Farriers :'(

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poiuytrewq

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I'm just whinging really. Literally at my witts end right now and feel ready to just sell up and move to the city where i never have to see another horse!
It's not even all farrier related, Its hay and straw and not riding and bloody abbcess's that wont go away or is the perfect to shoe horse just bad with his hind legs now after all this, I'd not blame him. Nothing much ever came out on poultices.

Quick recap- Very very good farrier who I'd used for many years but had all the patience of a scorpion and wasn't keen on horses that didnt stand like saints or were little (bad back) Still we rumbled along and got on very well. Until he ghosted me.

Weird because I always booked well in advance, as i say we got on well, horses were always in clean and dry, coffee and cash waiting. I can only assume after putting up with my old horse messing round for months and then the first time he did my mare and she was terrible that he decided enough. Didn't show up to my prebooked appointments and never heard from him again.

Next farrier, Lovely lovely guy, the patience of a saint. Horses feet to me look increasingly dodgey and they were loosing shoes (still might if they ever got turned out) He lives too far away and is only around once a week so if a shoe is lost they have to wait. (guarentee they loose the day after this area is covered) Am I wrong here, I dont know.

Got loads of reccomendations for more local farriers, shortlisted a few.
Went, just after Christmas to meet one at my friends and we chatted at length, decided to use him. He said drop him a text and he'd always get back to me. Have had him booked twice now for my retired horse whos the one with lameness problmes and been on box rest, and both times my vet has been just before and said no, not ready for a farrier yet. So Ive cancelled him both times- with much apologising.
Now vet has said get him looked at asap. Of course he's not answering the phome or replying to messages, fair enough. I messed him round.

I've just left a message for another one that was joint #1 in the recomendations and who I did speak to at the time but he got back to me after I'd arranged with the first. I've asked if he'd come and look whats the soonest we can do.

Horse currently is still stood in. has massive holes in both hinds and exit holes in both hind heels. He's comfortable, but still very very mild pulses and not happy to stand for long on each hind. Vet cant find anything else but said he had tracks going off in all directions including under his frogs and lots of second sole so she wants him to have a good trim and see what they find.
He's supposed to be allowed to potter round the yard a little but that's not really working as he is trying to break through the fencing and dig the conctrete and had damaged a big area, he constantly rolls on it the takes off round the (too small) yard bucking like an idiot so I can't really let him loose even.

I've just completely has enough and want them all to be able to go out.
All this is made worse by the fact they dont like my hay and I dont like the incerdiby long tangly straw I have which is makeing my constant shit shovelling take for ever and I've basically just had enough. End of rant.. sorry!
 
Recurrent abscesses might be caused by a keratoma, I am relatively new to this phenomenon but I’m surprised your vet hasn’t suggested an MRI to look into it.
 
Has the lame one been tested for Cushings? A blood profile on my oldie threw up low protein, with unknown cause. No symptoms apart from swollen sheath and a (possibly false) encysted redworm burden. He had been wormed two weeks previously, which could affect the result. I usually see two or three hoof abscesses during the winter, and put it down to him being retired and old. I've increased his protein, adding Fibre Beet to his diet, and over the past month the latest abscess has resolved itself and the sheath is back to normal size. Absolutely no idea if this would help your horse, but I can understand your frustration.
 
We had one at work years ago, so I am vaguely aware (and have worried a bit) it’s differing feet and he has tested positive for cushings so we are hoping it’s caused by that.
Also a MRI is out of my budget. Horse had other things going on and is retired. I’ve always said I wouldn’t spend a fortune on him, although investigations into this have racked up already 😩
 
Highmileagecob said:
Has the lame one been tested for Cushings? A blood profile on my oldie threw up low protein, with unknown cause. No symptoms apart from swollen sheath and a (possibly false) encysted redworm burden. He had been wormed two weeks previously, which could affect the result. I usually see two or three hoof abscesses during the winter, and put it down to him being retired and old. I've increased his protein, adding Fibre Beet to his diet, and over the past month the latest abscess has resolved itself and the sheath is back to normal size. Absolutely no idea if this would help your horse, but I can understand your frustration.
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Yes, he has and he is positive and so on medication but not seeing any benefit just yet, early days 🤞
 
And we have strong pulses and heat in both hinds again 😩 I’ve struggled to pick out/clean today I’m not thinking my chances of getting poultices on are high.
Wondering if I may sedate, do a really good bandaging, loads and loads of tape and hope they last until the farrier (*please show up) gets here on Tuesday.
He’s not obviously lame and is weight bearing on both but not able to hold either up for very long at all.

This is a nightmare….
 
Highmileagecob said:
Has the lame one been tested for Cushings? A blood profile on my oldie threw up low protein, with unknown cause. No symptoms apart from swollen sheath and a (possibly false) encysted redworm burden. He had been wormed two weeks previously, which could affect the result. I usually see two or three hoof abscesses during the winter, and put it down to him being retired and old. I've increased his protein, adding Fibre Beet to his diet, and over the past month the latest abscess has resolved itself and the sheath is back to normal size. Absolutely no idea if this would help your horse, but I can understand your frustration.
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Just an observation: worming can produce sheath swelling, particularly moxidectin (which is active in the gut for >3months)
Glad it’s all resolved now.
 
poiuytrewq said:
And we have strong pulses and heat in both hinds again 😩 I’ve struggled to pick out/clean today I’m not thinking my chances of getting poultices on are high.
Wondering if I may sedate, do a really good bandaging, loads and loads of tape and hope they last until the farrier (*please show up) gets here on Tuesday.
He’s not obviously lame and is weight bearing on both but not able to hold either up for very long at all.
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Is this horse shod? Any reason why the vet can’t remove shoes and dress the hoof?
Animalintex ‘sock /innersole’ inside a hoof boot, should be easier to just strap on and leave.
 
No shoes and it’s been poulticed on and off all month. Nothing ever comes out.
Although 2 have burst through his heel and once the vet found one and got a bit out so obviously something has come out but never anything much on the poultices.

Spoke to what sounded like a lovely farrier today and told him all about it. He is coming tomorrow to have a good look and see if new eyes help and if we can have a plan going forward. I’m hoping a good trim may find more infection that we can get too.
 
Highmileagecob said:
Fingers crossed this isn't Cushings related. Any idea what his insulin/blood sugar levels are doing?
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ohh, It's fiunny but I'm thinking of it the other way round! I want this to be cushings related as otherwise we have absolutely no real idea where to go next. His bloods were very border line but we have started prascend anyway in the hope that it helps, because at this stage I'm just not sure what else might.
At least popping a pill in his feed would make an easy fix and hopefully give him quality of life, which right now really he doesnt really. Although he still seems fairly unbothered by being in to be fair, its not my idea of a nice horsey life or retirement.

I'm excited for the new farrier visit shortly to get someone elses opinion and I have a unrealistic hope that he may just find the root of this, fix it and tomorrow morning poor horse will be out in the field!....Not going to happen I know!
 
Just to mention, my old pony only ever had laminitis in her hinds, never in her fronts. I hope you've had a successful farrier visit today and have more of a plan.
 
It sounds like a low grade laminitis could the horse have ems as well because if so you need different drugs, my friends pony was similar but could hardly weight bare on her fronts her insulin levels were through the roof, after a week on the right drugs the pony was 100% sound after literally nearly being pts.
 
poiuytrewq said:
He has also had X-rays which I *think would show a keratoma?
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Just to note, my horse's keratoma did not show on xray.. but sounds like yours could be cushings related from what you have said. Also worth checking mineral balance, as that is what caused repeated foot abscesses in my late gelding.
 
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