by Heath Kizzier | Sep 16, 2022 | Heel Cracks, No Thrush, NT-Dry - AKA No Thrush, Pro Tips
Welcome. This is Heath, Four Oaks VP.
You are likely here because you spotted one of our No Thrush Powder posts online and now recognize that your horse does, in fact, not only have a heel (sulcus) crack between the heel bulbs but also has softer than normal heels.
This is a major warning sign that there is an active thrush infection occurring right now.
Buy No Thrush Powder
Below there is a link to learn everything there is to learn about sulcus thrush. But here I want to show pictures and make sure that folks are taking care of these heel cracks now – instead of waiting for the wet, cold, muddy months. It is FAR easier to deal with this 30-60 day treatment and regrowth process while wearing a t-shirt and jeans, versus three layers of shirts, a winter coat, and a headlight with waning batteries.
On this page, you will find a few customers’ before and after photos. You will find dozens more here on this site, and on our Facebook page. Notice that we want a “Dimple” in the heel. NOT a “crack.” If a horse has a sulcus/heel crack, it is guaranteed that bacteria will gravitate to that warm, moist, airless area.
An old farrier once gave me a perfect analogy.
He asked, “What happens when you mow your lawn and you take the clipping and spread them out in the sun?”
I said, “They dry up and blow away?
“Right,” he said. “Now, take that same bag of grass clippings, put them in the trash barrel, and close the lid. What will you find in three days?
“It will be a smelly, slimy, green-goo mess.”
“Yup,” he nodded.”That’s exactly what sulcus thrush does inside those heel cracks.
Buy No Thrush Powder
Finally. Before I sign off, I know there are some of you living in warm, dry climates saying, “Yeah, my horse has a heel crack, but the frog and sole are rock hard! “
This may be true at the moment, but I guarantee you that thrush bacteria WILL get inside any open heel crack and it WILL ultimately cause multiple cases of sulcus thrush a year. Think about it. All it will take is for the horse to step in the puddle you made when you forgot to turn off the trough hose. That moisture activates the bacteria inside the crack, and Bamm, suddenly your horse is mysteriously “off” and you can’t figure out why.
Remember: Sulcus thrush hides in the heel so you can’t see it or smell it. Often you won’t even know it’s there until the horse gets a massive case and it becomes abundantly clear that SOMETHING is wrong with that heel!
Sulcus thrush happens at ANY time of the year.
Now, here is the link to the full Sulcus thrush story, as well as the application pro tips for No Thrush Powder to get the best and fastest results.
Everything you need to know about Sulcus Thrush and Heel Cracks!
Join us on Facebook
Join us on Instagram
by Heath Kizzier | Apr 26, 2021 | News, No Thrush, NT-Dry - AKA No Thrush, Pro Tips, Rain Rot, Scratches AKA Mud Fever, Testimonials, Thrush
Great product!!
December 27, 2020 by JL (United States)
Great product!
May 19, 2020 by Karen L. (WA, United States)
Highly recommend!!
March 23, 2019 by Jan
Will never be without this
January 27, 2018 by Kaykaypee
October 2, 2017 by VICKI (CA, United States)
Verified Buyer
“Great buy”
February 9, 2017 by MYRA K. (KY, United States)
Verified Buyer
“Great buy”
October 3, 2016 by LISA M. (IN, United States)
By far, the best for thrush!
August 10, 2016 by Nemo
July 24, 2016 by Caillou
May 6, 2016 by Kaylyn W.
Love that it’s dry!
January 21, 2016 by Trappersfriend
Love this stuff!
December 16, 2015 by KDW22
by Heath Kizzier | Dec 10, 2010 | News, No Thrush
No Thrush is proud to announce that NO THRUSH is now being sold at Valley Vet. Now it’s even easier to purchase the only DRY thrush product on the market. You will be glad you did. Is the only product that treats most cases of thrush in 4-6 days, and is then recommended for regular use as a healing aid during the critical sulcus-crack re-growth period.
