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.
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.
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.
Dear Heath / No Thrush,
I am looking forward to receiving my Release [Muscle Wash]. I have had such incredible results with No Thrush that I am pretty certain that I will see great results with Release as well.
My gelding could have been the poster horse for No Thrush. When I purchased him in April of 2011 I had no idea that I was also buying the worst case of thrush I had encountered in almost 40 years of horse ownership. He also had the worst case of thrush that two farriers AND two vets had seen in their entire careers. The thrush had eaten his frog and was working hard on destroying his digital cushion in all four hooves. All of the experts agreed that my gelding would never be sound and that the best thing to do was euthanize him.
I was not willing to give up.
We had big plans for that horse!
I tried almost every thrush product on the market and many homemade remedies that are not on the market. I battled that thrush for SEVEN long months. There would be slight improvement, then he would be back to being lame. Picking his hooves became dangerous because his hooves were so sore. I learned that he was Insulin Resistant and that IR horses are prone to thrush. I changed his diet but the thrush continued. I was losing hope.
Then one day I saw another boarder poofing some stuff on her gelding’s hooves. I asked her what it was and she told me it was this great stuff called “No Thrush.” I had seen the stuff somewhere online and had considered trying it, but didn’t because I had already spent HUNDREDS of dollars on other thrush remedies that did not work. She told me that if I ordered No Thrush and if I did not like it, she would buy whatever I had left in the bottle for what I paid for the full bottle. She would even reimburse me for shipping. I felt like I could not lose, so I ordered a bottle that night.
I received my first bottle of No Thrush and really put it to the test the very first day. It was pouring down rain and my gelding was standing fetlock deep in yucky mud. I poofed his hooves like the video showed and left convinced that I had just wasted my time and money.
The next day I thought differently. I picked his hooves and immediately noticed that his hooves did not smell foul. He did not seem so tender when I scraped the mud out of his hooves. Intrigued, I re-poofed his hooves that day. And the next day. And for the next couple of months. His frogs grew back. His lameness went away.
Excited, I booted him with Renegade hoof boots and started riding him. I started training him. I started competing him. I did several endurance rides and also some competitive trail rides. I did parades and obstacle competitions. I trail rode him thousands of miles over the next couple of years in seventeen different states. He won his very first ECTRA competitive trail ride! He became the Number Six NATRC (Novice Division) horse east of the Mississippi River! He became the Number Ten ACTHA (Pleasure Division) horse in the whole state of Alabama!
And he did it without a single lame step.
Unfortunately, my gelding’s story stopped last summer. About four months ago he had a bizarre colic episode and had to be euthanized.
About a month after his death I acquired a little rescue mare. I did not know that she had a locked up sacrum when I got her. The chiropractors have done what she can and she is sound, but the little mare still has muscle spasms in her lower back and hip area. They say there is nothing they can do for the spasms. They say that the mare will likely be a pasture ornament for the rest of her life. They say that she will always have the spasms.
Maybe she will.
Maybe she won’t.
I am going to see if Release can make a difference. And if it does, you will be the first to know! And if it doesn’t, then I can honestly say that I have tried everything worth trying.
Thank you for reading. And thank you for giving my gelding a couple of good years of life.
Sincerely,
Sheri D
This is the first ever “official” testimonial for No Thrush – Circa 2010. I have to admit, this is pretty impressive!]
“I first witnessed the power of No Thrush while treating an A.O. Jumper who was suffering from months of severe thrush. In a matter of days after using No Thrush, the thrush was gone. We have continued on a No Thrush maintenance program, with no relapses, and the horse is now being re-conditioned to competitive show levels. Impressive product. Well Done”. Geoff Vernon, DVM, International Team Veterinarian –
Rider Credit: Elizabeth Dickinson. Champion High AO Jumpers – The Oaks, CA 08/2007 – Showpark, CA 08/2008
This is one of the first high-profile horses that NO THRUSH Powder helped get back into the Arena after a devastating case of sulcus thrush. In fact, this was the first, official No_Thrush_Powder testimonial.
Wow… that seems like a long time ago! At that time we only sold NT in a few California stores and at our brand new online store. Since then No Thrush is now sold in 30+ countries around the world under the international Label “NT DRY.” Of course, NT Dry and No Thrush are the same product, and both are made right here in Southern California.
From all of us here at Four Oaks Farm,
Have a great Fall Season!
