Protecting deep central sulcus from sand

[BBP]

The pony has developed some hoof issues. He has a very deep central sulcus and I have been told that sand will get in and irritate this area, and will make him sore. I was advised to keep him out of the arena (and sadly no trip to the beach this weekend as I'd planned). However it's likely that I'd need to take him in the arena at least once or twice over the next few weeks. I'll avoid it if possible but if he does need to go over, what's the best way to protect him from irritation? I'm soaking the feet in dilute Milton solution or red horse sole cleanse, and packing with artimud til my hoof stuff turns up. (It's two weeks til barefoot podiatrist can come and look at him, farrier was not massively helpful yesterday, didn't even mention the frog problem let alone try to improve its health)
Thanks.

 

[ester]

I think the hoof stuff will do it best, otherwise you are looking at some way at covering the hoof up but that is going to get more expensive as it would have to be something close fitting, like a glove to stop any sand ingress I would think.

I have had waterproof socks on F before + gaffatape, they have a stretch membrane in so would keep the sand out I would think but depends how BBP would feel about that or how long they would take to wear through, just trying to think outside the box a bit!
Is it deep and tight or just big generally?

 

[stormox]

Who has told you the frog will be irritated by sand? I think trips to the beach, especially going in the sea, will do nothing but good. If the farrier who has spent years training, isn't worried about the frog, I dont see why you should think it a problem.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Hoof stuff is ideal for a deep central sulcus. You can wedge it tightly in with a hoof pick and it should stay in situ for days, though it's a good idea initially to replace it daily. I spray with sole cleanse, allow to soak in for half an hour, insert hoof stuff and job's done.

 

[ester]

Who has told you the frog will be irritated by sand? I think trips to the beach, especially going in the sea, will do nothing but good. If the farrier who has spent years training, isn't worried about the frog, I dont see why you should think it a problem.

Well because for many farriers deep central sulci are normal, and a frog is something to be fashioned into nice symmetrical triangle .

 

[FfionWinnie]

I would get him to the beach as often as possible and into the sea if you can!

 

[stencilface]

I would get him to the beach as often as possible and into the sea if you can!

This! The beach sounds perfect. And if the arena sand is a worry, then surely you can just scrub his feet after you've been in there? I would have thought working on the sand would stimulate the frog which would be a good thing?

My horse has smaller frogs atm with large flappy bits that hopefully will work themselves off soon. There's all kinds of crevices for stuff to get into, I'm no more worried about the sand than I am about the mud in his field. He gets his feet treated 1-2 times a week with sole cleanse or field paste (only just got my first tub of that)

 

[ester]

I think it depends how deep and tight it is, with some sulci it would be difficult to know there wasn't still sand up their causing issue that scrubbing won't get to and generating abrasions in a nice anaerobic atmosphere. I get the theory, it's hard to know if it is correct to be concerned without seeing the hoof but given his breeding I am imagining BBP might be inclined towards a more upright foot more prone to getting deep tight sulci.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I wouldn't scrub. You could flush it out with a syringe then apply the field paste stuff when it's dried out.

 

[ester]

I wouldn't scrub. You could flush it out with a syringe then apply the field paste stuff when it's dried out.

agreed, and I would probably be wedging it with my special screwrdriver while syringeing, I love a good power syringe

 

[FfionWinnie]

I wanted to edit my post and say it needs a good skoosh out. Get skooshing Kat!

 

[BBP]

Thanks guys! I had two lots of advice, one from my farrier who said his toes are too short, that sand will be too abrasive and will wear them shorter and so I should leave him on grass for a few weeks to grow, but never mentioned frogs. Usually I'm a fan of his leave it alone attitude when it comes to the frogs as pony has always kept good feet (more Welsh than Spanish feet, they barely need touching for the last 7 years) but this time round they look very unhealthy, tight very deep sulcus, with a lot of folded over tissue leaving an area ripe for bacteria to flourish. My farrier isn't the easiest to talk to (even with my best interviewing skills!) and didn't pass any comment on them when asked, just focussed on the toe. So I thought I'd get a second opinion from a barefoot trimmer/EP who suggested from photos that frog is likely to be source of some discomfort and not functioning effectively (atrophied on other front foot) and so tipping horse balance onto his toe. They mentioned that sand in a deep sulcus could be like getting it between your toes and not being able to get it out, that it may irritate. They are coming to take a look as that was opinion just based on a few photos but can't get here for a few weeks. I'll post a photo of the offending feet when it's not 3am!

Perhaps a trip to the beach is not entirely out of the realms of possibility, unless it will indeed abraid the toes too much?

