Horse footsore in front

[spotty_pony]

So I wrote a few weeks ago about my old boy (almost 23) suffering with thin soles presumably caused by the first time he has ever wintered out this winter just gone and his feet getting too wet and soft. He is shod, we have been working on various things to get the feet to dry out (bought some special stuff to paint inside as recommended by farrier, am picking out and wire brushing them out to remove all of the mud first. Also, I’ve changed his bedding to shavings as suggested by farrier as it causes feet to dry out he said - usually too much but in this case it will be beneficial.

Anyway, he was reshod last Tuesday and I rode him on Thursday and he was a bit quiet but didn’t notice anything untoward. Rode him today and he is just seemed really footsore (on any kind of ground etc for roads, so obviously on the stones and also on grass which is rutted and a little bit off on a turn in trot. I went back, put him on the lunge and he looks like he is short in front - particularly near fore though as he is being careful where he puts them because they are sensitive.

Farrier is coming back tomorrow morning and I’ve bitten the bullet and asked for him to put pads in his shoes for now while the soles strengthen up. We had been trying to avoid this but it’s not nice to see him struggling and I know there is most likely an underlying issue to this but at almost 23, I just want him to be comfortable. His body and mind wanted to trot and canter today, his feet just weren’t letting him. He is not Laminitic and there are no signs at all.

Picked his feet out when I got back and you can see a big white area in his near fore where he must have trod on a stone and it’s marked the sole (so most likely there is a bruise on the way). Photo below.

Feeling a little sorry for myself this evening. He is my world and I hate to think he’s uncomfortable. I also overthink way too much after losing my other boy to Navicular last year. Good vibes needed!

 

[HelenBack]

I can't really tell from the photo but that just looks like a bit of sole that's exfoliated to me and nothing to worry about.

Have you had him tested for Cushing's?

 

[spotty_pony]

I can't really tell from the photo but that just looks like a bit of sole that's exfoliated to me and nothing to worry about.

Have you had him tested for Cushing's?

No I haven’t, but for quite a few years anyway but it has been mentioned on here before and is something I am considering. He has no other symptoms but I have been told this doesn’t make any difference either.

 

[maya2008]

I would get the vet out and have foot x-rays done - from experience there can be things going on that neither you nor your farrier suspect…

 

[HelenBack]

No I haven’t, but for quite a few years anyway but it has been mentioned on here before and is something I am considering. He has no other symptoms but I have been told this doesn’t make any difference either.

I think it's definitely worth doing with him being an older chap as well. Could be an easy problem to solve if it is that.

Mine didn't have any particular symptoms other than that something wasn't right. I had bloods done for everything and that was what it came back as. He soon perked up when he went on Prascend though.

 

[spotty_pony]

I would get the vet out and have foot x-rays done - from experience there can be things going on that neither you nor your farrier suspect…

It’s in the back of mind to but with him being an older boy and no longer insured I have to be realistic too.

 

[Sossigpoker]

It’s in the back of mind to but with him being an older boy and no longer insured I have to be realistic too.

But you need to get him comfortable and to do that you need to rule out anything more sinister. Feet x'rays aren't expensive really.
I really don't think it's fair to continue to assume that it's just thin soles and trying to address it through farriery alone. At the end of the day , the horse is in pain.
Regardless of age , I would have the feet x-rayed and I wouldn't ride a horse in pain.

 

[spotty_pony]

But you need to get him comfortable and to do that you need to rule out anything more sinister. Feet x'rays aren't expensive really.
I really don't think it's fair to continue to assume that it's just thin soles and trying to address it through farriery alone. At the end of the day , the horse is in pain.
Regardless of age , I would have the feet x-rayed and I wouldn't ride a horse in pain.

firstly, thank you for your concern but I am not riding him in pain. If this continues, I will be investigating further. I think that goes without saying. I was hoping for some good vibes from this post, not to be made to feel worse.

 

[brighteyes]

Given his age I'd straightway suspect laminitis. Treat radically as it won't harm him should it be a different reason. Does he have a raised digital pulse? Definitely vet visit.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I know you say you don't think he is laminitic but everything you've said would suggest to me he could be in way stages of low grade laminitis. If he was mine, he'd be treated as if he's having a laminitic episode - off grass, soaked hay etc and vet called ASAP for feet x rays & PPID/EMS tests.

 

[maya2008]

It’s in the back of mind to but with him being an older boy and no longer insured I have to be realistic too.

X-rays are about £60 each at my vets. If you have zone days the visit is free. I had 4 x-rays, blood drawn for Cushings test and lameness exam for old Shetland that presented with mild laminitis last month and it was around £300 total.

 

[Regandal]

The grass is lethal just now, I’d treat as laminitis and get vet. Hope he’s ok.

 

[Sossigpoker]

If the horse is "foot sore " this means he's in pain .
Aa said above,.x-rays don't cost that much and at least would show of there's anything like pedal bone rotation going on.

 

[asmp]

I would get the vet out and have foot x-rays done - from experience there can be things going on that neither you nor your farrier suspect…

I agree with this. My oldie had x-rays and he was found to have large side bones. We ride in hoot boots now instead of shoes.

 

[Red-1]

I too own an older horse, who isn't insured. I understand your pain, but in these circumstances would absolutely treat as lami until proven otherwise.

I would have the sugar challenge test done for EMS and a cushings test done too, although it isn't the best time of year for that. Meanwhile, I would take off grass and put on soaked hay alone, with chop and a lami friendly balancer.

I too think he is in pan if he is showing foot sore, that will be when turned out as well as when ridden. Especially if it is possibly lami, it is an emergency.

X rays and blood tests are not overly expensive and I would view them part of owning an elderly horse. I have blood tests done annually, before the spring grass comes through for EMS and we are having an autumn cushings one done too as his coat was slow to shed.

