Crack in heel - could that cause lameness?

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LouLou3

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Could this really be the answer...hope so! My horse has been lame for a week or so, had vet out who found nothing obvious to make him lame so thought it may be his feet. Wasn't happy with last farrier so asked a different farrier to look at his feet. He (the horse not the farrier!) has been a real stress head lately, esp picking his feet out but as it was all feet thought nothing of it just assumed he was being stroppy. The farrier couldn't really find anything wrong, said the shoeing was ok but when he took his shoe off he did find a little crack in his heel which has slight movement. I may have imagined this but I swear that once the shoe came off my baby boy visibly relaxed, his expression softened and he just seemed to chill. SO could this have been the problem - could taking his shoe off could offer immediate relief if it was causing pressure on the crack or am I crazy to think this??
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cracks in heels can be unbelivably painful - partic if they've got grit or dirt inside them - horses can be hopping sore on three legs with them

so no you're not crazy to consider the possibility. Is it sore if you press hard on the area? Does he flinch? Is he sounder without the shoe pressing on it?
 
Hard to tell if its painful as the vet put him on bute 2x day - but farrier thought he was a little sensitive in that area. He's not very obviously lame either but trotted him up with and without a shoe on (before and after) and farrier thought he did look a bit sounder without it on. Have left it off for a while to see if there is an abcess brewing!
 
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