07/10/2025
Surprising facts about equine thrush
🦠It’s usually bacterial, not a fungus.
The main culprits are anaerobic bacteria that thrive where there’s little oxygen (deep cracks/crevices).
🐑 Sheep are your worst enemy!
If your horse shares a field with sheep, be extra vigilant for signs of thrush. The main bacteria causing thrush inhabits sheep's guts and is rife in their poo.
🚰Horses in clean stables or out 24/7 still get thrush.
Conformation (contracted heels, narrow frogs), pads, and deep central sulcuses create the low-oxygen pockets bacteria love.
🌞Dry weather doesn't mean feet are safe.
Wet–dry cycles, urine/ammonia, and packed debris set the stage even when it's dry underfoot
🤢 It’s not just a cosmetic stink.
Deep infections can make the heel bulbs sore or split, narrow the frog, and may even cause lameness, sometimes mimicking other heel pain.
🐸A wide, weight-bearing frog is protective.
Frogs that load the ground help pump the hoof and keep the central sulcus open to air.
🚧Picking alone often isn’t enough.
If the sulcus is deep, forming a tight slit, you can’t reach the infection easily with non-penetrating topicals. Correct trimming to open the area is key—this is farrier/podiatrist territory.
🫢 Over-trimming the frog backfires.
Removing too much frog removes natural defense and invites deeper cracks.
🐴Pads under shoes and packing can trap thrush.
If you use them, be extra wary and have a plan.
🧪Skip harsh caustics.
Bleach, hydrogen peroxide, copper salts and strong acids can burn healthy tissue. Opt for gentler options which are friendlier to live frog tissues, such as Frog & Sole Saviour.
❗ Persistent thrush can flag bigger issues.
Horses with PPID/Cushing’s, insulin dysregulation, or poor circulation may struggle to clear infections.
✅Check what may be lurking under shedding frog.
Peel back thrushy pockets that often lurk under loose frog material; check the central sulcus daily.
🐎 Movement is medicine.
Turnout and regular work help the hoof mechanism self-clean and keep tissues healthy.
🌿Frog & Sole Saviour is a proven mix of highly active plant botanicals that help prevent thrush and restore tissues to health
