Urgent hoof help please *pics*

devonlass

New Member
May 20, 2006
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devon
Ok so first off let it be known that yes I am absolutely precious about the spotty one,and yes I do very much tend to over react to any even slight possibility that there might be something wrong:redface:
Add to that the fact I am neurotic about hooves in general,then you just know that when I saw this it was not met by myself with calmness and a matter of fact approach lol.

If this were someone on here,I would probably be rational about it in my response,but as this relates to the spotty one rationality has gone completely out the window,so please bear in mind my fragile bordering on hysteria state of mind at the mo.I am aware that I am quite possibly worrying about nothing,but as I have lost all sense of reason I do not trust my own judgment so would appreciate some advice and/or slap for being so dramatic.

Anyway onto the problem,came back from a walk out yesterday,on a very stony track BTW,and found huge stone wedged in back foot,managed to pick it out but had left huge crater as was far enough into foot so as to be flush with rest of foot if that makes sense??
Looked ok and he was walking fine on it,not much I could do as was getting dark and he lives out so had to go back into field as he was.Problem being fair bit of field is stony as well,but like I said not much I could do about it.Went down today,another big stone in hole,picked that out washed whole area with hibiscrub,but fighting losing battle as foot goes straight back in the boggy mud,but figured it couldn't hurt.

Dragged OH down to take some pics,they aren't great as light was not good,and I am pants at taking pics,and OH is worse it appears lol

Can see hole right on the edge near my right thumb (please ignore the blue gloves lol I get for free and they're very handy for mucky conditions!!),and then near OH thumb,can also see if look closely (I hope anyway) bit further towards toe another small hole/crack which looks slightly like sole peeling away,am worried about this as well as again small stones are getting stuck in it.
Have included a pic at the end of his other back hoof that is fine for comparison.I do apologise about the mud etc on his feet,my field and pen is so wet it's just impossible to get it all off,and he only has to put foot down for couple of seconds and is covered again.

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Other back foot for comparison
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They look like Nelly's feet at the moment - where it's so damp she's shedding frog like there's no tomorrow. Just keep picking the feet out and if you have any antibacterial stuff to pack it with it certainly wouldn't hurt. I've been spreading Pioneer Herbal Balm on Nelly's.
 
Our frogs are shedding too - I think why we have some thrush smells going on :mad: I cant get them clean enough so just picking out and spraying.

You could probably pack the hole much like you would an abcess I guess?
 
Id just keep picking it out and check no stones get in. It looks like sole exfoliation or where a stone has been and come out and left a crease/hole. Just keep and eye on it and maybe pack with the above suggestion.
 
Thanks peeps,so is nothing to worry about then?? Abcess was my biggest concern,but I really don't think I can pack the hole,he lives out and field is very wet,I don't think anything I put in the hole would stay in there sadly.I did wonder about putting his renegades on for turnout,but am not happy about that TBH as they not meant for it,and due to their wuite open design at the back not sure would help anyway.

I did think the small hole further down looked like sole shedding sort of as does appear almost like it's starting to peel kind of thing,but not sure,is weird how it's all down that side and only appeared since yesterday when huge stone got in his foot.

I *think* the frog looks ok?? Have not noticed any problems there or shedding,am I missing something??

Can't see well in pics but hoof wall is intact where stone got in,just the whole area just beside it that's gone to pot!!
 
Id just keep picking it out and check no stones get in. It looks like sole exfoliation or where a stone has been and come out and left a crease/hole. Just keep and eye on it and maybe pack with the above suggestion.

It is exactly that,as mentioned in post huge stone got in yesterday,went in so deep was flush with rest of foot,managed to get it out,but was left with huge hole can see in pics on side of hoof,and today seems bigger and another opened up down further,although like you said that could be sole shedding as does look slightly like it's peeling away.
 
If he's not uncomfortable then I wouldn't be worrying too much. Off the top of my head I'd say it was either an undetected abscess that has blown out, or it's wall separation. Rio has an annoying and persistent cavity in her white line in a similar position on one of her forefeet, they've come and gone before so I'm not concerned.
 
