HOOF | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hoof Abscesses: A Sign Of Something More Sinister?

A horse with an abscess in his hoof can be startling to see he: He may be so painful he's loath to bear any weight on the affected limb, making horse owners fear a broken leg. One abscess can be time consuming and frustrating to heal, but a horse that develops multiple abscesses in different feet may have more going on than simply poor hoof condition.

Hoof abscesses are fluid-filled cavities under the sole or the hoof wall. They can be caused by sole bruising, puncture wounds or hoof cracks. Though some abscesses are only uncovered by the farrier during routine trimming—never causing the horse any discomfort—others are extremely painful. Abscesses can drain on their own, either down through the bottom of the hoof or up through the coronary band, or a drainage channel may have to be cut to offer the horse relief.

There are many concoctions for hoof abscesses, from veterinary-prescribed products to home remedies. Most products focus on drawing the material out of the abscess. Antibiotics are often not needed, but pain medication is essential to provide relief to the horse and prevent harm to the other hooves from bearing excess weight.

If an abscess doesn't begin to heal in a few weeks, a foreign body may be trapped inside the hoof, like a splinter or nail—or even a bone chip. A horse that is experiencing abscesses that don't heal well in multiple feet most likely has something else wrong and the abscesses are secondary.

Metabolic issues may cause a horse to have multiple of abscesses that don't heal well. Cushing's disease and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) can cause laminitis, which can predispose a horse to abscesses. A veterinarian can run bloodwork to determine if a horse has either of these conditions and if they are the cause of the abscesses. Once the underlying conditions are controlled and hoof damage is addressed, the abscesses should decrease in both frequency and severity.

CT Scan Best Modality To ID Foreign Bodies In Equine Feet

Drs. Nadine Ogden, Peter Milner, John Stack and Alison Talbot from the University of Liverpool created a study that compared diagnostic modalities to determine which was the best for identifying foreign bodies in horses' feet. Even when an injury is obvious, it isn't always clear if any foreign material remains within the wound.

The research team buried two foreign bodies into cadaver equine legs: one at the sole and one at the coronary band. The materials included dry wood, soaked wood, glass, slate and plastic. They then asked three equine veterinarians to examine the images produced by computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital X-rays.

They determined that there was minimal variation between the vet's findings on all the images. CT was found to be the most useful imaging modality. CT was able to detect all materials; it was able to pick out slate, glass and dry wood better than the other imaging modalities.

The foreign bodies were able to be seen on MRI, but these images were not clear enough for the vets to determine what type of material it was. Plastic and wood were difficult to determine on digital X-rays.

The team notes that though it is not traditionally necessary to determine what material is involved, it is important to use an appropriate imaging technique to make sure the foreign body can be detected.

Read the full investigation here.

Tips For Top-Notch Hoof Care

Certified Journeyman Farrier Sean Elliott shoes horses that compete in a myriad of disciplines. He offers tips to promote hoof health and notes some things to avoid. Sean says the top three things healthy hooves need are good nutrition, a dry environment and balance.

Proper nutrition will give a horse the building blocks he needs to have quality feet. Sean recommends good hay, clean water and a ration balancer, and he discourages owners and caretakers from adding supplements just to use them if they claim they can make a difference in hoof quality. He reminds horse owners and caretakers to treat each horse like an individual and that feeding programs aren't one size fits all.

First and foremost, horses shouldn't stand for extended periods of time in mud or wet conditions, Sean says. He also recommends that horses not be bathed daily, which can strip hooves of oil essential to keeping them healthy. Sean also isn't a fan of topical hoof treatments, noting that a dry environment is more essential than anything that could be applied to the hooves.

Hooves should be seen by a qualified farrier every four to six weeks to ensure that the hoof capsule is placed correctly underneath the horse's leg. Routine trims will also deal with issues like long toes and flares in the hoof wall. Sean notes that a good farrier must have a grasp of equine anatomy and conformation, as well as understand the biomechanics of how hooves handle concussion.

Each hoof should be trimmed to be in balance and not to create hooves that look like they match one another. Shoes should be shaped to the foot and not the foot shaped to the shoe, Sean says.

Hooves can crack because the toe is too long, the heel is underrun or because the horse has been standing in a too-wet environment. Though most cracks aren't a big deal, ones that go all the way through the hoof capsule or all the way up to the hairline require an intervention by a farrier.

Contracted heels are also a common issue and are most often caused by improper hoof balance, which can affect blood flow and hoof expansion. Abscess can be startling to see as the horse tends to become suddenly, severely lame. Sean suggests that genetics may predispose a horse to abscesses and thin soles can exacerbate the problem. Abscesses are most common during spring and wet winter months, when moisture softens the hoof and the foot becomes bruised, which can lead to an abscess.