Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Wintertime Hoof Care

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock.

Question: What, if any, special considerations should owners have for wintertime hoof care?

Dr. Craig Lesser, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital: Winter in Kentucky, aka mud season, can have some challenges when it comes to your horse's feet. Feet tend to start growing slower and are often saturated in mud without a chance to dry out. This can result in a variety of issues that you should keep an eye out for.

White line disease is a mixed anaerobic bacterial infection that occurs within the hoof wall. Mild infections can be picked up by your farrier and can be treated without much change in your horse's work. However. in more severe cases radiographs and large resections may be necessary to open the infected area up to oxygen and allow for debridement and treatment of the infection.

Bruises and subsolar abscesses are also very common in the winter due to the changes in weather and temperature. The hard to soft ground can soften feet and make them more prone to concussion-related injuries, and this constant swelling and contracting can open areas for infections to fester. Horses with abscesses present acutely lame and once drainage is established, they return to soundness quickly. However, it is very important to protect the abscess tract from filling back up with mud or your horse may re-abscess.

Retracted soles are often a problem with thin-soled feet. They result when mud builds up in the sole and eventually builds enough pressure to force the cornified sole up into the soft tissue structures of the sole of the foot. This can lead to seroma or abscess formation and if not treated properly they often lead to severe complications.

While we don't usually get much snow in Kentucky, horses in more northern regions can have issues with snow and ice building up in their shoes. The formation of large balls of ice on the bottom of a horse's foot can make it difficult for horses to walk. Many farriers will add snow pads to help with this, but nothing is as helpful as ensuring you pick out your horse's feet daily.

Horses with softened feet that are turned out in the mud are also more prone to losing shoes. An increase in the number of lost shoes as well as the decreased growth can make a farrier's job more difficult this time of year.

It is vital that you check your horse's feet daily and make sure to pick them out so they have a chance to dry and recover. If not, it could lead to some much scarier conditions such as canker, septic pedal osteitis, or even quittor.

Dr. Craig Lesser, CF graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015. Following the completion of an internship at Anoka Equine, he moved to Lexington to complete a podiatry fellowship at RREH and has continued there as an associate. As an extension of podiatry, Dr. Lesser has an interest in lameness and imaging. 

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Multiple Benefits To Removing Shoes Over Winter

There are multiple benefits to allowing horses to transition to barefoot over the winter months, hoof care specialist Alicia Harlov tells Dr. Chris White in a conversation recorded at thehorse.com.

For performance horses who regularly wear shoes, removing those shoes for the winter can be a safety measure safer, preventing slippery balls of ice from forming in their hooves. It can also allow for a more natural hoof function that helps get ahead of any issues the horse might have.

“Pulling shoes over the winter is also a great way to get ahead of nagging pathologies (diseases or conditions) that we often chase throughout the rest of the year,” Harlov told The Horse. “Allowing the feet time to rest out of shoes can result in benefits to the caudal hoof, relaxing contracted heels, growing healthier frogs, and strengthening the structures in the back half of the foot especially.”

Making the transition to barefoot takes time, Harlov cautioned. She recommends removing the hind shoes first, and allowing the horse time to get comfortable before returning to full work.

“Some horses need an adjustment in their workload at first as their feet strengthen, while others can immediately go back to their previous workload seemingly unaffected,” Harlov continued. “A good rule of thumb is for every year shod, expect one month of transition time before the horse is fully comfortable. A little bit of preparation and observation can go a long way in a successful barefoot transition.”

Read more at The Horse.

The post Multiple Benefits To Removing Shoes Over Winter appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘Tis The Season: Top Five Winter Hoof Care Tips

The American Farriers Journal has released a checklist of winter hoof care tips that can help horse owners keep their horses' hooves healthy during the difficult cold season.

First, the AFJ recommends maintaining a regular shoeing or trimming interval.

“Even though hooves grow more slowly during fall and winter, regular farrier care is important,” states the AFJ. “If shoes are pulled for the winter, hooves may need to be trimmed more frequently.”

A second tip is to keep stalls and run-in sheds clean and dry with regular maintenance, including manure/soiled bedding removal.

Another part of the horse owner's daily winter routine should be checking and cleaning out each hoof. Regular visual exams can help detect early changes that could signify the beginning of larger problems, and regular cleaning will help prevent a dangerous buildup of snow/ice.

Fourth on the list is to maintain anti-thrush measures.

“In milder winter climates, mud can create as big a problem as snow and ice,” the AFJ warns.

Finally, consider your horse's changing nutritional needs during the winter months. Vitamins A and E are mainly provided by hay, but those levels can drop to less than 20 percent of normal by winter's end. Additional supplementation may be necessary, but as always, consult your veterinarian and farrier for specific advice.

Check out the full checklist at the American Farriers Journal.

The post ‘Tis The Season: Top Five Winter Hoof Care Tips appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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