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  Discussion on Very bare rear foot - help!
Author Message
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 9:52 am:

I have nearly sold my grey mare but... yesterday she went out hunting, and my friend who was riding did not notice she had lost a shoe. Result: desperately bare rear foot which she can hardly put on the ground. This mare has to go over to the prospective purchasers to be be ridden and jumped while their teacher looks on before the sale will go through (and then of course has to pass the vet but we'll cross that fence when we come to it...)

I have vet and farrier lined up for Friday (because I figure she is so sore she will need sedation to get a shoe back on at all). I have been told sometimes a pad is also needed to protect the sole to get the horse half way sound again in such a situation.

Any advice please anyone? I am as sick as a parrot, I really thought it was done and dusted in time for xmas as the prospective purchasers are pretty keen.

Thanks for any advice

Imogen
Member:
Onehorse

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 11:24 am:

If your assessment is correct and it is simply soreness caused by the loss of a shoe then you could apply Keratex to the sole of the foot. Keratex is a brand name and it's function is to harden the sole. It comes with a 'brush' applicator and you literally paint it on. It takes a little time to get results but may help till your shoer arrives by strengthening the sole.

I usually use it when I pull shoes for the winter and my horse is 'ouchy' for a few days after the shoes come off.

I'm not sure -- so check on this -- but I think pine tar or a pine tar based turpintine may have the same effect.

if you use Keratex, be sure to put it on the sole only -- do NOT put it on the frog.

Rick
Member:
Christos

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 11:48 am:

For fast repairs of very damaged hooves, I've had relatively good results with Equithane products.
You can find them at https://www.farriersupplies.co.uk/Equithane.html
However, for the repair to stay in place you have to dry the hoof thoroughly, then dry it some more, and keep it very dry at all times if you want the glues to stay on. Not very practical.
I also doubt that a hoof wall repaired/extended with resins is safe to jump. But that's your farrier's call.
Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope your vet finds only mild sole soreness and your farrier has a way to fix it fast and easy.
Member:
Ribbons

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 12:25 pm:

Equithane is all the rage in my area and we used it on my daughter's mare with good success. We only lost a pad once out of half a dozen applications and actually that was with the mesh screen inplace rather than just put on a really dry sole.

My daughter did some little schooling jumps with it in in an arena, but as it makes a smooth surface I am sure there would be little traction going cross country and probably not the safest idea.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 12:42 pm:

If it's just that the sole is very tender, we use some stuff called "sole paint' Our vet makes it up, but I think it's got pine tar/turpintine, betadine, and I'm not sure what else. There is stuff called "Hoofmaker" that our farrier reccomends for the same purpose. It also had turpintine. I would think if you just painted turpintine on the sole, if you can't find a commercial preperation locally, it would do the trick. I can see a big difference in just a couple of days with the "sole paint."
Member:
Liliana

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 - 12:43 pm:

MMM Well if as you said the horse is sore from loosing a shoe, I really believe that it is best to be honest and tell the buyers, it is an accident that could happen to anyone and treated carefully should not have consequences.

I just feel that by sedating the mare you will not know if the damage got worse, and then the buyers will return the mare back to you and think you are dishonest, and of course it will make it more difficult to sell to anyone else. You know how accurate the horse grapevine can be!

Member:
Imogen

Posted on Thursday, Dec 23, 2004 - 2:46 am:

I told the buyers already what had happened as I had to cancel a planned session today. The problem is their teacher only has a couple of slots in the next two weeks to look at the horse, one is Monday, the other next Friday.

The sedation is purely temporary (20 minutes) to try to get a shoe on in order to relieve the horse's discomfort, not for when they are riding her, Liliana, sorry for the confusion!

I think I'll get some keratex or similar product today just in case because of the xmas holidays but wait till the farrier sees her before putting it on.

Imogen
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Dec 23, 2004 - 8:04 am:

Bute, cold Epsom soaks while the foot is hot and warm Epsom soaks when cool, and stall rest on soft ground until the foot can be protected is about it. The soaking tends to soften the horn so application of heavy Absorbine Hoofmaker before the soaks will help protect the foot.
DrO
Member:
Erika

Posted on Thursday, Dec 23, 2004 - 10:37 am:

Imogene,
Isn't that the pits! But we all know how hard it is to find a really nice horse. I hope the buyers are smart enough to wait and try the horse later. Such a minor issue wouldn't stop me from waiting, but then again, my horses are a lifetime commitment. So I don't take the purchas too quickly. Hopefully they won't either.
Erika
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Thursday, Dec 23, 2004 - 11:16 am:

Imogene, hopefully your prospective buyers will be understanding. I have learned to keep a horse wrapped in cotten and in a padded stall if I have someone coming to look at it and to try it out. (At least I feel like I should)They seem to have a propensity for injuring themselves right before an important show or just before a "hot prospect" is coming! Good luck.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Monday, Dec 27, 2004 - 8:34 am:

Dear all

Horse is sold... subject to vet. I had to hide while they were trying her for fear of accidentally putting a hex on the whole thing. Farrier managed to get a shoe on alright without sedation and she came sound in 3 days. Keep your fingers crossed for me, as I know the people and she is going to a good home - so something else is bound to go wrong now!

Imogen
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