My sisters cob had a similar hole, the podiatrist told her to pack it out with gauze which was soaked in a sugar iodine solution(all from chemist) her cob lives out 24/7 in a very boggy field. Most of the time it stayed in, she cleaned it out everyday and out fresh stuff in. It grew out after not too long.
 
If he's not uncomfortable then I wouldn't be worrying too much. Off the top of my head I'd say it was either an undetected abscess that has blown out, or it's wall separation. Rio has an annoying and persistent cavity in her white line in a similar position on one of her forefeet, they've come and gone before so I'm not concerned.

Thanks for that Yann.Am guessing it's not an abcess purely as the hole was made by the stone for sure,or do you think the reason the stone went in so easily and so far was because of underlying weakness due to an abcess having blown out,and just wasn't very visible?? Could hole further down be due to an abcess blowing out as well??

I'm pretty sure there is wall seperation,but I assumed that was due to the stone being where it was and the pressure etc,or is that not likely and it's more likely the stone got there in the first place due to wall seperation already being present??

What is the likely cause if it's wall seperation,I have never noticed he has this problem since he first came to me anyway (had a small gap in white line on one forefoot like your Rio,but was sorted and haven't seen it since),but ground has been very wet and boggy of late and feet are no doubt soft,although look healthy enough and trimmer was pleased when saw them couple weeks ago,what would cause quite sudden wall seperation assuming it was present before the stone incident??

Apologies for all the questions:redface:

My sisters cob had a similar hole, the podiatrist told her to pack it out with gauze which was soaked in a sugar iodine solution(all from chemist) her cob lives out 24/7 in a very boggy field. Most of the time it stayed in, she cleaned it out everyday and out fresh stuff in. It grew out after not too long.

Thanks for that,and is interesting that the padding stayed in,I would be happy to give it a go,just thought it would have no chance with the field being so wet and boggy.Does have some drier parts,but as the land so low lying and with this rain even the dry parts are somewhat squelchy!!
 
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If the horse isn't lame I wouldn't worry about it too much. If he is lame or you are really worried get it looked at from a hoofcare professional you trust as photographs can be misleading.

Generally holes like this are caused by an abscess or an infection cavity (e.g. seedy toe). If it is an abscess cavity and the horse isn't lame and there is no puss still coming out it's historical and it's just a question of waiting for it to grow out. Either way you probably want to get on top of/make sure it doesn't become infected so clean and flush with saline, vinegar, milton, hibiscrub solution (or whatever else you want to spend your money on at the tack shop).

You may want to pack it with something if the infection is persistant or you are worried about more stones getting in. Something like hoofstuff is ideal but you could also use sugardine, sudocrem and cotton wool, manuka honey (or a mixture of them all). It needs to be sticky, antibacterial and bulky so it doesn't come out (hence the fibres). Or there are plenty of commercial hoof packing materials if you want to spend more money.

I think you know you are probably over reacting a bit, so try not to worry.
:wink:
 
do you think the reason the stone went in so easily and so far was because of underlying weakness due to an abcess having blown out,and just wasn't very visible?? Could hole further down be due to an abcess blowing out as well??

Probably, possibly...


"is that not likely and it's more likely the stone got there in the first place due to wall seperation already being present??"

more likely...

If you think you have wall separation and don't understand why and are worried about it, it is probably a good idea to get a good hoofcare professional to take a look.

but really, if the horse isn't lame, don't worry.
 
If the horse isn't lame I wouldn't worry about it too much. If he is lame or you are really worried get it looked at from a hoofcare professional you trust as photographs can be misleading.

Generally holes like this are caused by an abscess or an infection cavity (e.g. seedy toe). If it is an abscess cavity and the horse isn't lame and there is no puss still coming out it's historical and it's just a question of waiting for it to grow out. Either way you probably want to get on top of/make sure it doesn't become infected so clean and flush with saline, vinegar, milton, hibiscrub solution (or whatever else you want to spend your money on at the tack shop).

