Boggle- USA bound!

Winston's feet are a state at the moment. We had such a long dry spell, then some rain, then dry, then rain. His frogs are shedding, I'm presuming some false sole has come away, his bars are raised. And that's without the canker to worry about. (And he's being seen by the farrier every two weeks to cut back his frogs and debride the canker.) He is usually absolutely rock crunching but even he has found the stones a little uncomfortable.

Chances are it is weather related, so try not to panic. Do you have a trusted farrier you get to take a look?

I have a great trimmer but she can only come the day before the vet. And I’m not sure if that’s too close to work up to trim him incase it adds another variable. But he is a week or so overdue as she has to cancel before.

I’ve left a message for boggles old farrier to see if he can help sooner!
 
As much as I adore HHO I shy away from posting hoof photos because I feel you get so many opinions, often different and I get even more worried! He doesn’t wear level but he does land level. Or did. I need to recheck. I don’t think I’ve ever had a horse that wears perfectly though but maybe all mine have been broken 😞

I booked him into vets for next Wednesday so that would be nearly two weeks and in the mean time he’s in stall and run only.
Understand completely! I forgot about how many opinions there are in our community but definitely protect your peace. Farrier and vet are better to consult with! I’ve just gotten good at being able to spot possible areas but yes! The off and on rain is like golden for abscesses
 
Tbh it could just be the photo, I'd honestly not be panicking if there's no swelling in his leg /up his tendons is just give him time. And if he's not sensitive if you pick his leg up and move it about etc it's unlikely to be further up.
Probably worth buying yr self some hoof testers for future ouchies tho 😂.
 
Winston's feet are a state at the moment. We had such a long dry spell, then some rain, then dry, then rain. His frogs are shedding, I'm presuming some false sole has come away, his bars are raised. And that's without the canker to worry about. (And he's being seen by the farrier every two weeks to cut back his frogs and debride the canker.) He is usually absolutely rock crunching but even he has found the stones a little uncomfortable.

Chances are it is weather related, so try not to panic. Do you have a trusted farrier you get to take a look?

Dave's are same, soles shed rather alarmingly, and lumps of frog hanging off.
 
I have a great trimmer but she can only come the day before the vet. And I’m not sure if that’s too close to work up to trim him incase it adds another variable. But he is a week or so overdue as she has to cancel before.

I’ve left a message for boggles old farrier to see if he can help sooner!
Oh I also keep meaning to share this tiktoker with you https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8kqHQe7/ her dressage pony is diagnosed with EPM and gets to continue a full career with him and I thought a positive story would be comforting. EPM is devastating but maintenance is always improving and can do wonders for full long lives/careers.
 
Glad Pepper's on the mend, and Atlas needs a talking to. He's not stepped on something odd/small/unsuual has he?
Not that I've seen, I've looked as much as I can! It's puzzling his feet do seem to have isolated areas of heat, but both of them. Then the next morning they can be cold then be randomly hot in patches again. He’s also landing a fraction toe first on one fore.

My neighbour came to look at him (trainer) and she thinks the same as me that it seems very foot like. We do have a lot of horrid flies (they bite at their legs here rather than their face, weirdly). Possibly he's been over stomping but he does wear fly boots and during the day is in a stall with a fan which he loves to stand in front of, and that generally keeps the flies off.

All a little puzzling. Oh and, I gave him a good dose of bute and it made no difference. That is odd.
 
Mine who had never had an abscess before went lame this spring. Reactive in both fronts. Turned out to be a slow brewing abscess in one and compensatory bruising on the hard ground in the other. Hopefully something as simple as that to resolve
 
Do you have any hoof testers? So you can apply some light pressure around the sole to see if there is any reaction? Usually a good way to test for an abscess.
 
Not that I've seen, I've looked as much as I can! It's puzzling his feet do seem to have isolated areas of heat, but both of them. Then the next morning they can be cold then be randomly hot in patches again. He’s also landing a fraction toe first on one fore.

My neighbour came to look at him (trainer) and she thinks the same as me that it seems very foot like. We do have a lot of horrid flies (they bite at their legs here rather than their face, weirdly). Possibly he's been over stomping but he does wear fly boots and during the day is in a stall with a fan which he loves to stand in front of, and that generally keeps the flies off.