 

[cauda equina]

I agree about talking to your vet and X raying if they advise it
My arthritic 18yo bounces around in the winter when the ground is soft, but struggles a bit when it's hard like now.

 

[ycbm]

I agree on the laminitis and definitely on testing for Cushings as the trigger.
.

 

[Fieldlife]

X-rays are about £60 each at my vets. If you have zone days the visit is free. I had 4 x-rays, blood drawn for Cushings test and lameness exam for old Shetland that presented with mild laminitis last month and it was around £300 total.

crumbs my vets are circa 400 for 2 foot X-rays and shared call out.

pretty sure zone days can’t include X-rays for us.

 

[spotty_pony]

He is not footy all of the time though, this is the thing. He is on restricted grazing (was on lots of grass) but if anything he is worse since being restricted. No digital pulse and hooves are stone cold. Also he is only struggling on stones and in trot and is fine walking in the field.

 

[scats]

I echo everyone else who says to treat as possible laminitis and get X-rays done. I’d rule that out first.

Edited to add that my mare had slight rotation despite cool feet and walking fine in field. She was ever so slightly footy on stones.

 

[Fieldlife]

X-rays are about £60 each at my vets. If you have zone days the visit is free. I had 4 x-rays, blood drawn for Cushings test and lameness exam for old Shetland that presented with mild laminitis last month and it was around £300 total.

crumbs again, I took different horse to a different vet (hospital) in March. 8 foot balance x-rays and sedation and consultation (no call out as I travelled there) was £572!

 

[Fieldlife]

He is not footy all of the time though, this is the thing. He is on restricted grazing (was on lots of grass) but if anything he is worse since being restricted. No digital pulse and hooves are stone cold. Also he is only struggling on stones and in trot and is fine walking in the field.

some older horses do get thinning of sole. There are decent pads can try.

I’d also add a decent mineral supplement eg forage plus / equimins balancer / progressive Earth balancer etc, to help foot growth.

Normally I think farrier will have a view on likelihood of laminitis / foot balance issues. You could ask his thoughts on X-rays.

Cushings test annually for older horse makes a sense IMO.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The horse needs to to seen by a vet, he is in pain. If you can't afford the vet, then get him PTS.

Laminitis with or without Cushing's is likely. Prascend tablets are just over £1 each and can transform Cushing's horses' lives for the better.

 

[Goldenstar]

You need to get a vet pronto.

 

[spotty_pony]

some older horses do get thinning of sole. There are decent pads can try.

I’d also add a decent mineral supplement eg forage plus / equimins balancer / progressive Earth balancer etc, to help foot growth.

Normally I think farrier will have a view on likelihood of laminitis / foot balance issues. You could ask his thoughts on X-rays.

Cushings test annually for older horse makes a sense IMO.

thanks for this, yes I asked farrier last time if he thought it was Laminitis and he said there is absolutely no sign. He is very good and has worked hard to balance his feet this past year and a half I’ve been having him. The soles are soft and are thin again due to age and I am putting it down to it being the first Winter he has ever wintered out in the 17 years of owning him and his feet spending more of the time wet in the long grass. I will ask him to check again today for Laminitis but having dealt with lots of Laminitis cases myself over the years, his symptoms are not typical of Lami. It’s all very well everybody trying to diagnose over the internet but unless you can see the horse in front of you, it really is hard. As I have said, this horse is my world and if I think he needs the Vet, he will be getting the Vet. If the pads do not make him more comfortable, obviously that’s the next port of call. Also I will be looking at getting a Cushings test done.

 

[spotty_pony]

The horse needs to to seen by a vet, he is in pain. If you can't afford the vet, then get him PTS.

Laminitis with or without Cushing's is likely. Prascend tablets are just over £1 each and can transform Cushing's horses' lives for the better.

I didn’t say I couldn’t afford a vet did I? No need to be so harsh - I’ve had this problem with you in the past. Farrier’s are very good at being able to spot Laminitis and mine will be checking again today for signs of Lami although as of last week, he did not have Laminitis.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Farriers can't diagnose laminitis they are not vets the only way they can often see if the laminae is damaged is when it's bleeding on the white line.

Just because his not always footy and on restricted grazing it can still be laminitis, low grade laminitis is often barely noticeable I understand his not insured but this has been going on a while with your horse.

Similar thing happened to mine a few years back I just got a few images of each hoof and had a cushings test done it wasn't that much money.

Mine was just thin soles but it gave me piece of mind and then I can go about fixing it, at the moment your just playing a guessing game and when laminitis is involved it's really risky.

 

[meleeka]

I too would have him tested for cushings. My old cushings mare has really soft soles as a symptom. The only reason I had her tested was she was footy in her hinds. To look at her you wouldn’t know she had anything wrong. The trouble with pads is they are likely to make the sole softer so I thing it’s worth persevering in finding the cause.

 

[spotty_pony]

I too would have him tested for cushings. My old cushings mare has really soft soles as a symptom. The only reason I had her tested was she was footy in her hinds. To look at her you wouldn’t know she had anything wrong. The trouble with pads is they are likely to make the sole softer so I thing it’s worth persevering in finding the cause.

they aren’t the usual sort of pads / they are remedial ones that mould to the shape of the hoof and so not allow it to sweat so that the soles can recover but I hear you. I have asked my Vet to give me a call this morning.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

they aren’t the usual sort of pads / they are remedial ones that mould to the shape of the hoof and so not allow it to sweat so that the soles can recover but I hear you. I have asked my Vet to give me a call this morning.

When my horse had pads for a while I think we used the dental impression stuff with the gauze over the top, it worked really well the soles were fine underneath and his sole depth did improve after a while so he didn't need them after a while.