QUESTION: hope someone can answer this. On Sept 21 I had my OT TB trimmed. He was trimmed way to short (even farrier said so the next day). He has been sore ever since. At first he was holding up his back legs one at a time and was hardly able to walk. yesterday i turned him out as usual and when i brought him in he is 3 legging it. I had farrier back out last night and he said he thinks a stone bruise. i was hoping someone could tell me differences in stone bruise and abcess. how would i tell the difference. and would you treat either any different. i keep this horse barefoot and have for the years i have owned him. he has not been ridden all summer so i know that is not the problem. i don't feel a lot of heat in the hoof or leg. he is standing with the hoof held up or with the toe down on the ground - mostly held up. farrier said he is sore in about a 50 cent piece size on the bottom of his foot. it is about an inch in front of the heel - on the outside edge. my farrier is an older amish gentleman - with no formal training ( just a whole lot of experience) and i have no intention of changing. i just want a second opinion. i really don't want this to become an abcess and bust out at the top. i have the horse locked in his stall and i was going to get a davis boot or something similar to maybe help with the soreness. i have given several doses of bute.thanks



Answer: You won't know, for absolutely sure, if its an abscess until it erupts. Either throught the sole or the coronary band. Bruises don't necessary always turn into abscesses. I agree with the 4 week trimming. 5 weeks at the longest. At 6 weeks the hooves are losing all their balance unless they are always on firm, hard, dry ground and are "self-trimming". Doesn't sound like that's the case, however. Movement, plenty of movement, is the key to speeding up recovery of hooves. Movement on firm ground where the hoof is going to get the maximum stimulation for circulation. That circulation is the key to the recovery. If the horse is merely standing around a wee area, such as stall or small paddock, the circulation of the blood in the hooves and lower limbs is not peak therefore the hooves are not getting the maximum amount of O2 and nutritients that they need regardless of the feed you're feeding. It just ain't gettin' there to the hooves if the horse is just standing around. Movement will also stimulate the hoof to expel and abscess quickly if there is one brewing. So, I agree with your husband ... turn him out in the herd. Spread their hay all over the place and let the herd move this horse around. The more movement the better. Also, one more thing. You said the farrier cut him much to short. Short, how? In the sole? Did he bring the toe back too far? the heels down too far? What is short in this regard? --Gwen