Abcesses in the Foot

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julietyran

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Hi, I have a 5 year old mare and every single summer since she was about 1 year old ( I have had her since birth) ( not winter ) she gets an abscess in one and sometimes 2, 3 and 4 feet. In the winter for the last 5 years she was in an outdoor pen during the day, off the grass and stabled at night, out at grass 24/7 during the summer. She is not shoed yet as she is not backed,,,, only because she keeps getting poison feet all the time literally. I managed to move her to a different area and leased a field from the council as I thought it was the ground where she had been. We moved end of Feb this year. She did get an abscess about 2 weeks into moving but I put that down to her getting a small puncture wound . Then about 2 weeks ago, she got another abscess in a different foot. I am at my wits end again as I dont want to shoe her until I have backed her just incase, if I do come off, I wont get a pair of shoes in my head if you know what I mean. The pus runs at the beginning when my blacksmith cuts the hole then stops after a couple of days but if you press her feet with the pincers you can hear the puss underneath squelching slightly but too thick to run. A couple of years ago, I had to actually get the vet out and he took away about 1/3 of her sole to get the pus out. Once the foot had healed again, several hundred socks and nappies/duct tape later, she then had to have a shoe put on with a base plate and kept clean. I don't want to have to keep doing this every summer as this looks how its going to go again. Her mother was exactly the same, always getting poison feet and wondered if it was maybe something in the genes too.... Any advice greatly appreciated. I do have another horse who is a companion who has the worst feet in the world look wise and he is not shod, yet I have had no problem with him ever..... How is that. The blacksmith says her feet are brick hard as well, so don't know what to do.
 
My two get a one or two each year - my arab isnt shod and never has been .. my TB has shoes on the two fronts and she still got one so I'd perhaps invest in a good quality pair of turnout boots for when they come yet you can still turn out? The inner tube of a tyre does an amazing job of keeping the foot dry when poulticing/keeping clean too ... :)
 
thanks for reply. The good thing is i still turn her out but hate using the nappies all the time as they dry the foot out so catch22. Would you recommend any particular turnout boot?
 
Not really as I don’t use them but if you get them quite often then perhaps have a look around? Perhaps something like this??

http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=6660

I go to my local car garage and get them to give you an inner tube (usually for free) … cut it open into a large square, put the horses foot on it then cut slits all the way around then fold them upwards and secure – my horses feet normally go through nappies and they end up wet … this is waterproof and very tough and can be used over and over?

Just as soon as you suspect an abscess get farrier asap to drain it then you're not waiting days upon days for it to pop itself :o

x
 
One if mine has had two just last month, which is annoying enough so god knows how you must be feeling!
Gets expensive too.
 
Do you have her trimmed every 6 weeks? and try feeding her biotin and putting keratex hoof hardener on the soles of her feet worked wonders for my horse. Good luck they are a nuisance!
 
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