 

[FfionWinnie]

Is he sound? Really need some pics. Has he been doing more work than usual? Most farriers will think a BF foot is too short. If he's sound then he's sound and I can't see one trip to the beach taking off that much foot. I would wash them out after if you're worried but the beach is a good place for feet in my experience.

 

[BBP]

Photobucket is having none of it this morning, won't let me upload anything it just keeps returning to the log in page. I would say he is completely sound if it wasn't for the fact that I've felt he's fractionally shortening his stride in the walk on the roads. No-one else notices it but me as he's still striding out miles ahead of the others but it's been enough to make me wonder if there is a little discomfort there. In the field he floats along like a dream and he trotted sound on the road the other day with his boots on.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I would think paddling in the sea for 30 minutes every day would be ideal.
I would tend to walk on roads with no boots, as you want to work the feet.
I would check that he is getting a good foot oriented vitamin and mineral, and as the grass will be a bit sugary at the moment, I would want to try to increase fibre in the diet, with a haynet in his stable, and make sure he gets no pony nuts with molasses, or molasses/sugar in any other form.

 

[touchstone]

Make sure the sulcus is clean and dry and then pack with sudocrem and cotton wool. It stays put remarkably well and sorted my horse's frog issues out even in muddy fields.

 

[BBP]

I would think paddling in the sea for 30 minutes every day would be ideal.
I would tend to walk on roads with no boots, as you want to work the feet.
I would check that he is getting a good foot oriented vitamin and mineral, and as the grass will be a bit sugary at the moment, I would want to try to increase fibre in the diet, with a haynet in his stable, and make sure he gets no pony nuts with molasses, or molasses/sugar in any other form.

Thank you. I wish we could do the beach every day, it's 2.5hrs away so this was to be a special day out. We planned it 7 years ago and the day before we were set to go my sisters horse went lame. It's only now that her horse is in good shape to go! He gets adlib hay day and night in the field and has just started living out in a grazed down paddock (sadly we are on improved cattle pasture so grasses are too good but they are doing really well on the hay). He gets thunderbrooks chaff, a balanced and equishure for hind gut. That's it. I'm not sure why feet have deteriorated this year. Probably my own fault, went too long between trims with me tidying the edges, possibly led to imbalance. That said, farrier only ever rasps his toes, never touches heels, bars or frogs so not sure I did much different.

 

[xgemmax]

I would go to the beach, the salt water will do it good and I doubt very much that the sand will make the toe any shorter. I suspect that the toe is actually fine and the farrier is just used to seeing long toes! The sand will get in there but just hose it out when you get back and put some hoof stuff or artimud in there

 

[BBP]

Haha! Photobucket success!
Right front

 

[BBP]

Right front

 

[BBP]

Right front

 

[BBP]

LEFt front

 

[BBP]

Left front

 

[Art Nouveau]

I think I might be concerned that sand would make the horse uncomfortable and land toe first rather than heel first. I couldn't take my mare on sand arenas when her thrush was bad as she wouldn't move properly. It might depend on your horse's sensitivity though so could be a try it and see thing.

 

[stormox]

why dont you borrow some hoof boots if youre worried?I think the salt water would be very good, and I dont think theres any feeling in the frog anyway.

 

[BBP]

I do have some hoof boots but I was concerned that if sand got trapped in then it would be worse than if left without. He isn't particularly sensitive, hasn't bothered about me poking about in them cleaning them out.

 

[stormox]

I think you are worrying about nothing. just go and enjoy. ............You planned it 7 years ago!!! have fun

 

[BBP]

I think you are worrying about nothing. just go and enjoy. ............You planned it 7 years ago!!! have fun

Haha! Thanks! My farrier told me I'd lame him and give him abscesses if I worked him on sand or roads now. But he was talking about the toes being too short and him walking on too much sole. It's got me all in a spin thinking he's 1 grain of sand away from being crippled! (Even though last weekend he was out hacking for 3 hours bounding along!)

 

[FfionWinnie]

Right in the short term, go to the beach he'll be fine.

Get a video of him walking past the camera on the ground at the correct angle and assess if he is landing heel first.

Get some red horse field paste and sort out the manky frogs.

Jobs a goodun.

All the sand at the beach is going to do is give those feet a good scrubbing. Even if it did make him a bit tender it's not going to make his feet fall off or anything like that. Wash them out with water when you get back and get the paste jammed in once they are dried out again. I bet they look better within a few weeks if you use it a couple of times a week.

 

[BBP]

Cheers FW. I've started soaking in dilute Milton and packing with artimud. I've got a job lot of field paste, artimud, hoof stuff and sole cleanse so I will have something for all eventualities!