You may want to pack it with something if the infection is persistant or you are worried about more stones getting in. Something like hoofstuff is ideal but you could also use sugardine, sudocrem and cotton wool, manuka honey (or a mixture of them all). It needs to be sticky, antibacterial and bulky so it doesn't come out (hence the fibres). Or there are plenty of commercial hoof packing materials if you want to spend more money.

I think you know you are probably over reacting a bit, so try not to worry.
:wink:

Thank you for that,and have sent pics to my trimmer to seek her advice just waiting for her to get back to me.I know pics aren't ideal,but don't want to drag her out here at this stage,but if am not happy as day's go on or she thinks she needs to see him then obviously will make sure that happens:smile:

I'm pretty sure the hole was caused by the stone,but as to if there was also something else underlying like an abcess,weak hoof for some other reason etc I don't know,I hadn't noticed anything,but then I wasn't looking TBH.
I am rather worried about an abcess forming now,as obviously suff now may be able to get in and track up etc (especially as stones are virtually impossible to avoid getting in due to so many in field itself in parts),but not a lot I can do about that either except maybe try the packing idea,I didn't think it would work with him being out in the field,but if others have had success under those circumstances will give it a try:smile:

Oh I am surely over-reacting,as warned in original post I usually do when it comes to the spotty one:redface: I think his tendancy for the dramatic has worn off on me in some respects,and he is a delicate little flower you know:wink:
 
"is that not likely and it's more likely the stone got there in the first place due to wall seperation already being present??"

more likely...

If you think you have wall separation and don't understand why and are worried about it, it is probably a good idea to get a good hoofcare professional to take a look.

but really, if the horse isn't lame, don't worry.

Oops didn't see this before replying on other post.Thanks for that,answers one of my many questions,and I do realise I have asked rather a lot on this thread,apologies for my worry wart ways:redface:

I kind of thought wall seperation when first saw it,but assumed stone had caused it,was only Yann's mentioning it that made me realise was possibly missing the obvious and that wall seperation could be the reason it got in rather than the result of it getting in if that makes any sense lol.

Ok so possible causes for wall seperation?? Only thing I can think of currently is wet ground/soft foot is this a likely cause??

Only other thing is grass,he has been allowed a short time on ungrazed part of his field other day,like about half an hour,sould this have been enough to cause wall seperation?? He's quite sensitive in regards of diet/feet,but not had lammi or anything,just can see changes in his hoof that relate to different pasture,time of year etc.

Apologies have done it again with the questions:redface:

ETA: he's not lame that I can see,is very hard to be 100% certain as ground is so soft he sinks about 6" with each step lol,but am pretty sure he's not in any discomfort,and certainly didn't mind me prodding about with hoof pick or washing it out etc.
 
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Healthy hoof horn (including white line) is very tough and highly unlikely to be penetrated by a stone unless it is already compromised in someway, so unless there is an underlying problem I think it very unlikely that a hole like this would be caused purely by a horse stepping on a stone. After all, that sort of scenario is exactly what it has evolved to resist.

Unless the cavity actually penetrates into the dermal layer it is unlikely that it would cause an abscess. It is more likely that it is a cavity incorporated into the hoof horn material (which may be as a result of a previous abscess that is now growing out remember hoof horn grows out as well as down) in which case your only concern will be infection getting into the hoof horn material (rather than beyond the epidermal layer).

Unless there is blood coming out or it is sensitive when you poke something into it I wouldn't be worrying about abscesses. It may well be as a result of an abscess but if that is the case it will have come and gone. Is there a horizontal split somewhere in the hoofwall above where the hols is? If so that's your answer.

It is remarkable how well packing materials can stay up in a hole like this. I make my own (from the items previously mentioned) and have had to pick it out six weeks later when the owner has confessed that they havn't done anything with the foot since my last visit...
 
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