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  Discussion on Horse won't let me soak her foot
Author Message
Member:
unity

Posted on Thursday, Nov 1, 2007 - 8:57 pm:

My mare suddenly came up lame and the vet said it was an abscess. She trimmed and pared it, but said I still need to soak it at least twice a day in water and Epsom salts. I cannot get her to put her foot in the bucket; and the two times I did, she kept it in there for less than 30 seconds. I tried feeding her while soaking, but nothing works. I am at my wits end. I am at a complete loss and need suggestions. I don't have a barn with a stall yet and nowhere to really confine her. What do you do when the horse won't let it's foot be soaked??? Please help! I'm so worried.
Member:
quatro

Posted on Thursday, Nov 1, 2007 - 9:32 pm:

Hi Mary, I had the same problem with Levi. I could not get him to put his foot in a bucket, but I bought this really cool soaking boot. It has a rubber bottom, and nylon sides with velcro. It is bucket size, not tight fitting.
I just put Levi's foot in it without water a few times, then put his foot in it with WARM water,not too deep. Fed him some grain, he only stayed in a minute or two, but we did this several times a day until we got to a whole flake of hay.
In the mean time, I would soak a big flake of cotton with epson salt water, and duct tape it to the bottom of her foot for a while, till you can get her to stand.
Good Luck, patience pays off eventually.
suz
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Thursday, Nov 1, 2007 - 10:05 pm:

I have the boot that you can get at horsehealthusa.com, it's called the Pro-Fit Equine Boot, think it used to be called the Davis Medicine boot. It stays on really well; I've even turned a horse out in the muck with it on while I cleaned the stalls. You can leave it on and just add medicine if you wish. Might be the same one Susan is referring to, not sure. Just do a search for it, and make sure you know how to measure for the correct size. HHUSA doesn't give much on measuring in the catalog.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Thursday, Nov 1, 2007 - 10:30 pm:

Hi Mary, my gelding refuses to soak. When he had an abscess dug out I just wrapped his foot with sugardine (sugar & betadine mixed to a paste) worked very well and I didn't have to soak
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 7:00 am:

Hello Mary,
Was the abscess found and well drained? If so you could just poltice it as Diane describes above. Soaking is primarily to get poorly draining horses draining better.
DrO
New Member:
kathyn

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 12:13 pm:

Hi Mary, when my mare had abcesses the farrier suggested I soak her foot in strong peroxide--the liquid (not creamy) kind you get at beauty supply places in gallon jugs. It fizzed up thru the abcess and cleansed it really well. I used the Davis boot some but once she was used to soaking I cut a flap in the top of a cheap basketball (or a smaller kind) and put her foot in that. The flap pretty well held the ball against her if she moved and there was more room for the peroxide.}}}
Member:
lhenning

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 1:42 pm:

Hi Mary,

Do you have a feed bucket you can put on a fence? I fed my horse his grain then soaked his foot while he ate. I also had a pile of hay under the bucket just in case he finished early. Make sure he will stand still when you tell him to and make sure to desensitize him to the bucket if he is nervous of it before you attempt soaking.

Use warm water and only fill the bucket about 3 inches at first. Have him pick up his foot then bring the bucket under it. The trick is to guide the foot into the bucket while slowly lowering it as he puts his foot down. A soft bucket that doesn't make noise works best. Place his foot toward the back so he doesn't really know he is in the bucket. His foot will not touch the bucket sides at all.

You have to stand next to him at first to prevent him pushing the bucket over. I brought my grooming tools and brushed my horse then braided his mane and tail. Just for something to do! A few minutes at first is good but soon they get very used to it.
Linda
Member:
annes

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 2:58 pm:

I have used a gallon zip lock bag with warm water and epsom salts. After partially zipping the top, you can secure with twine or vet wrap. My horse stood still while eating with this on. If your horse wants to move around could you tie her up when eating and soak at the same time?
Member:
canter

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 4:18 pm:

One horse I knew refused to put his foot in a normal type of bucket, but we successfully soaked the foot using the shallow type feed dish - one that is wider than a bucket but the sides are only about 2 inches high. Not sure what type of horse psychology made him willingly accept the pan vs. the bucket, but hey! whatever works!
Member:
trouble

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 5:37 pm:

Ditto to Fran's idea. My guy didn't like the whole bucket idea, but I had a small rubber feed dish and he doesn't mind it at all. He usually ends up standing in one just like it that I put his feed in anyway!

Good luck!
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 7:32 pm:

I would bet their foot feels less trapped in the shallow rubber pan. If they move and bump the bucket, it scares them. The shallow pan probably don't scare them.

I used to feed my horses as a group, when in a hurry, in the small Rubbermaid stock tank that is only about 12" tall. I had to quit doing that because at least one of them would end up standing in it, and I wanted it to still hold water and they were cracking it.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2007 - 7:56 pm:

Yes -- the more shallow and flexible pans work better than a bucket. I put my horses into cross ties with a solid wall ahead of them and keep putting the foot back into the water each time that they take it out. I never reprimand, just keep picking the foot up and slowly placing it into the soak again and praise them as they allow this. Do something that they really enjoy while they are there -- lots of treats, hay, grooming or whatever they like, and lots of praise. Horses are smart enough to learn to allow their hoof to be soaked.
Member:
paardex

Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 4:27 am:

With two people immediately pull up another leg if the foot is down in a bucket. That worked for me but alas the two people are neccesary at first..
Jos
New Member:
dlsenDrO

Posted on Sunday, Nov 4, 2007 - 7:46 am:

Hi Mary,
When my gelding's abscess needed to be soaked, first I soaked a diaper (small) in water and epsom salts. Then I placed the diaper over his sole and folded it as neatly as I could. I had duct tape ready to secure it further. You can put the tape around the fetlock, but not too tight. If you want more of heavy duty bottom or need to soak for a long time, you can make a little square of crisscrossing duct tape and secure that on the bottom of the foot. But most times the diaper alone is good for a half hour soak. The cushy part of the diaper pushes into every nook and cranny on the bottom of the foot. I did this for 2 weeks, twice a day and it was so much easier than buckets.
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Sunday, Nov 4, 2007 - 7:39 pm:

some really good ideas here... thanks guys. I bet my kids will go for the diaper or the rubber feed pan....wish I'd thought of any of these before I wrestled with soaking last winter. Great brain trust!
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