For in-depth info on the product, go to www.fouroaksproducts.com
And to purchase at one of America’s largest online equine products dealers, log on to: www.Valleyvet.com – and type “No Thrush” in the search line.
Today’s tip:
Don’t forget: NO THRUSH also works great on Scratches! (In depth Tip: do not wash the leg prior to using N.T. Simply wipe away any mud and DO NOT scrub off the scabs. Simply puff NO THRUSH powder onto the effected area once per day.
Cheers,
HK
by Heath Kizzier | Oct 21, 2010 | Heel Cracks, News, No Thrush, NT-Dry - AKA No Thrush, Pro Tips, Thrush
From HK at No Thrush:
No Thrush has been independently studied and reviewed by authors of The Healthy Frog article in THE HORSE’S HOOF magazine. Below is the photo-documentation, and below that is a segment of the article. Thanks to the HORSE’S HOOF, Heike Bean, and Josephine Trott, PhD U.C. Davis
No Thrush independent study Via the Horse’s Hoof
Josephine Trott, PhD, Assistant Project Scientist, Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis, has been experimenting with and documenting her treatment procedure which included several different agents, amongst others, No Thrush and Oxine AH.
After a frustrating, expensive and time consuming battle using nearly every product imaginable, she tried No Thrush. “I started an experiment on eight hooves, comparing daily dusting with No Thrush to daily soaking in Oxine AH or a combination of the two. Three weeks later, the No Thrush treated frogs were not sensitive anymore, the heel bulbs were much firmer, the depth of the central sulcus was 50% shallower and the frog tissue was overall much firmer with no significant areas of surface thrush/cheesy frog. By comparison, the two Oxine AH soaked frogs were still sensitive to pressure, still had deep central sulci and significant surface thrush.”
:
by Heath Kizzier | Sep 25, 2010 | Heel Cracks, News, No Thrush, NT-Dry - AKA No Thrush, Pro Tips, Thrush
Hoping for your input…..
My partner, K. Busfield – creator of NO THRUSH – Dry also owns an extensive Equine Rehabilitation Center here in Southern California. She is discovering that well over 95% of the working horses that arrive at her facility due to Soft Tissue Damage (cartilage, tendons, etc), also have moderate-to-severe thrush when they walk in the door. She also notes that in most cases the rehab recovery takes a shorter period if the thrush is properly treated first. Right now we’re looking for anecdotal evidence on a larger scale. Down the line we may push this issue up to an official Vet-university program to scientifically get to the bottom of this.
So for now however, here is what I ask…. For those of you dealing with mystery lameness, suspensory, bowed tendons, strained ligaments, shoulder issues, even neck and back issues… – will you check your horses’ feet to see if you can also find thrush? Often the feet will look dry and healthy, but thrush will most often hide in the Sulcus near the heel bulbs. If there is a crack that seems to go quite deep, you might push on the frog and sulcus just below the heel bulbs. If it’s softer than normal, (might even be…squishy) or if the horse reacts/jerks away from a normal hoof-picking in the Central Sulcus, odds are – that’s thrush.
Our Hypothesis:
It is our belief that these soft tissue injuries can often be avoided if the thrush is diagnosed and treated before the horse self-protectively changes his gait. (usually to a toe-first walking style to avoid pain in the heels.)
This is the progression of our hypothesis.
0. thrush sets in (usually hidden in the sulcus)
1. The thrush creates tenderness. (but not yet noticeable as “lameness”)
2. The tenderness creates an unbalanced stride.
3. The unbalanced stride creates excessive stress on the soft tissue.
4. Soft tissue damage/breaks occur.
The Central Question: If a horse stumbles and injurers himself – what are the odds that he stumbled because of a tentative step due to thrush soreness, and not because he’s clumsy…..?
(I know that if I limp for a few days, I ALWAYS strain the muscles in my back.)
I would love to hear your personal observations. Of course, the trimmers and farriers out there will have comments on the trim/shoeing work, which certainly plays a part in a balanced stride, but my hope here is to anecdotally determine if there is – or is not – a direct link between thrush and soft tissue damage.
