One hot hoof (barefoot 3 months) what could be the cause?

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Fifty Bales of Hay

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We are transitioning to barefoot and doing quite well. Until about 10 days ago when I noticed one front hoof is a lot hotter than the rest. Mainly down the front of the hoof, but not going up the leg, the fetlock and pastern are a normal temperature.

I poulticed for about 5 days front of hoof and underside, but nothing came out. Farrier has suggested hot tubbing, so I have been doing this for the last few days, and started turning him out again in boots (mainly to keep it clean).

There is a split about one cm going up the front of the hoof, and a bit of seedy toe behind the split, so I cleaned this out and now stopping it from filling up with mud putting extra pressure on the split.

Farrier is due out tomorrow. But if no infection is found, nor bruising, what else could be causing the heat and lameness? I know sometimes infections can be a devil to get out and can take months to burst or come out. So am I best just to keep it clean and keep tubbing for now?
 
Mine was an abscess - the only one she's ever had.

I hate keeping her in. She has PSSM so needs to be moving around plus gets bored. I had to poultice the foot 3 times because her entertainment was removing the duct tape with her teeth. After 1 night when there was no pus I thought I was imagining things so chucked her out again - about 2 weeks later spotted a tiny hole on the coronet band. She was never lame - just a hot hoof one night.

I think being out and moving around can help the abscess blow more quickly anyway, although that wasn't my intention at the time!
 
Get the vet, it is possible that there is something like a fractured side bone which has damaged internal hoof structures. Only saying this as my fabulous cob had identical symptoms, treated for abscess and farrier called, box rest then vets, rest as advised for 8 weeks and no better at all and sorry to say PST as the vet advised it was a catastrophic and rare injury. Worth thinking about though as I was sure it was an abscess.
 
JDH01 said:
Get the vet, it is possible that there is something like a fractured side bone which has damaged internal hoof structures. Only saying this as my fabulous cob had identical symptoms, treated for abscess and farrier called, box rest then vets, rest as advised for 8 weeks and no better at all and sorry to say PST as the vet advised it was a catastrophic and rare injury. Worth thinking about though as I was sure it was an abscess.
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Gosh this is very worrying to read, and not something I'd thought of. Did your cob have a hot foot as well? Was there heat anywhere above the coronet band? How lame was he with it please? Did it improve when he was walking around or got worse on turnout?

There was no infection track found on Monday by the farrier. He suggested it might be because his structures aren't quite strong enough yet with newly going barefoot - or Navicular syndrome? If I get a vet out I know they will say "shoe him" which I really don't want to do as the improvements with going barefoot are really starting to show themselves. Back in shoes we will back track for sure.
 
When/ if the vet says 'shoe him' just say 'no, try again' and open up a proper discussion rather than a fob off answer when it comes to lameness in barefoot horses. You could of course shoe him, he is likely to go 'sound' but youve masked the issue with shoes and he isnt actually sound.

Im at the beginning of transitioning my boy and some days he is warm in one or two feet with a pulse, I let him have a rest and keep an eye on him but keep him turned out and moving. Depending on how long he was shod for perhaps this is part of his feet transitioning and coming more 'alive' again?
 
Sorry to worry you, his foot and coronet band was hot which is why I thought it was an abscess. In a straight line in hand or ridden he was sound in walk at the beginning and also in hand in trot, ridden he was a bit 'short'. On a circle He was 7/10 lame on the lunge on the affected leg but only just noticeable on the other rein. Turned out it wasn't obvious unless he was really trotting but just before final vet visit it was and in walk. Hope that all makes sense
 
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