Hoof soft tissue injuries

horses99

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Hi all,
My lovely eventer who is only 9! has been lame for a month now nerve blocks showed it was in his hoof but nothing to see on x ray so likely a soft tissue injury of some kind.

Currently he is having 15minutes of in hand or hacked exercise following a coffin joint injection. If he is still just as lame in a month I will pay for an MRI and cry ?

my question is has anyone else had a similar issue on a hoof that was not seen on x ray and what it was or what treatment they did? Most things online are leg based but seen some good things on controlled exercise. Just looking for treatment ideas and some hope! TIA
 

Wheels

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One of mine had a similar thing late last summer. Field rest for 5 weeks and then I took him barefoot after that so we spent a few months gradually increasing work from 10 mins hand walking back to full work and competing.

If it was just the soft tissue thing it would have been quicker but the barefoot transition takes time and it didnt do the injury any harm taking things slowly.
 

irishdraft

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My hunter has been off for 6 months with a soft tissue injury in the hoof. He was only nerve blocked for diagnosis. After 5 months no improvement so had the coffin joint injection which made no difference whatsover. My vet has now told me there is no hope of him ever coming sound but I am investigating barefoot rehab for him but am not hopeful as he does have a pidgeon toe on that foot and finds it difficult without fronts on . He has been in the field the whole time and is only just 13 .
 

ester

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Nothing much on our xrays other than flat pedal bones on both (only lame on one) blocked to palmar hoof and then somewhat to coffin joint.
Had coffin joint injected and 12 weeks of bar shoeing but as soon as work was upped to hacking inc trots was not sound.
Shoes came off, slow rehab due to age (19) came right and was still hunting at 23, retired now at 27 and still sound in front (creaky elsewhere!)
We didn't do an MRI on the basis that it wasn't going to change my treatment plan for him.
 

alibali

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Yes horse coming back from 4 months off due to broken splint and suspensory damage from a kick. Didn't come sound blocks showed that injury fine and pain blocked to navicular area. X-rays showed nothing. Didn't MRI as it wasn't going to change the treatment plan. Shoes were off for x-ray delay in farrier coming to put egg bars on. During delay I noticed horse standing better out of shoes. Had farrier take backs off instead of egg bars on!! Slow 4-5 month rehab starting with lots of walking in hand on smooth tarmac then lots of ridden walking. Horse still needs boots for exercise as mildly Cushing so remains footy on stones but comfortable in field. Lameness disappeared early on in rehab but gave extra time as transitioning to barefoot.
 

teddypops

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Yes I did. My pony was the same, next step was an mri but I chose just to field rest her, I didn’t see the point in shelling out for an mri to be told to rest her as I knew I had to do that anyway. (Veteran insurance, so not enough to cover the cost). She was lame for 10 months but she made a full recovery.
 

lme

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Mine went lame last summer. Nerve blocks suggested hoof pain but X-rays showed nothing. Our vet suggested 3 months rest then slowly back into work. She went lame again after maybe 3 months gentle work. She then had more nerve blocks and an MRI which showed DDFT lesions and navicular bone damage. We’ve taken her shoes off and she seems fbpretty happy but We have no plans to bring her back into work.
 

Leadhorse

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Hi all,
My lovely eventer who is only 9! has been lame for a month now nerve blocks showed it was in his hoof but nothing to see on x ray so likely a soft tissue injury of some kind.

Currently he is having 15minutes of in hand or hacked exercise following a coffin joint injection. If he is still just as lame in a month I will pay for an MRI and cry ?

my question is has anyone else had a similar issue on a hoof that was not seen on x ray and what it was or what treatment they did? Most things online are leg based but seen some good things on controlled exercise. Just looking for treatment ideas and some hope! TIA




Would love to know your outcome with your horse as I'm waiting for an mri, also looking for some hope
 

horses99

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Update: I went for an MRI he has a large lesion in his DDFT and liquid in his bursar 12 months rest in field as he was past a time for box rest wish I did it sooner but I wouldn’t have known and it was super expensive but no regrets for doing it and hopefully he comes sound at the end but he won’t be able to event again sadly but I hope he can compete on a surface ??
 

Bernster

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Interesting. Dealing with some similar issues and have had the same discussion on mri and whether it really changes the treatment. Prob won’t go for mri for similar reasons to above although appreciate it can provide some more clarity on exactly what and to what extent.

Had the debate with another horse years back. Did the mri but it didn’t really add that much to what we already knew. Horse had field rest, took shoes off and is ok for light work but never attempted anything more as had other soundness issues too so semi retired her.
 

horses99

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I would never known how serious it was and how long to rest him so was invaluable in the right time off or he would only have had a couple months off and pushed him too early but he’s only 10 now so hope he can do something but mindful to not push him too far but just one issue at a time and coming in sound first 6 months to go!
 
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