False sole

[guisbrogal]

Sorry to be a numpty again but vet has told me that because he has dug so much of Ellie's foot away that she may develop a 'false sole'.

Can anyone tell me exactly what this is and will it cause any problems?

 

[PapaFrita]

Absolutely no idea, but I once scared myself to death (when I was very young) by finding a hole in neddies sole although underneath there was no infection, just more sole (following a gap). PF had a huge hole carved out of her foot when a foot infection got into her pedal bone but vets didn't say anything about a 'false sole'. Will follow this thread with great interest

 

[brightmount]

I have a barefoot horse and false sole is a term that figures a lot. It's the crumbly outer layer of sole that covers the "live" sole, and when a horse goes barefoot it needs to exfoliate, which is why you shouldn't apply products like Keratex to the sole of a newly barefoot horse. Sometimes it comes off in a large lump, exposing a lovely concave sole underneath. More often it exfoliates gradually, aided by slightly abrasive hoof pads and conditioning in the sand school. Shod horses retain their false sole as there is no contact with the ground to abrade it.

This is a bit off topic, but I would interpret your vet's comment as meaning false sole will form like a scab or scar before the live sole grows back.

 

[guisbrogal]

great thanks.

I was in such a tizz at the time that I hardly took in what he was saying.

 

[Patches]

Thanks for that Lynwood.

So is false sole the white soft bits that crumble away sometimes as you pick the feet out?

 

[Tia]

Yes.

 

[Patches]

Thought as much, perfectly normal then and happens to all horses. (well happens to all of mine although I will admit, more so to Patches than the others).

 

[kirstiegrogan]

No idea but my mare had just got her sole off her back foot taken off because of an abcess shes getting shoes on
but no sorry havnt got a clue