Abscesses, weight carrying...too many things to say! *pictures*

HollyWoozle

HollyWoozle

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www.farandride.com
Hey all,

I have a few things to get off my chest (some bad, some good!) and also a question or two! You must all be a bit bored of me now...I'm sorry for that and apologies for the length. I just really appreciate all your help and comments, I don't have many horse owner friends.

I posted a while ago about my retired horse, Inca, and how we decided with the vets to give her a nice last summer and to put her to sleep before winter. She has an extremely arthritic knee, quite large melanomas under her tail and her hooves are quite poor but she seems in no pain and has certainly not lost her spirit. Today I went out to catch Belle for our lesson... and Inca was seriously hobbling on a back foot. Turns out it's 99% sure to be an abscess but the vet couldn't find it to drain it so her foot has been hot poulticed for now and vet is returning tomorrow. She is the most kind-hearted horse and she doesn't deserve all this bad luck. If the abscess is not easy to clear up, we won't put her through it.

Inca and her poorly foot, some vibes for her would be wonderful if you have some to spare:

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Next up on the bad list... Belle has lost a chunk of her hoof. I noticed the crack before and did my best to take care of it but the chunk has come right away. I am convinced she looked a touch lame on that foot but am maybe just being paranoid. I don't know much about hooves, could damage like the below cause her discomfort and should I get the vet to look tomorrow and cancel my Friday lesson?

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Onto the question! How much weight do you think Belle could carry? I have a large friend who I'm sure would love to ride Belle but I don't intend to let them and I just want to know that I'm justified in this. However, Belle is quite big - 16.2hh ISH (but technically half KWPN, 3/8 TB and 1/8 ID) and she is quite sturdy looking with good strong feet like an ID (most of the time!!). She's 7.

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Now for the good news! Cosmo our retired pony who we suspected has Cushings is randomly looking better than ever. He was usually always too chubby (though we tried) or he just could not lose his coat, last summer he still had huge tufts that would not come out. This year he has dramatically improved and I am really pleased. He also has a new shettie friend, Cookie, courtesy of an HHOer.

Cosmo today:

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And finally as a little cheery end to this far too long post, here is Belle sharing the scraps of her dinner with the ducks and then a little pic of Cookie, our latest addition.

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Wine and yummy treats to anyone who read even a bit of that! Thank youuuu. :)
 
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Poor Inca. It doesn't seem fair, does it? My old mare had a real spell of abscesses so I know how you feel. I found, if the poultice doesn't draw, a few days of twice daily tubbing with epsom salts will eventually do the trick, then poultice again just make sure, then dry dressing for a few days, then cross your fingers! I do hope it clears up quickly for her.

Belle looks like she'd carry most adults, provided not drastically heavy. If you think your friend is too heavy and you don't want to let them ride, then don't. You don't have to let anyone ride your horse if you don't want to.
I'd get your farrier to look at her hoof rather than vet. If you're worried pop a boot on in the meantime.

Cosmo looks a happy chap and Cookie - cutie!
Right - wine and yummy treats it is, then!
 
Poor inca Lucy went hopping lame on her right hind yesterday. I paniced thinking it could be lami. Vet came up and said she was 99.9% shore it was an abcess but couldn't find it. Poor Lucy couldn't put her foot down but due to her steroids she can't realy have bute :( So i polticed her and got the farrior out today. He dug a small hole and the poltice had done it's job and loads of puss came out :D. Lucy was instantly less lame (obviously still a little but she will weight bare now). I hope Inca is the same. It's horrid to see them in pain and both our girls have been through enough.
Poor belle to. I would prob get the vet to look as they are out tom anyway. Then you can cancell lesson if you need to.
I'm glad Cosmo is feeling well and his new friend is so cute :D

*Yummy treats* Yum Yum
 
Good vibes for Inca - hope all goes well with her.

Re Belle - is she shod all round? Couldn't work out, if the hoof with the chunk out was because a shoe had been ripped off or not. Personally I would be inclined to cancel the lesson as by the looks of it she also has a crack on the LHS (as looking at pic) of the crack and would be slightly concerned if that got bigger and then caused one big chunk to fall out at the front of the hoof, however I can become overly paranoid about feet. Not sure if it isn't more or a farrier question than a vet, as would think (although I am not a vet and not an expert) that they would say to rest and possible give you a few bute to give her if she was lame, I could be speaking out of turn here though.

Re weight carrying question, she looks like she could carry a fair bit of weight, however I think it also depends on how well they ride, as you can see some particularly heavy people who can ride well and are actually very light in the saddle. I don't think if she was mine I would like to put in excess of 13 stone on her, but at this weight they would also have to be a good rider and light in the saddle.

Cosmo is looking great and Cookie looks so cute - I want one of them.

Sorry for the rambling and most likely non sensical reply :)
 
hi
sorry to hear all the trouble u've had with inca i kinda know what your going thru, i have a 23yr old tb who has cushings and two bad bouts of laminitis later shes just about come sound!!
anyway i have to say inca looks really well (i take it shes quite old??).
as for the other mares foot i wouldn't worry about it too much its unlikely to cause any discomfort or problems. your farrier will be able to trim the foot and sort it out when he next comes!
hope thats helps :)
btw your shetland is soo cute!!!
 
Thank you for all the replies (not at all nonsensible, Letslip!). :) Laura, I hope Lucy feels all better soon! I just couldn't bear to see Inca hopping about!

Belle is only shod on the fronts and the farrier is due in about 2 weeks I think. I have been intending to get shoes on the backs too as we will be doing more roadwork and I think she needs it. As the vet is coming tomorrow anyway for Inca, I guess I will ask for her to check on Belle too to be on the safe side. Unfortunately I have an exam tomorrow so the MumWoozle will have to handle it for me!

Gosh, horses are a lot of stress aren't they? Got to love them though. I hope that Belle's hoof doesn't hold us back too much, she was just starting to get nicely fit and progress with our schoolwork. Maybe I can get a hoof supplement. *ponders*
 
I'm only going to reply about the chunk out off hoof pic....It has been esceptionally extreme weather conditions the last 12 months,which farriers are all finding cracked feet,seedy toe,abcesses etc. The reason why chunk is missing,is the ground has gone very hard and the concussion has ripped that chunk out. It is quite possible that your horse may be 'off' for a few days but will be fine. Get your farrier to take a look within the week or so,don't bother with vet. Feed biotin if poss,it does help,and scrub out cracks daily with hibiscrub and then treat with iodine every few days. The reason why cracks are hard to clear is the mud gets in and breeds bacteria,thus ending in seedy toe. Its a bit of a nightmare cycle,but keeping hooves dry helps the most.
 
buntybaby said:
hi
sorry to hear all the trouble u've had with inca i kinda know what your going thru, i have a 23yr old tb who has cushings and two bad bouts of laminitis later shes just about come sound!!
anyway i have to say inca looks really well (i take it shes quite old??).
as for the other mares foot i wouldn't worry about it too much its unlikely to cause any discomfort or problems. your farrier will be able to trim the foot and sort it out when he next comes!
hope thats helps :)
btw your shetland is soo cute!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the sympathy and glad to hear your TB has come sound. Inca is actually only about 16 so she doesn't look quite so great in that knowledge! Her previous owners jumped her a lot so I got her as a happy hacker (knowing that she had a stiff knee already). Unfortunately, her knee went totally bust so she has been retired for a good 4 or 5 years now I think!

Edit: Thanks a lot for the advice, Cazza! :)
 
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