Trimmed my horse too short

[Meesh]

edited to add: be careful about the stall rest thing -- with a young horse you can work yourself into much *more* trouble that way, especially if she is not used to lots of stall time, physiologically or psychologically. Personally I don't think I'd do it unless the only place I had for turnout was full o' rocks or was rock-hard lumpy-pointy earth)

Just an alternate point of view... I'd be more likely to keep mine in part time and out in boots part time because of the risk of developing an abscess or if the horse is really short, a bruised sole or coffin bone. But my pasture is rocky...

I also don't think it's bad for young horses to learn about being kept in for a while. It can help alot down the road if the horse has other injuries where the horse MUST be kept stalled. I really wished I'd taught my Arab mare to be confined after she tore her deep digital flexor tendon.

It might have healed up better if she wasn't such a NUT about being in a stall.

Cheers,
Michelle​

 

[patandchickens]

Yep, I think it depends a whole lot on a person's individual situation. I've almost always lived or boarded in places with pretty good smooth cushy footing in turnout (either grass, or where the grass is worn away, sandy soil). But certainly if you have pointy footing in turnout, keeping the horse in starts to look like a better idea

Still, though.... I've done it both ways and even with somewhat borderline footing I am by no means convinced that an abcess or two is worse than an elevated risk of colic (if a horse is not used to being kept in for long periods of time) plus an elevated risk of the horse, finally turned back out, going WOO HOOOOOOOOO! and hurting itself more seriously. Honestly I've seen a lot more serious, lasting problems from the latter than from an abcess or two, which 99.9% of the time is just a time-waster and nuisance.

It's different if the horse is already kept in 16 hours a day, of course.

Again, the bute thing depends on your situation. If your ground is awfully hard and lumpy but you are putting the horse out rather than keeping it in, then you pretty much do want him feeling sore and going slowly. But major pain can cause a variety of complications (it is not *just* a harmless warning to the body) and if a horse is really massively sore it may really be beneficial to take the edge off the pain -- not remove it entirely, just soften it a bit, which is why people would usually use only *low* doses for this purpose.

Kate's suggestion of a roundpen is a good one, IF you happen to have such a thing. (If it's wooden, you might oughta pour some dish detergent along the tops of the rails to head off chewing, because a horse can get really bored...)

Again, hoof boots is a good idea IF you happen to have such a thing, but IME it isn't always easy to find a size/brand that will fit your horse (easier for more upright-footed horses, can be really hard for low-heeled horses such as OTT TBs) and a badly fitting boot is definitely MUCH worse than none at all, if you ask me.

You can actually make a 'turnout poultice' (sorta like an easy boot) out of some padding, vetrap, and a whole big lotta duct tape, such that it will stay intact for 24-72 hours on a turned-out horse. I've done this when it was just one or two feet, and it's worked well. But there is a fair amount of skill and experience involved in getting the thing built so that it is durable but doesn't fall off or pressure the heels too much, and I would really not suggest trying it for the first time on a horse that's already sore. But if you *have* done it before, duct tape is your friend

Pat

 

[Meesh]

Well, shoot! You have grass and soft, sandy soil underneath? That would make everything easier.

Pat, Have you tried the Cavallo boots? I've heard those are pretty good for TB's and for these types of issues (ouchy feet). I have used Easyboots for years, but they are not a good boot for turnout. The new Epic style stays on really well for riding... Even on our Icelandic who was previously unable to stay booted.

The duct-tape poltice boots last about 12 hours here, if you are lucky. Abrasive ground wears them right off.

Handwalking and/or turnout in an arena or other area with good footing should offset the Yahoo Factor, especially since the horse should not need confined for more than a week (just a few days might do it).

Do horses regularly colic from being kept in (assuming daily handwalking & exercise)? I've not heard of this from my vet or experienced this as a normal risk factor of occasional stall rest. When we've had to stall, we use an open fronted stall with a buddy in the turnout next to it. Maybe that's just not as stressful.

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I have heard good things about Cavallos and one or two others of the seems-like-so-many kinds of boots that have sprung up in the last 5-10 years... but unfortunately they all seem so expensive that I really don't feel like experimenting unless I absolutely *have* to, and since my guys live out 24/7 I don't think they'd be real practical for me. I am not complaining about the price, btw, they seem heavily-engineered and I am sure that if they fit your horse they are WELL worth the pricetag, I'm just making excuses for why I haven't tried 'em

The duct-tape poltice boots last about 12 hours here, if you are lucky. Abrasive ground wears them right off.

Hah, not if you build 'em the way I build 'em

I *have* used my duct-tape creations on hard abrasive ground -- for instance, frozen gravel paddocks -- and while their lifespan sometimes closer to 24 hrs than to 72+, they really DO last well. The secret is to build in a bunch of extra layers of duct tape in the heaviest-wear areas, PLUS a layer of denim from old jeans (don't use the threadbare parts) covering the whole sole and wrapped partway up the sides, sandwiched about halfway in the duct tape layers. (A regular-sized roll of duct tape will do about 3 or 3 1/2 of these wraps, for me).

Do horses regularly colic from being kept in (assuming daily handwalking & exercise)? I've not heard of this from my vet or experienced this as a normal risk factor of occasional stall rest.

Well, what do you mean by 'regularly'

But being stalled is a pretty well documented extra risk factor for colic (i.e. stalled horses DO colic more) and this is true both in terms of their regular lifestyle and in terms of what happens when a horse is placed on stall rest.

