Taylor Adams' Young Riders Blog

Hello and welcome to the Young Riders' Blog. I am taking excerpts from my book and publishing them here for all to enjoy. I hope that you will also enjoy my photo albums and the excellent photography of my sister (links are listed to your left). Ride well...and ride safely.

- Taylor Paige Adams

A puncture wound can be a simple matter but needs careful cleaning to prevent a life-threatening, career ending, injury. A puncture wound in the hoof is when a sharp object, usually a nail, pierces the sole or frog of a horse. If this occurs doing shoeing, the nail will usually not hit any internal structures, but if a horse steps down on one when in the pasture or on a trail, it could become lodged in an important internal structure.

If you find a nail or sharp object lodged in the hoof wall or a hole where one might have been, call your vet. Do not attempt to remove the object because doing so may further damage internal structures and allow more bacteria into the hoof. Once your vet arrives, they will probably want to take x-rays to determine where the nail entered.

If no internal structures were injured, the nail is removed, your horse will get a tetanus shot (unless he is already up to date), will be put on antibiotics, and will need to have his hoof cleaned daily according to your vet’s instructions. Puncture wounds do not occur very often, but knowing what to do when they occur can make the difference between having a healthy horse and having one who is permanently lame.

A farrier will verify the existence of the abscess by using a hoof tester. This will put pressure on specific points of the hoof and allow them to identify the exact location of the abscess.

Usually an abscess will “blow” within a couple of days; this can often be sped up by soaking the foot. The foot is soaked in a solution of Epsom Salt and water for around 20 minutes every day and can help draw the infection out of the foot.

If the horse shows no improvement after several days, a farrier might want to open a small hole where the pain is. This helps the hoof drain faster but the area must be kept very clean to prevent further problems. Sometimes, your vet may need to prescribe antibiotics if the condition does not improve on its own.

The Normal Hoof
What does a healthy hoof look like? A healthy hoof has a smooth, hard, slightly shiny surface known as the periople. The edge of the hoof is smooth with no large pieces missing or cracks. The sole of the hoof is relatively smooth and the frog is firm and slightly springy to the touch. The frog is shaped like a triangle and in the middle, there is a small dimple. A horse can be sound and happy even if their feet do not match this description. Each horse’s hoof is unique, and what works well for one horse might not work for another. It is the job of the farrier to recognize what is and what is not normal for each horse.

Hoof Injury
“Lame” is when a horse is experiencing pain in its leg or foot which causes the horse to limp when it moves. This limp can be very minor, such as a slight misstep every few strides, or so severe that the horse in unable to put any weight on the foot. The presence of lameness should be reported to an experienced horseperson, who may be able to assess the problem simply by watching how the horse moves or walks.

Common reasons for lameness include:
Stone Bruise- A stone bruise is the result of a direct blow to the foot or an improperly fitting shoe. A stone bruise can occur if a horse steps on a large rock or if they smack into a fallen tree. Although not as common, a stone bruise can also occur if your horse has been wearing the same shoes for too long and the foot tries to grow around it, or if the original shoe was too small for the foot. In many cases, you might not notice a stone bruise until several weeks or even months later. The bruise will be a red-purple or a dark gray. By the time the bruise is visible, the hoof has often healed and the horse is no longer in pain. A stone bruise might make a horse slightly sore for a few days but many horses never show any pain.

Abscess - If your horse is fine one morning and is 3-legged lame the next, there is a possibility that it could be an abscess. Other signs of an abscess are heat in the hoof wall, a strong pulse in the fetlock, or even a small hole in the cornet band if the abscess has already drained. An abscess forms very quickly when a piece of foreign matter enters the foot via the sensitive tissue above a horse’s sole; the horse is often very uncomfortable until the pressure is released. An infection forms around the piece of foreign matter and pressure begins to build up from swelling and walled-in drainage. The pressure will try to escape by following the path of least resistance. The abscess will usually break through the cornet band after it travels up the inside of the hoof wall. Abscesses can also form when a sharp object pierces the bottom of the foot.

An old expression says “no hoof, no horse”, and it is true. The hoof allows a horse to travel long distances, and a healthy foot has a built-in shoe. The hoof surrounds the sensitive foot with a thick wall, sole, and frog, which protects the inner foot from damage. Horses in the wild do not have metal horseshoes nor do they have their feet trimmed every 6 weeks. They do not need regular care because they travel 20-25 miles every day on rough terrain, which wears down their feet. The average stabled horse does not travel nearly as far and needs trimming to keep their feet strong and healthy.

Farriers are professionals who help a horse’s hoof function to the best of its ability. To do this, they trim the hoof every 6-8 weeks; some horses may need trimming more frequently during the summer or if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. If a horse is worked over hard surfaces or has sensitive feet, he might benefit from shoes.

How do you know if your farrier is doing a good job with your horse’s feet? Signs of a good job are
a: when he is through, the clinches are smooth and even
b: the shoe was made to fit the foot, not the foot made to fit the shoe
c: the frog gently touches the ground when walking on soft ground
d: the periople was not rasped more than necessary, and
e: the angle of the hoof matches the angle of the pastern.
Signs of a bad job are a shoe that is too small, or a toe that was rasped off to fit the shoe, a frog has been cut so that it does not touch the ground on soft surfaces, the angle of the hoof does not match the angle of the pastern, and the clinches are rough or uneven.

If your farrier does a poor job even after you have expressed your concerns, find a new farrier. A bad farrier can cause internal hoof problems, which can lead lameness. No matter how talented your farrier is he should never be rough with your horse. If your horse nips, the farrier should reprimand him, but if he smacks or yells at your horse for no obvious reason, you have the right to ask for an explanation for the rough behavior. If he or she cannot give you a good answer or becomes defensive, it is probably time to move on.