Hoof Abscess

How to Recognize and Treat a Hoof Abscess

Like it or not a hoof abscess can occur when transitioning your horse to barefoot.

Hopefully it won’t happen, but if it does, this page gives you all the signs and symptoms we have so far come across and how you can go about treating them without the use of invasive trimming or unnecessary vet visits.

Contents

Introduction

1. There are horses whose shoes we have removed and have transitioned very easily, with only a little footiness and no abscessing.

2. Then, there are other horses we have transitioned who have abscessed once.

3. Then other horses who have abscessed several times in different places e.g. coronary band, heel bulbs, toe callus. sometimes all on the same hoof and sometimes on different hooves so have taken much longer to transition

This has without question not been because of any incorrect or invasive trimming.

Hooves Which are Likely to Abscess

We found there were four main features in the horses when hoof abscesses have occurred:-

1. An injury that the horse had sustained when shod e.g. a tendon injury or soft tissue injury which increases the likelihood of a hoof abscess as although the injury may have healed it had not fully healed due to the reduced circulation that will always occur when you shoe a horse.(See Case History Below.)

2. Just because of the nature of shoeing and the fact that the circulation in the hoof and leg is compromised. So abscesses occur because the horse has to get rid and eliminate waste in their system and they have been unable to do this fully due to the constraints horse shoes put on a horses circulation.

3. Poor hoof shape, long heels and badly balanced hooves.

4.We also found that the longer and earlier in their lives horses are shod the more susceptible they are to having hoof abscesses.

How does this help you?

If you are about to buy a shod horse, our experience is the younger it is, usually the quicker the transition period.

Abscess Signs

If you suspect a hoof abscess sometimes the hardest part is waiting. Initially the horse will become un-level, this may be very apparent or just gradually build up and get worse, over days, or in some cases, weeks.

(Sometimes it can be a long waiting period.)

The best thing you can do is to watch and observe your horse and keep him moving as much as possible, (in hand.) If they are sore although it may seem cruel to move them, gentle movement will encourage the abscess to burst and thus the healing process.

Physical Signs

Feel for any warm hot areas around the hoof. This can be quite difficult to detect, but to help you, compare the temperature of one foot with another and see what you can find. If you can find nothing – no worry, it will eventually get warmer.

When the abscess blows there is usually a very strong pungent smell. Once you have smelt it you will never forget it. There is likely to be a mucous. pussy excretion, if you get it on your hands it can leave a long lasting pungent smell, so wear gloves, thin surgical gloves when treating and cleaning the area are ideal.

You will also see a hole where the abscess has blown.

Treatment

1.Movement – in hand or gentle free schooling, regularly.

2.Wait – Don’t start over loading your horse with painkillers and anti-inflammatories, if they are in a lot of discomfort then you can use painkillers. Alternatively, you can buy herbal painkillers, e.g. devils claw and/or use Traumeel and Gel.

3. If you are still concerned you can soak the hoof in diluted Apple Cider Vinegar

4. Once the abscess blows then and only then, can you start poulticing to help draw out any further muck etc.

How to Poultice

In order to poultice you will need animal-lintex, vetrap, duct tape, a small stainless steel container, hot water and scissors.

Cut a small piece of the animal-lintex enough to cover the abscess area and immerse this in boiling water. When it is at body temperature apply to the area and bandage on using vetrap.

Once this is secure cover the area in duct tape. This is a waterproof tape, a bit like large selotape and will help keep the poultice on and keep it waterproofed to a degree. You can then turn your horse out with this dressing on.

Obviously in extreme muddy conditions you will not be able to turn a horse out with a poultice on and so your horse will have to manage without being poulticed. This is fine, they are better moving then being left stationery in a stable all day.

An Example of a Previous Injury and Subsequent Abscessing

It maybe easier to give you an example here of how a previous injury which created a long standing lameness finally cleared.

Hoof Abscess – Case History

A coloured mare, 6 years old who had only been shod for approximately 3 years. She was in good health and her feet were in reasonable condition although shod.

When we removed her shoes I expected her to transition very easily, which initially she seemed to do. However, after a number of weeks she became uneven – it was difficult to see where the lameness was. We continued to wait and after many weeks the lameness became very apparent and finally she burst a huge strong smelling abscess in one of her hinds. Throughout this period we kept her gently moving, either leading her off another horse or walking in hand or just riding her in walk.

Her long transition phase had perplexed me (as-well as a number of other trimmers whose advice I had asked) for quite sometime. I then realized that the hoof which had abscessed was on the same leg where she had sustained an injury 2-3 years ago.

This old injury had not resulted in her being lame at the time. She had damaged the skin on her hind leg when it had got caught in some electric fencing (with her previous owner). The soft tissue damage had healed and left some superficial scaring on her leg and no hair growth on the scar tissue area.

This type of example has since occurred a number of times with us. To explain further – it is because any injury sustained with a shod horse, will often never really fully clear out, while the horse remains shod. As although in a traditional setting the shoe maybe removed when a horse has injured itself, it is usually put back on too quickly once the horse appears sound and I think here is often the problem.

The deep healing within which is so necessary does not fully occur. I have come to this conclusion from seeing this happen a number of times when transitioning different horses.