Thoughts on bruised foot please...

[littleshetland]

I'll try and keep it short, but would like your thoughts please. Farrier and vet both due over later today.

12 weeks ago (or so) I decided to let the PRE go barefoot...he moves so much better without shoes. All well until 2 weeks ago he turned up lame. Vet thinks it's either an abscess brewing or a deep bruise. Farrier turns up later that day and finds a deep bruise. Poultice and rest for a few days, then I padded out his foot and put a sturdy hoof boot on an turn him out for a few hours every day....all well. Ive been intermittently trotting him up on the soft arena surface and he's been getting better and better. Trotted him up this morning (on the arena) - all sound so thought I have a sit on him and he was instantly about 4/10 lame again in trot. So sound 'in hand' but lame under saddle. I'm not really sure what to think... abcess brewing as a result the bruise?( but surely he'd be lame 'in hand ' too). Ive got the vet over later, but I cant help fearing the worse.......what do we think? Thank you all in advance.

 

[AandK]

Sounds like the bruising has not resolved itself yet. It can take a long time, especially if it is a deep bruise. Worth getting the vet to have a look though. My experience of bruising is that it takes more than 2 weeks to fully resolve.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I suppose he might feel fine just carrying his own weight but a bit 'ouchy' with yours too. Bruises can take a long time to resolve.

 

[DirectorFury]

I've had a deep hoof bruise (MRI confirmed it was 'just' that) take the best part of 6 months to fully resolve so I wouldn't be overly concerned after just 2 weeks.

 

[ginatina]

If his soles are fairly soft still from being newly barefoot, it does make an abscess more of a possibility... Does he have to walk over sharp gravel much? That can push its way into softer soles and start an abscess.

Or as everyone else says, bruises can take ages to resolve. this is probably a watch a wait job - so annoying!

 

[littleshetland]

If his soles are fairly soft still from being newly barefoot, it does make an abscess more of a possibility... Does he have to walk over sharp gravel much? That can push its way into softer soles and start an abscess.

Or as everyone else says, bruises can take ages to resolve. this is probably a watch a wait job - so annoying!

He's a PRE so has got good hard feet and is sound in walk and walks across the gravelly bits about the place fine. I think I'm in for the long wait with this bruise....sigh.

 

[littleshetland]

Thank you all for your replies. You know how it is with horses, in my imagination I had him diagnosed with something fatal then shot and buried under the apple tree.... I think I'm going to have to just be patient and give him all the time he needs to heal. Thanks again.

 

[mini-eventer]

I had a bruise take 8 weeks he has flat feet, thin soles under run heels. so prone to bruising. I have been working hard to improve these and we are going in the right direction.

The next bruise we had, if he was sound and happy to walk, I walked. Then tubbed it in ice cold water to help reduce inflammation. I think keeping the blood flowing so to speak helped heel it quicker. However I was fairly certain it was bruising and nothing more sinister.

 

[paddy555]

2 weeks is nothing. I would give it another 2 before even starting to think about it.

He is out in a hoof boot and OK, I am not sure if you sat on him with a hoof boot on or are trotting him in hand booted or otherwise.
If you are doing anything with him at all eg a walk in hand, I would make sure he is booted and comfortable at all times

you may end up with an abscess who knows.
Don't let your imagination run away with you ATM.

 

[Gloi]

Even without this bruise he might need hoof boots for hacking for a while as his feet adapt. I think it is better to use them before problems occur and try bare later, rather than go there after the problems.

 

[littleshetland]

2 weeks is nothing. I would give it another 2 before even starting to think about it.

He is out in a hoof boot and OK, I am not sure if you sat on him with a hoof boot on or are trotting him in hand booted or otherwise.
If you are doing anything with him at all eg a walk in hand, I would make sure he is booted and comfortable at all times

you may end up with an abscess who knows.
Don't let your imagination run away with you ATM.

He's turned out for a few hours a day with the boot on, and Ive been taking the boot off to try him in the school - nice soft surface - and he's been fine out there, until I rode him earlier. Vets been up, and we've detected slight heat coming up through the heel bulb and pastern and a bit beyond, so we think it's possible that an abscess could be brewing. I'll keep going for now as I've been doing and give it another week or two and see what happens. It's very hard being positive as Ive already got one heartbreaker being a field ornament. I'm feeling a bit dramatic about it atm...lol!

 

[PurBee]

Normally abscess brewing with mine are fairly rapid - within 1 week from first sighting lameness. However, this year my gelding had one that took ages to resolve - very mildly lame, then not, then lame again …no overt heat...so then thought field caused mild ligament/tendon strain ….until week 4 when abscess popped out of heel bulb/back of frog.

He has good solid thick front hooves, and he takes them for granted as when turned out there’s various grades of footing and he larks around in the most unsuitable places, and stomps on stones, that a hoof bruise via stones leading to abscess is the main cause of his abscesses. The mare is far more careful of her footing than him and never abscesses despite her feet being, what i would describe as more ‘fragile’ than his sturdy blocks. He has no sense of self preservation!

Your imagination is funny..’buried under the apple tree’!…hahaaa…thats how i’d think when 1/10th lame, and not sure….instantly fire to ‘this could be broken pedal bone, gotta get the knackerman out…oh no!’ …then pus appears and we’re all good again ?. Its taught me to definitely never imagine the worst with horses, and just investigate and gather evidence, or i’d put myself into an early grave with worry and the horse would outlive me!

 

[littleshetland]

Normally abscess brewing with mine are fairly rapid - within 1 week from first sighting lameness. However, this year my gelding had one that took ages to resolve - very mildly lame, then not, then lame again …no overt heat...so then thought field caused mild ligament/tendon strain ….until week 4 when abscess popped out of heel bulb/back of frog.

He has good solid thick front hooves, and he takes them for granted as when turned out there’s various grades of footing and he larks around in the most unsuitable places, and stomps on stones, that a hoof bruise via stones leading to abscess is the main cause of his abscesses. The mare is far more careful of her footing than him and never abscesses despite her feet being, what i would describe as more ‘fragile’ than his sturdy blocks. He has no sense of self preservation!

Your imagination is funny..’buried under the apple tree’!…hahaaa…thats how i’d think when 1/10th lame, and not sure….instantly fire to ‘this could be broken pedal bone, gotta get the knackerman out…oh no!’ …then pus appears and we’re all good again ?. Its taught me to definitely never imagine the worst with horses, and just investigate and gather evidence, or i’d put myself into an early grave with worry and the horse would outlive me!

Yes...Ive already imagined it being a broken pedal bone! Glass of wine for me and time to calm down about it.... lol!

 

[PurBee]

The vino will help take the edge off! ??