Sore Feet

[Soupdragon]

Had Twister only a week and last night he was very very footsore and pottery. Did not not want to move and was taking tiny little steps. There was a big stone stuck in his shoe that he'd picked up walking across the yard to the school (I'd picked his feet out first as usual) but even after that was out he still seemed very pottery.

Terrified it was laminitis as grazing at the yard is very good, but he's been kept in during most of the day to restrict his intake, and only let out in the evening and overnight. He's sharing a paddock with sheep at the moment whilst getting to know the other horses over the fence. But his feet didn't feel hot and pulse was normal (YO checked for me).

Yesterday YO let him out for an hour or two in the day as well as he was obviously disgusted at being kept in ..

Farrier today had a look at him and didn't think it was laminitis either. According to old owner he's never had laminitis and when he was vetted the vet said he had good feet ... YO turned him out this morning for an hour or so and he was fine walking across the smooth part of the yard but went a bit pottery again across the pebbly bit. Once in the paddock he went cantering off, apparently pain free??

Only thing we can think off is he's been kicking the stable door in disgust at being kept in during the day ... could that be it? Any ideas anyone??

[eventerbabe]

possibly a stone bruise? it can really knock them back, my mare gets them and they can have her going pottery for a few days on rougher ground but she's ok when on grass.

[0dd]

possibly a stone bruise? it can really knock them back, my mare gets them and they can have her going pottery for a few days on rougher ground but she's ok when on grass.

precisely what my boy has had over the past few days. i suppose it could always be an oncoming abscess but what you said about a stone being lodged in his foot would = a stone bruise :o
they clear up after a few days anyhoo. the more movement they get in the field, the better i've been told.
i've actually got him on some arnica tablets and they seem to be doing the trick too ^^

[Soupdragon]

I am still terrified it's laminitis, though still no heat and normal pulse. Still a bit pottery today on hard rough ground tho' better on smooth ground, even if it was hard?

He was turned out tonight in a small section which YO fenced off for him and which YO's hubby mowed down .. hope he's okay. Think I'm going to get him a grazing muzzle as he appears to be too much of a good doer.

[domane]

Ooh, we had EXACTLY the same thing with Cherry when we had had her about a month. Dom went to get her in from the field in the dark and she trotted over and then walking back to the yard (50yds) she did the drama-queen act and could barely walk. As he was still "non-horsey" then he wasn't brave enough to pick her feet* out so he panicked, put her in her stable and dashed home to tell me. I got home from the weekly shopping about 10mins after him and did the mercy dash down to the yard to see why my horse was walking on 3 legs. Now all the yard were panicking as they had seen her arrive and she was still in recovery from when she badly strained a tendon in the March of last year so they were all buzzing around murmuring about hot legs, hot feet etc. Everything felt normal to me. She is only shod on the fronts so her back feet WILL feel warmer with better circulation but no one felt BOTH!! Picked out her feet so I could inspect and a huge stone came out. She then walked up a bit ouchey so, like you, I kept her in the following day, just in case, and she DRAGGED me to the field the morning after next! Spoke to old owner who said "Oh yes, I forgot to tell you how she is when she gets a stone in her hoof!!!" :eek:

I now ride out with a folding hoofpick permanently attached to the D-ring of my saddle!!! :D

Sounds to me like your boy is just bruised. The grass at night doesn't contain as much sugar so unlikely to be laminitis caused from overgrazing from what you describe. Besides, it doesn't sound like he is exhibiting any of the other symptoms. Give it time, I'm sure he will recover... :)

* Hubby swiftly got over his fear of picking out feet after this!! ;)