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Discussion on What could cause really soft soles?
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Member:
Along151
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 9, 2006 - 8:37 am:
I have an appaloosa mare I've having trouble with lameness lately. It seemed like each time I'd have her trimmed she would be lame for the next 3 to 4 weeks. I just had her trimmed again last week, and she is lame again. Farrier suggested shoes, which may be my next step. But, I also noticed her soles are very soft, when I clean out her feet, I can scrape it off with the hoof pick and they are very close to the surface. She also has flat feet which makes her much more sensitive to everything. I'm concerned with her continued lameness all the time and the way her soles are really very soft. What could be causing this?
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Member:
Banthony
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 9, 2006 - 10:35 am:
If your horse is that sore after trimming, I would look carefully at the trim. Can you post pictures.
Soft soles are usually caused by wet conditions. You can toughen them with something like turpentine (horse product not paint store product.) There are some other products that work as well. My vet clinic sells a mixture they call "Hoof Cautery." It is a combination of iodine and formaldehyde.
Sometimes you can get concavity in the feet by controlling the flares when trimming.
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Member:
Gwen
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 9, 2006 - 8:19 pm:
My horse has had shallow/sensitive soles forever. Just one of his many fine qualities! My farrier has me put a mixture of sugar and betadine on it and also recommends either venice turpentine or a hoof hardener by Keratex.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Aug 14, 2006 - 6:38 am:
Hello Alanna,
as Linda states weather conditions can make soles soft but I often find that unbalanced trimming especially in the anterior-posterior aspect causes thin soles at the toe and chronic heel soreness. Check out the articles on at balance, Care for Horses » Hoof Care
to see if anything clicks if not then go on to Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Poor Horn Quality: problems with the wall and soles to specifically address the soft horn.
DrO
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