Damm-Broken Horse-and I’m Too Blame!

[JoBo]

Damm, blast and other naughty words! I have broken Otto and I feel like poo!
Went out on a lovely hack yesterday just me and him, had a wonderful time having a canter and a pop over some logs in the woods. Had to hack down a stoney path (which was considerably stoney then usual as having so much rain washed all the usual mud away) to get out of the woods. (Well I could have turned around and come back the way we came but that would have taken a while). And now he is footsore, big time (he can put weight on it and can walk but he’s definitely lame). I’m so stupid I didn’t even think about his poor little footies (no shoes on the back due to less slippage on our sodding tarmac roads and saves me £20, I know, I know). As soon as I was out of the woods I knew something wasn’t right, but he was fine up till then so it has to be that path.

I just hope he gets better in a few days or it will be a vet job. Had my instructor look at it today and it’s definitely the foot. He was feeling a little sorry for himself, bless him.

Is there anything I can do to make him feel better. The foot has been cleaned and disinfected just incase there is a puncture wound we couldn’t spot.

Anybody else had this kind of thing, how long did it take to heel? It’s the first time he has ever been lame.

Jo

 

[princesskelly]

i took back shoes off my mare for her feet to recover(long story) but i could'nt hack anywhere so had to put back shoe's on unless i wanted to stay in the school forever! she was only foot sore for a few days because as soon as she trod on a stone it was the end of the world! so stopped hacking her. does your horse have soft feet? you could try a foot hardener? sure he will be ok. dont worry it's not your fault.

 

[BBs]

Naww poor Otto!
Dont beat yourself up about it hun! its done now, so lets just try and help him

I take it hes in? I would poultice his feet up with branmash and epsom salts - this is far better than animalintex - much faster drawing properties!

All very old fashioned but it works!

I would do that, twice a day for 3 days and see how he is after that!

Also in between poultices i would get him to stand in a bucket of warm water with epsom salts too! plus arnica in his feed!

If he still isnt right then call the vet! but i am sure if its a bruised sole this should clear up in a few days! just make him rest those tooties! and then ride him only on a surface! after that for a bit!.

Hugs babe

Vxx

 

[vicijp]

Dont worry he will be fine in a few days!
Even if there is no pus, an animalintex will bring the bruising out quicker. If he goes horribly lame then call the farrier first - he will tap the pus out and he will be sound within about 12 hours.
Only call the vet if it becomes more prolonged - may need a course of antibiotics to help clear it up.

 

[JoBo]

Thanks stroppy_poppy!
No his feet are actually quite hard and in very good condition. He doesn't actually feel any different hacking generally then he did when he had his back shoes on. I think he just most of stood on a practically sharp stone or twisted funny. I'm hoping he will be ok in a few days, just feel bad!

 

[princesskelly]

dont feel bad cant watch evey little thing that horses stand on! sure he will be fine in a few days. theres been some good advice given to you.let me no how he get's on.

 

[JoBo]

Thanks for that; i will do all of that!
Got Epson salts and can get some bran first thing. Where do I get arnica from? Getting him to stand in a bucket may be interesting but I will give it a go! I haven't done anything other then clean it up and put a disinfectant on it at the moment as I wasn't 100% sure what the best thing to do was, live and learn and all that.

I will give him a decent amount of time off but hopefully he will be a bit better in a few days! He obviously isn't holding it against me and we were having lovely cuddles today.

Big thanks again!

 

[BBs]

No worries hunny.

With the bran have use two cups (mugs of bran) and 1/2 mug of epsom salts put in a bucket and add boiling hot water - make it into a paste.

That should be enough for two feet

Arnica you will get from the likes of Lloyds chemist, Holland and Barrett - maybe a good supermarket? give him about 4 tabs in his feed.

Brusing is funny, they are either off for a while or fine in a few days!

Give him plenty of rest for a few days and then you can start working in a school (if hes sound) in about 4-5 days!

Good luck and let me know how you get on - but like Vicijp said, it might be that the bruising could end up giving Otto a little infection (puss in foot) so you may have to get your farrier/vet to cut it out and let it drain (again use disinfectant) scrub out and tub the foot!

 

[Sal_E]

Jo - follow the advice given on here & I'm sure he'll be fine very soon; great advice already given! Keep an eye out for an infection though (probably unlikely). Once sorted, you make want to use something to harden the feet - just to toughen them up.

Silly Otto - at least he'll look pretty after our session tomorrow

 

[S_N]

I'm too anhebriated (sp?) to advise coherantly, but I concur with with what others have siad - huggles!! He's not broken, just a temporary setback my sweet!

 

[JoBo]

He sure will! He will look all girly! Thanks for coming over tomorrow.

I am already planning what I'm going to do in the morning. Getting bran from a friend, arnica from boots, have Epsom salts already. He's going to hate me!

What do you suggest as a hoof hardened, something like farriers formula or something you paint on?

 

[Sal_E]

Paint on - I'm pretty sure there's a Keratex one (I'll have a look for you). You could probably use surgical spirit I suppose - you'd use that to harden skin, wouldn't you? Never thought to use it on soles though, probably worth checking with someone else in case you're wasting your time with it!

 

[JoBo]

Cool, thanks. I look out for that too. His feet are actually in quite a good condition generally, so the farrier says anyway.

 

[YorksG]

If he really doesn't want to put his foot in a bucket of water, try what we had to do with our big girl. put foot in empty bucket, add water slowly to horse! Worked well with ours who threw a fit when I asked her to put her foot in water, add it sowly though, otherwise face full of foot! Not nice

 

[PeterNatt]

My advice is get the vet in straight away. If he's lame then he's in pain. He needs a vet to diagnose whats really wrong with him and prescribe pain relief. You are better to get the vet in straight away and find out what is really wrong tha wait