Ok horse people, I have a question....

[red_explorer]

Trying to help a friend in Frederick County who has exactly zero experience with any type of livestock or animals whatsoever. She purchased an older...2o year old horse for her daughter. Its front legs are sore. She had the vet out and he wasnt concerned about the feet before she bought the horse. It was not the vet that had been previously seeing the horse. I think she only paid $200 for the horse. She got a farrier who didnt think there was a problem. Now, she has moved the horse to a new, much better stable, with a new vet and farrier in the last two weeks. New farrier is very concerned about his front hooves because they are cracked and the frogs are rock hard. New vet is saying put crisco on the hooves. Farrier said no shoes until it clears up but suggested possibly boots. It just doesnt sound right.
Does anyone have any other ideas? Any thoughts on whats causing this?

I know nothing about horses. Ask me about goats, some cows, or cats and dogs, but not horses.

Thank you in advance. Her daughter, who is rather autistic, has fallen in love with the horse, and actually relates to and interacts with him! And the horse reciprocates!!

 

[loriv]

With as dry as it's been, there's no doubt that his feet may be hard as a rock. Constant stamping at flies further complicates the problem by causing splitting and cracking which then stretch open further when they put weight on them. It his feet were long in the first place, everything can be worsened. It's usually nothing that some time and care won't heal. They can try soaking his feet in a pan of plain water if he'll allow it, just to try to get some moisture into his feet. Then a towel dry and a good coating of anything oil based (and safe, not used motor oil!) to try to keep the moisture in. If he's not in obvious pain (which you'd know because he'd refuse to walk if he doesn't absolutely have to) it's not something to panic over. Tell you friend to do some research on the Internet or go to the library, they have tons of horse care books usually. As the saying goes, "A horse is only as good as his feet and teeth", so tell her to definitely keep an eye on it. One word of caution... she might want to study up on abcesses. Once the weather turns and the rain comes back (and he's standing in mud), it's very likely he could end up with an abcess. Again, nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing to "worry" about, but something that does need a lot of care. She would do well to find a mentor (who's not a crazy loon, because there are lots of those in the horse world) at her barn who can help her through little things like this. Hope this helps.

And tell your friend congratulations on finding a completely unconditionally loving partner for her daughter! Most horses are amazingly sensitive to our emotions and can heal souls like no other animal.

 

[fredsaid2]

Hooves generally do better in a consistent environment. It's not good to go from one extreme to another, i.e. soak in water then turn out in a stall or a dry pasture. A product like Keratex Hoof Hardner could be helpful. It protects the hoof from moisture extremes. A Biotin supplement could also be helpful.

She's on the right track with a good vet and farrier. I'd go with their treatment recommendations and ask their opinions on the two above.

Good luck!

 

[Tazgirl]

Hooves generally do better in a consistent environment. It's not good to go from one extreme to another, i.e. soak in water then turn out in a stall or a dry pasture. A product like Keratex Hoof Hardner could be helpful. It protects the hoof from moisture extremes. A Biotin supplement could also be helpful.

She's on the right track with a good vet and farrier. I'd go with their treatment recommendations and ask their opinions on the two above.

Good luck!

I agree with fredsaid do not go to extremes and always check things out with the vet or ferrier. I had this problem last year and my ferrier suggested using an aloe based hand lotion on the hooves. This year I started it before the dry weather coating the hooves a couple times a week, (I also asked my horses if they would like some nail polish with there pedicures LOL). We still have cracks which is expected in this dry weather, but nothing like we had last year.

 

[devinej]

Agree with fredsaid. You can find a good hoof moisturizer, but not a good idea to soak. no shoes for now is also a good idea because if the hooves are all cracked up, the shoes won't stay on very well and may cause more cracking.
boots can be very helpful, i have used them many times. it sounds like the farrier needs to do some work to get the hooves in a better shape to prevent the cracking, and boots can give the horse some relief while that process is happening, as it will take several months. EasyBoots have several different kinds of boots that can work well when fit properly. i like to ride in the easyboot glove . you can also get pads to fit into the bottom of the boot to provide some extra cushion which it sounds like this horse could use. they could also put the horse on some bute for a while and see if that gives her some relief (anti-inflamatory)

 

[CountryLady]

Agree, dry weather and fly stomping most likely the cause.
Keep the horses feet trimmed, because as the hoof grows more pressure is on the outer wall and cracks will worsen as they stomp, etc...

I use Walmart brand A&E ointment: massageing into cornet band and hoof wall. Can use on frog and bulbs of heel also. It is cheap and has like 15% LANOLIN. WHICH MOST GOOD HOOF PRODUCTS HAVE LANOLIN IN IT. Works amazing and it is cheap.

