Crystal's Experience
by Crystal
7. Your horse begins to go very lame over a few days. He is lying down and obviously in pain. You suspect an abscess in the foot because there is some generalised swelling and heat in one leg and the foot, but no sign of injury. Your hoof trimmer agrees.
Do You:
a) Treat with herbs or homeopathically for the pain and leave the foot alone until the abscess bursts out itself.
b) Get your hoof trimmer to have a scrape and see if he/she can find a likely crack, then poultice the foot.
c) C all the Vet out to give him antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs as well as cut a good part of his sole away. You fill in the hole afterwards with some kind of hoof repair resin, bandage it all up and keep him in for a few weeks.
This question is close to me. I am dealing with this right now. My horse has some days of sound and some days of lame. He is barefoot... vet wants shoes and an Xray. I take it day by day. On the days he's off we play games. Days he's on I ride him Dressage long and low.
I feel sometimes like an outcast at the stables because of my natural horsemanship. My horse is much much happier now and looks forward to work. He started to turn mean a few years ago, biting and kicking at me. Now he is the sweetest thing. I feel like we have turned a good corner and cannot wait for the years to come.
Once I figure out this lameness issue we will return to the show ring. Dressage Training level here we come!
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