Friesian with heel bulb wounds - best over reach boots?

[TigerTail]

Recommendations please - she has massive feet so guessing normal sizes wont fit? Also lives out so need the boots to be waterproof too if poss? Pics to follow.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

I have used the ' petal ' type over reach boots before on big/heavyweight horses by using two per foot ie buckling two of the straps together to make one long one ( or you can use any other suitable thin strap ) and then threading as many ' petals ' on as needed . Think you can buy extra petals separately too ?

 

[TigerTail]

 

[AdorableAlice]

I would think that needs to heal completely before you put a rubber or leather boot on it. I think any boot would just keep rubbing it and keep it open.

The big horse shop do large bell boots, the xl fitted my horse with Shire sized feet and stopped him treading his enormous shoes off.

 

[TigerTail]

Bell boots is what I mean by over reach - sorry different language. I am not entirely sure it is over reaching now, that is one hoof, the other both sides have broken out like it. We are not up t o our knees in mud so I am at a b loss. Have cleaned, dried and sprayed with alluspray - was just thinking a bell boot would keep some wet off.

 

[Pinkvboots]

My Arab has to wear over reach boots in the field as he pulls his shoes, but in winter they have rubbed and made sores I use the shires arma ones I find they are the softest and have not rubbed so far.

But I have found in the really wet weather the only way to prevent this is to take them off and let the feet dry out, so if its continually wet mine come in at night so his feet can dry out.

I do find that using an antibacterial powder a few times a day can help dry the heal area, I tend to dry the heal as much as possible then apply a lot of powder to try and soak up the wet and dry the area a bit, I use Lincoln mud fever powder or I have bought the human athletes foot powder in savers its only a pound and it works just as well.

 

[spotty_pony]

The Big Horse Shop in size 4XL are the only ones that are long enough for our Friesian. They are a bit loose round the top but protect the full heels.

 

[paddy555]

Bell boots is what I mean by over reach - sorry different language. I am not entirely sure it is over reaching now, that is one hoof, the other both sides have broken out like it. We are not up t o our knees in mud so I am at a b loss. Have cleaned, dried and sprayed with alluspray - was just thinking a bell boot would keep some wet off.

presumably you haven't been riding in boots that could have rubbed. It seems possible to be over reaches if it is both front feet. What about the hinds? are the toes long? can they be taken back a little? can you put a really good roll on in the hope of trying to prevent over reaching (if that turns out to be the problem)
I think any sort of bell boots ATM are just going to rub.
Has she been messing around in the field that has caused it? anything happened? something exciting.

 

[jnb]

Ouch, that looks sore! I'd get it healed up before putting any boots on, IMO (just my opinion) something dry helps the healing process on heels - I am probably going to get shot for this but good old fashioned wound powder worked for my hyper sensitive old cob - he was so sensitive he'd react to Hibiscrub if it wasn't thoroughly washed off. Then once healed, I swear by Keratex Mud Powder.
I also used the Back On Track Bell boots, they're leatherette stuff lined with hypoallergenic stuff the cob didn't react to and come in a reasonably big size. I kept one se to wash and one to wear.

 

[Gloi]

Is she itchy? Any possibility of mites?
My pony with bad sweet itch would chew pieces out of his feet rather like that.

Another thought is could they be abscess exit wounds?

 

[tiggipop]

not a bell / over reach boot but last year when one of mine had hoof problems i had him in woofwear medical hoof boot. from memory although it is shaped and quite an art to get on it didnt rub him on his heel.
link just to show what i mean

Woof Medical Hoof Boot (ejwicks.co.uk)

 

[ycbm]

Bell boots is what I mean by over reach - sorry different language. I am not entirely sure it is over reaching now, that is one hoof, the other both sides have broken out like it. We are not up t o our knees in mud so I am at a b loss. Have cleaned, dried and sprayed with alluspray - was just thinking a bell boot would keep some wet off.

I posted earlier this year about a strange root that was reading at the periople and heels of my horse. I think it was probably fungal. I had no mud just damp grass. The colder weather seemed to put a stop to it. I spotted it earlier than that stage, but if I hadn't done something it would have gone that way. I used sudocrem daily for a couple of weeks, then baby oil, now I just use sudocrem if I see a hint of it coming back.
.

ETA if it's fungal and you put a boot over it, it will be warm and damp under the boot and probably make things worse.

 

[TigerTail]

Hmmm this is weird.

vet tomorrow I think as we now have a funky smell ?

 

[Gloi]

Looks like you have an abscess going on in there.

 

[ycbm]

Looks like you have an abscess going on in there.

Yup. I'd be pumping hydrogen peroxide in that twice a day, or tubbing it. It doesn't look like a vet call to me unless the horse is hopping lame.
.

 

[TigerTail]

Def not an abscess, I have dealt with loads, and vet agrees.

Symmetrically on both front feet, one side worse than the other, vet almost thought trauma but isn’t ? and is concerned it could be something worse, apparently Friesians are known for old diseases rarely seen now due to the inbreeding. Potentially quittor.

long course of antibiotics as it’s definitely infected abs wait and see ?

 

[Midlifecrisis]

I ll throw my thoughts in the ring….my Friesian forges or over reaches if her all her feet toe length gets too long…the fronts don’t get out of the way fast enough and hind feet clunk them. I suspect the open wounds caused have become infected bacterially/fungally I would thoroughly clean feet and lower leg and keep in to avoid wet. Get vet input for anti fungal and anti bacterial treatments and then when no open wound moisturise hoof horn and keep toes short on feet. I hope everything heals quickly and it’s not a condition like Quittors.

 

[ycbm]

Def not an abscess, I have dealt with loads, and vet agrees.

Symmetrically on both front feet, one side worse than the other, vet almost thought trauma but isn’t ? and is concerned it could be something worse, apparently Friesians are known for old diseases rarely seen now due to the inbreeding. Potentially quittor.

long course of antibiotics as it’s definitely infected abs wait and see ?

Ah well bilateral does change things a bit, it looks very odd. I hope you can get him sorted.
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