IMPORTANT NOTE about our company: All of our products are made at our Four Oaks Farm Sport Horse Rehabilitation and Reconditioning Centre here in Simi Valley CA. When owner/creator, Kathleen Busfield finds a problem that she can’t fix using existing products, she goes to the drawing board and literally starts from scratch. After developing, testing and ultimately improving the health of the horse in question, the new product is then used and tested for years (on hundreds of horses) before Kathleen will allow the product to be sold in stores. Rest assured that Four Oaks Products will do exactly what we claim they will do.
Here we have cut/pasted just a few of the wonderful No Thrush reviews at www.ValleyVet.com.
Great product!!
April 19, 2021 by CONNIE B.
“I have used this product for years now. My horses frog and central sulcus looks great!”
December 27, 2020 by JL (United States)
“Works well on “scratches” leg fungus too.”
Great product!
May 19, 2020 by Karen L. (WA, United States)
“This is my go-to product for my horse who tends to get thrush in our wet Washington environment. The powder makes it easy to push up into all the crevices and it works better than any other product I’ve used.”
A Better & Faster Way to Beat Thrush!
March 10, 2020 by NONA J. (GA, United States)
“Works so much faster than liquid Thrush Buster. It dries the Hoof, Frog & Bulb through desiccation. Thrush is a anaerobic microbe that thrives in wet, non-oxygenated environments. Dry oxygenated environments kill Thrush.”
Highly recommend!!
March 23, 2019 by Jan
“A great, more natural product!! Helped horse heal from scratches in less than one week and hot spots on a friends dog!!”
Will never be without this
January 27, 2018 by Kaykaypee
“I purchased a horse with some of the worst sulcus thrush I have ever seen. Look at the examples on he products website – his feet looked like that. My results were just like the pictures too. You must use as directed and you should have the same results.”
October 2, 2017 by VICKI (CA, United States)
“Quickly knock out thrush in deep crevices.”
Verified Buyer
“Great buy”
February 9, 2017 by MYRA K. (KY, United States)
“This is easier to use than the liquid thrush products.”
Verified Buyer
“Great buy”
October 3, 2016 by LISA M. (IN, United States)
“The only product to successfully resolve deep thrush.”
By far, the best for thrush!
August 10, 2016 by Nemo
“My Irish Hunter has suffered from chronic thrush for the past couple of years. I’d use a product (pick almost ANY liquid, I used it), and none completely got rid of the thrush or improved the health of his hooves. He had chronic sore feet when I rode him.
On Easter, my horse underwent colic surgery. It was touch and go for 10-days at New Bolton (they did a superlative job), and once he was home again, he had to have stall rest for two months. As clean as I tried to keep his stall, I knew I’d be dealing with horrible thrush. His feet were quite stinky. I first tried a gel product that was well regarded. Worthless. Then I found No Thrush and read up on it. I liked the concept of a dry treatment that would not only treat the condition, but also deal with the cause — moisture trapped within the hoof and frog crevasses. Because of the severity, I treated him nearly every day for two weeks. I could immediately see the difference.
At three weeks, my farrier came to pull his shoes and trim. He immediately remarked how much better the feet looked and how much healthier they seemed. Months later, with regular use, two of the four frogs are completely healed — no cracks — and the other two cracked frogs are almost completely healed. One has been a little more stubborn than the others, but it’s coming along with no sign of thrush.
The best part: I just rode Romeo for the first time since surgery, yesterday. He was like a different horse. Walked out on the gravel farm road, no hesitation, no dead-dog lame gait. I feel he was saved, not only from his extremely serious colic surgery but from years long, chronic thrush that never seemed to abate. BUY THIS PRODUCT. You won’t be disappointed.”
July 24, 2016 by Caillou
“Having used ALL thrush products, including the soaking products, this is the most effective thrush product I have used. It’s the easiest for application too! Also, what I love about this, is the new growth is HEALTHY that attests to the healthy bacterial balance in the hoof still remains:)”
May 6, 2016 by Kaylyn W.
“Easy to apply and working well on my geldings heel cracks”
Love that it’s dry!
January 21, 2016 by Trappersfriend
“I have been using this product for over a year and it’s the only product I found that truly gets rid of thrush overnight. It is amazing!”
Love this stuff!
December 16, 2015 by KDW22
“Dry thrush treatment makes so much sense! This works really well and quickly. Doesn’t take much so the bottle lasts a while. This is also amazing for rain rot, although treating a larger patch of rain rot will use up the bottle fairly quickly.”
