What needs to be done on my end and what needs to do be done by my farrier so that his thin soles can thicken up?
There is not a lot you can do to thicken the soles - especially if your horse is flat footed.
Going barefoot would need at least 18 months of careful transition.
There are some products that help to harden the hoof/sole but I never found them that brilliant.
You can have plastic inserts put under the shoe which helps to protect the sole
Going barefoot would need at least 18 months of careful transition.
There are some products that help to harden the hoof/sole but I never found them that brilliant.
You can have plastic inserts put under the shoe which helps to protect the sole
Experience
Your farrier should have these answers. Or your vet. Every horse is different. Pulling the shoes & pads if he wears them can help toughen up the soles. Letting the feet grow in more between trims can help too. Proper nutrition can help and so can the use of a supplement for the whole body (like Source) or one that is meant for the feet (like SourceHF or Farriers Formula or Biotin).
You can tell I like Source, can't you. Great product with obvious results. Lots of different things can be done to improve the feet, but each situation is different, so different things are going to work for your horse over other horses.
Good luck.
You can tell I like Source, can't you. Great product with obvious results. Lots of different things can be done to improve the feet, but each situation is different, so different things are going to work for your horse over other horses.
Good luck.