Lame Old Horse

Meg

Meg

New Member
Mar 29, 2001
34
0
0
45
Alabama
Visit site
I'm hoping somebody can help me...I went out to feed just now and found that our old (we are guessing around 28 year old) gelding is extremely lame. The others came galloping to get their feed and he came walking up a few minutes later. He usually at least trots to try and keep up with the others. A few months ago, he foundered slightly which caused him to have a crack in his left front hoof. This is the leg which is lame now. My mother is on her way to get him some bute paste for the pain, but what can I do to actually fix the problem?? Our vet doesnt' specialize in horses, so I was hoping some of you may have an idea. Is there something resembling putty that we could use to fill in the crack? Or use some type of dressing to strengthen the hoof around the crack? We've never had any problems with hooves before, so I'm new to this! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
 
how big is the crack?Id call the blacksmith as they can usually put a band on it to stop it spreading(well its more like staples)If its just a split I used a thing called keratex which was good for split feet but call the smithy first
 
lameness (poor baby)

I would check his body over for signs of recent injury, including the feet and hoofs. Did he just have a recent trim ??
Take and monitor his vital signs, for a while, if your horse seems in distress PHONE a vet, but if he just seems sore maybe give it a day or two. I don't know enough about evaluating lameness, I'd probobly be inclined to talk to someone about it. You seem really worried, and I don't blame you, try to find an equine vet who will talk to you over the phone or maybe a farrier or horsey friend.
Good luck with your horse, I love the old timers myself and hate seeing them uncomfortable.

from Susan >horse lover for life<
 
If he's had the crack for a few months, I don't see why it should be making him lame now. I think it's more likely to be something quite different, a knock or a sprain... But you do need advice from a vet or farrier. Your vet might help, even if he's not a horse specialist ...
 
Thanks everybody for you suggestions. LindaAd, the only reason why I was thinking that it was the crack is b/c it has grown out to about halfway down the hoof wall. I was asking my mother just the other day if, when it grew further down, it was possible that his hoof would just break off at this point. I should have touched wood. I didn't expect to have a problem this soon! We don't really have a professionally trained farrier in our area. My dad took a course on shoeing a few years ago and since our horses are just pasture ornaments now, he just takes care of their feet himself. Our vet is also a bit of a problem, as he usually checks his caller ID and if he sees its someone with large animals, he doesn't answer the phone!! He hates to work outside or after hours.

I live in a very rural area where horses aren't that rare, but people don't take very good care of them. I mean, most of the time they are fed, de-wormed, and shod, but these are cheap horses who don't have a lot of money spent on them. Does this make sense. They don't have a lot of training and are usually just used for trail riding on the weekend. So, that's why I'd trust some of your opinions more than the "experts" in my area.

Sorry this is so long! Thank you!
 
Meg,

in my experience people who trim their own horse feet usually aren't very good (sorry Meg's dad). It's probably OK in most of the horses but if you have one with a problem you really really need to use a proper farrier.

However you do need to find out wether or not it is his foot causing the problem or something else. He may even have a problem in his foot that is unrelated to his hoof crack (e.g. an abscess or puncture wound).

Without seeing it, it would be impossible to pass any judgement at al as foot probelms are wide ranging and variable. Your best option is really to call a vet. I'm sure yours will be able to have a go, or at least suggest someone else nearby who will. If your vet is really that lazy (he sounds rubbish) then stop using him and find another one! You are under no obligation to stick with him. His job is to provide a service and quality of care to animals, and it wounds like he isn't doing it.

PS if he's avoiding you with caller ID call him from a pay phone!
 
In my experience it may not be the crack that's causing the problem, again it's difficult to say without looking at the exact extent of the crack or the foot.

The crack may need radical treatment and a bit of help from a supporting shoe. You may need to get a vet or farrier to dig out the crack and expose it to the air. Often it is a bug that hates oxygen (anaerobic) that causes these cracks. Open it to the air and bleach it 3 times a week may clear it up.

It may be something simple like a foot abcess.

My old horse had a crack caused by an anaerobic bug, but with a surgical shoe, digging it out and bleach it has been cured. Don't try this yourself!!
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. My dad went to check on the horses today, and said that Dusty wasn't limping. I wish I would have been able to check myself, but just couldn't today. He also went and talked to our vet who gave him a few suggestions of things to do. So my spirits are up.

Unfortuanately, ponyvet, to find a good vet willing to work on horses, we'd have to travel about 2 hours into the next state. Sad but true!

I'll keep you posted on how he is. Maybe I'll go get the spotlight and try to find him out in the pasture!!
 
My first thought may be an abcess or the founder could have gone serious and caused a turning of the canon bone, causing navicular disease. I would find an equine vet that can xray the foot, or at least have a farrier do a hoof test to check for soreness. He could dig out a sore spot on the sole if it is an abcess, but I am betting the founder may have caused a bigger problem. Also, founder can cause the sole to become extremely tender, in which case a pad under the shoe os all that is needed. In any case, a good equine vet and farrier are needed to determine exactly the problem. Happy Trails!
 
sorry outrider you've totally lost me: a turning of the canon bone causing navicular??????? eh?????? do you mean pedal bone rotation? this is not actually related to navicular syndrome anyway, but yes could be a problem in this case, if the founder (or laminitis as we like to call it in britain) has progressed. However this situation would be chronic and would happen over a period of several weeks, not just overnight as seems to have happened here.
 
My old horse used to go lame every now and again. He had foundered preiviously and would get foot abcesses. The first time I didn't know why he was lame, until the pus found its own way out at the top of the hoof and cured itself. The other reason he became lame was due to torn laminae after exerting himself too much after laminitis. Could just have been a bad bruised sole or something though. I'm glad the horse seems OK now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back