I have always left his feathers unclipped, I really have no idea if this hardness and wrinklyness of the skin has always been there and whether it should be softened up? I am concerned that if I do this that I may leave him vunerable to mud fever or something.

I just feel that because he is sensitive in this area when I am washing his legs and poking about that something should be done.

Sudo Cream is just so messy when you come to wash / clip legs, that's why I am looking for an alternative.

[Flic]

As you can see from my avatar, i dont clip-ever! I do use the effol hoof ointment(green one) on the chestnuts and ergots occasionally as i like to try to keep them fairly short. When i go up to the stables later i will have a feel to see if either of my boys have this hard skin you describe. How often to you wash his legs? do you put anything on them? has he always had this or is it recent?

[Jen]

He went lame last August time, and wouldn't come sound after rest etc - bearing in mind that he has never been lame before apart from when he has foot absesses, so I thought it unusual for him to be lame in the first place. He has exrays etc at the vets and after at the vets they clipped his legs and put it down to the fact that he has quite scared legs from mites etc over the past years andthickened skin, and told me to keep the hair clipped and wash once a week with Maliseb (sp) and dry. I have been applying Sudo Cream, and apart from needing to apply a good pots' worth each time, it is incredibly messy and you can't wash it off. I just don't want him to go lame again for obvious reasons. I don't really want to clip his legs as I believe that they are there for a purpose and haven't had to before now. I would like to let his feathers grow back for the Winter and stop having to wash his legs as long as I can still get to the area in question...

[Flic]

I belive i know the thickened skin you are talking about i know two horses that have had it, both of whom were fully clipped and treated differently with no improvement. Both my boys get mites(bum!). They are worse at different times of the year. Not too much of a problem with thickened skin though. I was nosing in the tack shop the other day at the louse powder which claims to help get rid f mites. I am thinking of trying this, as i have tried just about everything else. I have usesd louse powder in the past for lice and it works really well, and thinking about it when i had used in there were no itchy legs. The mites do live in bedding so you will need to change that and clean out stable- can he live out for a while-treatment takes about a fortnight. I would grow the feathers back if you want them, get him treated and see how it goes. I have little problem in winter with the mites, worse in the summer.
Ooh i have surprised myself-iknow more than i thougt!hehe!
I hope this helps.
If you have any other questions feel free to ask and i will check back and help if i can.

[Jen]

The mites part of it aren't really a problem. The vet gave him 'the jab' (can't think of the name) for the mites this time last year, but it hasn't made any difference.

I just think with the hard skin behind his pasterns, and Winter / wet weather coming that it may get worse and be the cause of his lameness last year. I am tempted to let the feathers grow now for the Winter, stop the shampooing business, as I wouldn't be able to dry his legs properly after washing them, and keep applying Pig oil, maybe a little more liberaly and not direct it between the folds at the back of his Pasterns in hope that if I treat the surounding area.

If the Effol works as a protective barrier with the vaseline in it and a moisturiser to this hardened skin, then I may try that and see how it goes...

With regards to you using the Effol on the chestnuts and ergots, do you rub it in or dollop a splodge on??? I'm interested as my boys are always hard as well, and tough to cut through with a knife and can often be sharp!

[Flic]

i just paint it on with a brush same as when i do the hooves, getting it all roung and in all the cracks. Try growing the hair back it will protect him more from the weather and may soften the skin of its own accord if it doesnt get chapped.

[Jen]

Thanks ever so much Flic, and good point re the letting the hair grow back, it may well protect the skin from the elements!

Is the Effol like a solid hoof oil then? Sounds nicer to handle than the Sudo Cream already!

[Flic]

it is like a solid hoof oil but conditions and helps to moisturise rauther than seal the hoof. Very very good stuff- i cant get enough of it. It is really good and easy to use, smells good too. If the hair grows back it may help as the skin will repair naturally as it will be and will stay dry, stopping it from chaffing and cracking/splitting/swelling. I have to be honest i am a big fan of keeping feathers nautral, they wouldnt be there if they werent needed with evolution and all. (dont fix what isnt broke!)
Let me know how you get on. All the best.