All a little puzzling. Oh and, I gave him a good dose of bute and it made no difference. That is odd.
Bute tends not to work with hoof abscesses as the pain is often due to pressure (of infected material) rather than inflammation as such. It might be worth testing/looking for a hoof abscess!
 
This is a good idea if it’s blowing out the bottom though in my experience isn’t always telling if it travels to the Cornett band
Mine was interestingly more reactive on the non abscess hoof which was a bit of a red herring. Same as your case it actually blew out through the top
 
Thanks everyone that’s what I figured with the bute though it is a few months out of date ;) but I doubt that would make that much difference to its effectiveness. In fact I used it the other week for something else (vaccine gone bad) and it did the job. I just wish I could get a damn farrier out rather than waiting for trimmer on Tuesday. Will have to try my previous one again and beg! They are like goldust up here.

I did actually poultice both front feet last night and will go to the country store today in the hope of hoof testers.

I am hoping that softening up the feet may also help something come out. They are rock hard and dry.
 
This has to be an abscess. Surely it can’t be laminitis when he’s been pulled off the grass and only getting lamer. He’s even lamer today. One hot foot and one patchy hot foot. I am poulticing both!

Do I give him pain relief still? He has the farrier coming Saturday hurray!!!!

He says this sucks. He’s quite cute.


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This has to be an abscess. Surely it can’t be laminitis when he’s been pulled off the grass and only getting lamer. He’s even lamer today. One hot foot and one patchy hot foot. I am poulticing both!

Do I give him pain relief still? He has the farrier coming Saturday hurray!!!!

He says this sucks. He’s quite cute.


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If bute isn’t helping I would assume abscess. Magick cushion can also be helpful to draw it out and an epsom salt soak to help
 
This has to be an abscess. Surely it can’t be laminitis when he’s been pulled off the grass and only getting lamer. He’s even lamer today. One hot foot and one patchy hot foot. I am poulticing both!

Do I give him pain relief still? He has the farrier coming Saturday hurray!!!!

He says this sucks. He’s quite cute.


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Aww he's so handsome.
I would stop with painkillers as you won't know if it's getting better if it's masking it and if they're not working anyway. I don't know why I have in my mind that they can slow it down if it's an abscess too?
If he's getting lamer, it's getting closer to bursting as far as I know (if it is that) as it's getting closer to the surface. Hot poultice to try and draw it out through the bottom and keep him moving to help it along. I always understood it was better to have them moving on it anyway.
 
Aww he's so handsome.
I would stop with painkillers as you won't know if it's getting better if it's masking it and if they're not working anyway. I don't know why I have in my mind that they can slow it down if it's an abscess too?
If he's getting lamer, it's getting closer to bursting as far as I know (if it is that) as it's getting closer to the surface. Hot poultice to try and draw it out through the bottom and keep him moving to help it along. I always understood it was better to have them moving on it anyway.

Yes agreed with moving although I hesitate to put him back out to field incase it is laminitis…
 
Or a muzzle possibly? Also I’ve been lucky I never know until an abscess blows on my guy cause he stays sound but everyone else that I’ve known to get them and every past horse of mine acts like their foot is falling off. Lol
 
I had a vet out to me a few years ago for my mare who went suddenly very lame. We had just moved her to a new field and the vet was adamant it was laminitis. I was distraught. Few days later out comes the abscess. A few days in and soaking in warm water with Epsom salt and never had any issues again.
 
Or a muzzle possibly? Also I’ve been lucky I never know until an abscess blows on my guy cause he stays sound but everyone else that I’ve known to get them and every past horse of mine acts like their foot is falling off. Lol

Yes, I could. The little s*** broke his flexible filly muzzle within two hours, though.
 
If you are not happy/not able to turn out, can you hand walk to provide movement? Sometimes a good forward walk for 10 minutes on firm ground can really help and wont generally compromise another issue.
 
If you are not happy/not able to turn out, can you hand walk to provide movement? Sometimes a good forward walk for 10 minutes on firm ground can really help and wont generally compromise another issue.

Yeh but he’s lame in a straight line now! So it feels a little harsh to do forced exercise?
 
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