Horse heel/bulb chipping away?(pics)

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robynqq555

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So I only got my boy a month ago. I’m aware his feet aren’t the greatest and a little flat footed and he’s had an abses in the front before I got him but recently I’ve noticed the heel bulb is starting to chip away and looks soft, his under foot and just above the frog looks also soft and just not right. I’ve tried to show in photos. The best farrier about is hard to get ahold of and I’m not a regular as he’s new but I’m going to try my best to get a hold off. I’ve been using Kevin bacon hoof oil on his feet the past few weeks because I know his aren’t the best. I’m asking does anyone know what this is/what’s causing it and best for it. He is still currently living out and fields are staring to get wet although not much muddy areas in our field other than gate. He isn’t lame in any way. I had ridden him the other day before I noticed how bad it was starting to look and not an issue with him at all, not lame when bringing him in today.
 
I think it's just the result of the wet weather though there could be some thrush there. Just get your farrier to have a look next time you have him out but don't worry too much.
 
agree, you can get small holes (like the little round one) as a result of the wet.

I would consider doing a cleantrax soak on those and syringing to see how deep that hole actually goes and packing it with something from redhorse (I'd send them a photo and ask which product would be best as I'm not sure).

His heels also look quite underrun/unsupported and the front wall bullnosed - it can get this appearance from rasping or because of the angle of the pedal bone.
 
I would also start to add supplements to his diet now specifically to improve his hoof health - if you are not already doing it!
 
The principal ingredient to look for is Biotin but Zinc and Calcium are also important. There are numerous ones on the market so it is really a matter of looking at the balance of ingredients in them and deciding what would suit your horse best. If you are already feeding a balancer be careful not to overdo these elements. Having said this, a friend of mine swears by plain old-fashioned seaweed supplement if you want to go down the natural route.
 
Kevin Bacon’s Hoof dressing(small red bottle smells like vinegar!) will do that some good, it’ll combat any nasties that are in there and harden in up.
 
I'd be more concerned about the under run heels and weak hoof, as well as the incorrect angles in the hoof - the bunted off toe is a good clue to this. This will lead to joint damage over time.
The nibbling away and holes look like wet weather and reasonably normal shedding, but the lack of bulk in the heel bulbs shows a very weak hoof I think. That area should be firm, springy and full. I would remove shoes and give the horse some time off, as well as getting someone on board to trim who understands hoof function.
Pro Earth is a good all round supplement, and remove all sugar from the diet.
Education is everything. Well done for trying to find out what's going on. Hoof health comes from diet, environment, and correct movement and function.
 
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