Could this be thrush?

fredflop

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Horse lives out 24/7. Some bits of field a bit boggy, must mostly dry.

Went up this evening, horse short on left hind. Not lame just more short/a bit uncomfortable. I had a good look at hooves etc, and noticed a black patch in the collateral sulcus after i’d Picked her hooves out. No heat in leg or hoof, and hoof does not appear bruised. I’m not sure if the black bit is normally there or not. It doesn’t smell either. I unfortunately don’t have any photos.

There is a chance it could be an abscess, and the horses were farting around in the field yesterday, so could also have done something a bit stupid. However, does it sound like it could be thrush?

I’ve had horses a long old time, and I’ve never seen a case of it before.
 

Suechoccy

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Yes could well be.

Various treatments to choose from/and/or mix and match once you've cleaned and dried it:
1. Hydrogen peroxide (thrush is anaerobic so the HP creates oxygen bubbles)
2. Terramycin (sheep footrot) spray
3. Cider vinegar
4. Hoof Clay
5. Hoof Stuff

4 and 5 will stay in place about 3 days so needs reapplying twice a week. 1, 2 and 3 will easily be overcome by mud and dirt. So you might want to do 1,2 or 3 followed by 4 or 5. Or just do 4 or 5.
 

Pearlsasinger

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It could be thrush, if it is an abscess you will soon know.

I use teatree spray on fungal infections and in your case it should work well, it takes no time to dry. My farrier diagnosed a fungal infection of the hoof wall and recommended Red Horse Cleantrax. Unfortunately there was a 2 week delay in delivery so I kept spraying the hooves with teatree in the meantime. The fungal infection had cleared up by the time the Cleantrax arrived.
 

fredflop

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It could be thrush, if it is an abscess you will soon know.

I use teatree spray on fungal infections and in your case it should work well, it takes no time to dry. My farrier diagnosed a fungal infection of the hoof wall and recommended Red Horse Cleantrax. Unfortunately there was a 2 week delay in delivery so I kept spraying the hooves with teatree in the meantime. The fungal infection had cleared up by the time the Cleantrax arrived.

Thank you... I’m going too see what it looks like tomorrow and go from there. Tea tree spray sounds nice and cheap!
 

Suechoccy

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Mine live out all year round in a field too. It's muddy in places at the moment. I stand them on the hardcore by gate (you could put a rubber mat, piece of carpet or cardboard down if you don't have hardcore to stand them on), pick out feet, then use a plastic nailbrush and half a bucket of water to scrub out the frog. Dab dry with a towel and then apply whatever treatment you are using. Hoof Stuff and Hoof Clay will stay in any crevices you push it into, and still be there doing its job a few days later even though the horse has since filled his feet with mud and grass.
 

Mike007

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Stockholm tar is the best and cheapest remedy . Soak cotton wool in it (a bit messy) then push into the frog cleft with a hoofpick. leave it there and change daily. Also great as a preventative is a mix of 5 to 1 linseed oil and stockholm tar . makes a great hoof oil .
 

fredflop

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Well interestingly, horse appears much better today. Maybe it wasn’t thrush, I’m not sure. Picked hooves out again today, no sign of any black rubbish in back hooves, (there was yesterday). Some black stuff in one of front hooves, picked that all out, and will see what it looks like tomorrow. Sprayed hinds with some first aid spray that I already have, which contains tea tree, and left it at that! Will see what tomorrow brings.
 
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