 

[DQ2B]

I'm a bit confused. Is the horse sore? In it's legs? Or in it's hooves? Dry cracked/splitting hooves are one thing but if the horse is sore/lame that's another issue entirely. If it's a simple matter of dry and cracked hooves then diet and proper trimming (along with more suitable weather and fly conditions which we can't control) will resolve most issues. If the horse is sore/lame then it needs to be addressed with other measures. The horse is 20? Might be arthritis in which case there aren't alot of great options but the Rx Previcox is one I prefer. Is there heat/swelling with the soreness? Could be an abcess brewing, could be soft tissue damage or problem. Really, it could be sooo many things. I don't think anyone here is going to be able to make a diagnosis but rather just some guessing in the wind. A vet and/or farrier need to so some more serious testing.

 

[SugarNSpikes]

A vet and/or farrier need to so some more serious testing.

I was a little confused myself, since it sounds like vets/farriers have been out and are unable to give a proper diagnosis? I don't know how much the owner is looking to spend but when my horse started to get sore and ouchy, I had my vet and farrier out at the farm together to come up with a diagnosis and do x-rays, etc.

 

[wildheartwest]

need shoes

The horse needs shoes to stablize the cracks and protect the feet, especially if the horse is sore. The feet still flex when barefoot and the cracks are moving. I cannot recommend what shoes or how to shoe as I have not seen the horse. I have corrected lots of problems and made horses sound with shoes. I cannot stand to see sore horses when this can be corrected if nothing else is going on inside the foot or with the leg etc. I wish I could be there to help!

 

[spellbound]

My horses' hooves are dry because they've stayed in the barn all summer but their hooves are the best they've ever been.
On my farrier's last visit he said my Thoroughbred has the best feet of all his clients right now. And this is a horse who never kept shoes on until he had to go on stall rest.
Constantly going from wet to dry is what makes them crack. Wet grass is your horses' hooves' worst enemy.
My farrier's advice: keep your horses' feet clean and dry.

 

[Katt]

The horse needs shoes to stablize the cracks and protect the feet, especially if the horse is sore. The feet still flex when barefoot and the cracks are moving. I cannot recommend what shoes or how to shoe as I have not seen the horse. I have corrected lots of problems and made horses sound with shoes. I cannot stand to see sore horses when this can be corrected if nothing else is going on inside the foot or with the leg etc. I wish I could be there to help!

I totally agree! Some horses are very sore barefoot, and as soon as you put shoes on, they are 100% better. I have a thoroughbred that is like that. If he's barefoot, he's sore as all get out and his hooves fall apart. As soon as the shoes go on, he's better. If you get shoes on and he's still sore, you can paint on some Venice Turpentine (get that at the tack shop or feed store) on the bottoms of his foot (Not frog) and stick a piece of old newspaper to keep it from attracting dirt. Do that every day for a month or so and it hardens the tender-footed horse. I've had to do that. Plus, shoeing a cracked hoof will help stop the crack from worsening.

That's what I would do and I've had horses all my life. Give it time, hooves can take time to recover from neglect, but at least your horse will benefit from your tender loving care.

 

[DeeCee]

The horse needs shoes to stablize the cracks and protect the feet, especially if the horse is sore. The feet still flex when barefoot and the cracks are moving. I cannot recommend what shoes or how to shoe as I have not seen the horse. I have corrected lots of problems and made horses sound with shoes. I cannot stand to see sore horses when this can be corrected if nothing else is going on inside the foot or with the leg etc. I wish I could be there to help!

I apologize up front, but I disagree with making holes in the hooves (for shoes) to fix cracks.

Fly spraying and a couple of short cycles (ie: every 4 weeks) of good barefoot trims which include rounding the edges (thx for the correction in terminology), filing a perpendicular line at the top of each crack to keep them from splitting up further and some Rainmaker applied every few days will work wonders.

Then regular trims every 6 to 8 weeks and polishing off the rough edges between trims and after riding with one of those files Elam sells (the one with the plastic handle - forget what they're called) to maintain them.

 

[DQ2B]

I apologize up front, but I disagree with making holes in the hooves (for shoes) to fix cracks.

Fly spraying and a couple of short cycles (ie: every 4 weeks) of good barefoot trims which include bull nosing the edges, filing a perpendicular line at the top of each crack to keep them from splitting up further and some Rainmaker applied every few days will work wonders.

Then regular trims every 6 to 8 weeks and polishing off the rough edges between trims and after riding with one of those files Elam sells (the one with the plastic handle - forget what they're called) to maintain them.

You do NOT want to bull-nose the hoof which is really a growth problem (bulging center wall) though excessive rasping can make a hoof appear bull-nosed. I think the above poster means "rolling the hoof wall edge" which will help keep the hoof wall from chipping and spliting as much as when left with a sharp edge.

 

[DeeCee]

You do NOT want to bull-nose the hoof which is really a growth problem (bulging center wall) though excessive rasping can make a hoof appear bull-nosed. I think the above poster means "rolling the hoof wall edge" which will help keep the hoof wall from chipping and spliting as much as when left with a sharp edge.

OOPS that would be correct!
Thx for the clarification and correction in terminology.
PS that post is number "666" <shivver> EWWW....

 

[DQ2B]

PS that post is number "666" <shivver> EWWW....

Oh sh!t. Typical for me...