Heads up about that new 'quick set' glue for hoof pads

I used to swear by the old two part epoxy for sticking on pads, the kind you had to mix up and it took a full ten minutes to set. About six months ago, I tried a new fast acting glue that a supplier pushed on me, saying it would cut my time in half. The first few times it seemed great, but then I had a pad fail on a big draft horse after just three days of light work. The glue line looked good, but it just didn't bond deep enough to the hoof wall under real stress. I went back to my old method the next week because I can't risk a client's horse going lame over a saved five minutes. The old way is slower, but I've never had a failure with it in over eight years. Has anyone else run into problems with these new instant adhesives for therapeutic pads?

3 comments

3 Comments

paul3461mo ago

Heard a similar story from a buddy who works on show jumpers. He had a glue-on shoe pop clean off during a warm-up with one of those quick-set formulas. Now he only uses them for temporary fixes when he's really in a bind. Some things just aren't worth the extra speed.

the_riley1mo ago

That "temporary fixes when he's really in a bind" line is spot on. I read a piece by a farrier who said quick-set glues can be brittle under stress. They might hold for a light workout, but they're a gamble for any real work.

verar2125d ago

Exactly, that brittleness is the real killer. I had a glue on pad crack right down the middle on a heavy horse after just one turn in the arena. That old epoxy might take ten minutes, but it flexes with the hoof. This new stuff feels like hard plastic, it just snaps under pressure. Not worth a lame horse to save a few minutes.