It is not like every stalled horse colics of course, but *more* do, and since colic can be such a serious problem, I don't think the issue can be altogether ignored. Of course if a horse just HAS to be in, like your mare with the tendon injury, it is pretty much a moot point -- she's got to stay stalled til it heals and let the colic chips fall where they may, so to speak.

Whereas, in comparison, in almost 35 years of riding horses, working in horse barns, training, teaching, dealing with *a whole big lot* of horses, I can think of exactly two (2) cases in which an abcess became a serious problem. And in one case, the abcess was probably from stepping on a nail which is sort of a different thing. On the whole abcesses are harmless, just a big ol' pain in the neck. Er, foot. Whatever

Obviously you want to avoid 'em if all else is equal, but, you know.

Ok, sitting down and shutting up now

,

Pat​

 

[halo]

I always keep a few extra shoes around for just a case like this. I have a few broodmares that will get sore if trimmed too close. I duct tape a shoe on BACKWARDS (yes, backwards) and they will generally be sound. If they are trimmed too short, the coffin bone gets sore from close contact to the ground. The backward shoe keeps the toe open and keeps contact off of the coffin bone until the foot gets some growth on it.

 

[Meesh]

No need to sit down and shut up.

It's just a discussion about horses (possibly the most interesting topic in the world).

I, unfortunately, lost a horse, my heart, and a huge amount of $$$$ to an abscess and subsequent osteomyelitis - so abscesses are never just a simple matter to me. My vet has told me that any abscess (even bruised soles) can become complicated, though most do not. Not to worry the OP, the one I lost my mare to was from a puncture, so it's different. However, because I have a lot of stuff about it on my site, I hear from alot of folks trying to treat puncture wounds, osteomyelitis, etc. That's why I personally would take great care to protect the coffin bone and underlying structures until the hoof had grown back enough to do it's job and protect itself. I am just super careful about hoof injuries, even though my horses live outside, too.

Off to drive mom to Pagosa Springs, guess I will be sitting down and shutting up, after all.

Have a nice day, Pat.

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[UnttouchableRose]

I didn't go through and read all of the posts but wanted to comment on a few things I saw.

First off a quality farrier should have told you that they possibly trimmed a hoof to short, or to expect some sort of lameness.

Second, I wonder if angles were not changed signifcantly or a large amount of length taken off. That is a good reason for a horse to be lame after a farrier has left.

As others have mentioned Laminitis/Founder would be a concern to me if lame on all fours. If this is case I would see veterinary help.

Keep in mind if you are going to use bute to control the pain (if it is just a trimming issue you should not use this for a long term pain relief and I would never consistently give 2 grams to a horse daily.) 2 grams the first day and 1 gram the next 3-4 days. Bute is a wonderful thing sometimes but if I have the option I will always use BL Solution before Bute. It's an all natural product that works just as well.

We use baby diapers to cover feet with duct tape works nicely I have also just packed a hoof vet wrapped it and the lined it with duct tape it will last nicely and help toughen the hoof. I had a mare that had chronic abscesses for years and this was standard procedure for her, until a farrier was able to correct her angle problems which took 2 years total to do.

As for stall rest it has it's ups and downs. I have a mare that just came off a month of stall rest due to a fractured stifle. She was perfectly sane until then and now is a total basket case. Stall rest has it's times and places.

As for colicing on stall rest, without being too indepth there is a wide variety of causes of colic. Stall Rest/Sudden change can lead to colic but if horse is cared for and stress is kept minimal in the change colic is much less likely to occur. I have extensive experience in colic's and reasons (unfortunately) and have seen some extremely bizzare things cause horses to colic.

 

[ibpboo]

I just talked to the head guy again, and he said that the guy said there was nothing unusual about her feet, no abscess or anything, and he is sending some one out to have a look at how she walks and see the trim. At least I will be getting a second opinion here. This is a very good place and any time I have had problems with a horse they come immediately. I recently had a horse go lame due to navicular, so this has me very freaked. It was so horrible to watch my other horse be in so much pain, not be able to walk. So I may still be traumatized from that experience. That horse was only 11 years, and I found a lady with 40 acres and she took him for me.

 

[Scrambled Egg]

So sorry, sounds painful

 

[sweetshoplady]

Only thing I will say is about being confined in a stall. Simon, my TB, began his racing career as a 2 yr old. I claimed him at 4 and raced him. He lived in a stall basically 23 hours a day. Most racehorses do.

He did not "adjust" to stall time. He stall walked - walked in circles in his stall and even did those dressage things where they go around on ther hind legs in a circle and pivot around in his stall - trying to run in his stall. He, I believe, is claustrophobic. When I moved home to Florida and boarded him he still stall walked. They thought he was crazy - and were afraid to have me ride my horse on their land.

I shipped him to another farm where he could get more turn-out time. We let him be out in the pasture and run around. Then put him in at dark for his feed and to be turned out in the morning. He broke out of his stall, tore up his leg from ankle to knee and his neck because he wanted to be out in the pasture - they woke at 4 am to the thundering of horses hooves. They called the vet who came promptly. He did heal up fine and is great and I never took him back to the track, where he had no heart to be anyway.

If I put him in a stall today, he would stall walk. He's now turned out all the time. He likes running around in the rain. It's fun to get as dirty as you possibly can. Let's your mom know how you'd look as a paint, rather than as a white and gray horse.

I hope that all it is a too short of a trim and not anything more serious. I hate it when one of my animals is sore.

Patandchickens, I always learn so much from your posts.

Meesh I agree - most interesting topic in the world. That and of course chickens!