Help - 2 Question- hooves growing quickly, and a wound

JoAnn1978 · 04-30-2006, 08:49 AM

Of course this had to happen on the worst possible week for me, money wise. I showed up at the barn yesterday and brought Jim in. I didn't hear the familiar clippity clop on the cement aisle. I look down, and Jim has pulled BOTH of his shoes. His feet are very long. Now, I inspect them every time I'm there and they were NOT long last week. Is it possible that some horses feet can grow that quickly, and if so- what do you think the possibilities of going barefoot with him are?

Now- to make matters worse, he must have just been kicked before I got there also. There's this awful mare in the pasture with him that beats him up all the time (she beats ALL of the horses up pretty badly), and she must have nailed him right in front of his elbow. The wound is about an inch wide, and 1/2 inch thick. There was no mud or dirt in it. I hosed it for about 10 minutes (to clean it and help with swelling- which there was none at that time). I then sprayed it with this purple wound spray, and then packed corona over it. I asked that he be stalled for the next couple of days so that he doesn't get any debris in it-- or kicked again.

Now- I'm very worried. I'm afraid I didn't do enough. The barn manager said that he didn't think that the cut needed sutures, and that he would keep an eye on him in the stall. Do you think I should call the vet to come out?? Is there something more that I should be doing?

joustinggirl · 04-30-2006, 08:53 AM

It seems to me that they do grow faster in the spring and summer. I usually have to get mine done every 4-6 weeks in the summer and every 6-8 weeks in the winter. And some horses do grow faster than others. My solid mare takes forever to grow hoof. (mane and tail, too)

Range · 04-30-2006, 09:41 AM

I've noticed faster hoof growth in the Spring, especially after it rains!

As far as the wound goes, after a short time, sutures cannot be put in. So, with you not knowing when it happened, it's probably going to be fine. I would continue to cold hose it since that seems to have been the best remedy for all my horses' boo boos. Since I only stall my horses to eat, someone else can maybe tell you if that's appropriate. I would think it would be okay to let him out.....

Faceman · 04-30-2006, 10:16 AM

If he is on pasture, the spring plant shoots are very high in protein - and that's what they like best. They'll pass on the long stuff to eat those teeny tiny shoots...

Most pastured horses' hooves grow very fast in the early springs.

Candy · 04-30-2006, 10:33 AM

The hooves growing fast is natural this time of year. As for the cut, I wouldn't worry a bit. You done a very good thing cleaning it out when you found it and packing it. If you are there every day I would clean it as much as you can, as far as every day. I've found scrubbing it with gentle iodine helps really good too. Also I would try to let him get some exercise in that leg as well to keep it from swelling as much. Good luck.

mellowdane · 04-30-2006, 11:43 AM

Yep.. I agree with everybody.. you did everything just fine. I know my guys get all banged up once in a while. Just last week my filly sent her sell bum over teakettle at some point, had a nice gash on the inside of her hock and both her back legs were swollen. Washed it out, hosed her legs down a couple times a day, two days and she was just fine. Just use common sense, if it doesn't improve in a reasonable amount of time, call the vet. Basic wound care goes a long way though.

As for the feet.. I totally hear ya. Our guys are barefoot all the time. In the winter, 6-8 weeks.. not a big deal. All the sudden their feet started growing like CRAZY. We had a tentative appt at 4 weeks then we ran a week over. 5 weeks and our horses looked like they hadn't been done in forever! Mainly it was my gelding, his feet were crazy horrible long. My hoof guy was like.. WHOA.. major growth. So now we are a definate 4 weeks until this growth moderates itself a bit..haha. But at least all of our horses have really good solid feet from being barefoot and didnt have any chips, cracks or soreness. Mainly just dragging toes and looking horrible

Good luck... you are taking fine care of Jim

Melisa

Seanachie · 04-30-2006, 03:23 PM

Hoof cells are just specialized hair cells and they both compete for proteins and nutrients. When the horses stop producing winter hair, those nutrients all go to the hoof cells. Add that to the fact that springtime means lots of nutrients are available from new grass and you have a definite recipe for hoof growth.

Sounds like you did fine on the wound too.

Good luck.

JoAnn1978 · 05-01-2006, 07:36 AM

Thanks guys. I was (and still am) so worried!!

His feet look awful. They're the longest I've ever seen them, and it seems like it just happened in one week. Although, I did happen to notice yesterday that his mane appears to be thicker and stronger, too. They've started him on one hour of grass a day, and we've had a lot of moisture recently. So perhaps that's contributing.

As for the wound- I went up yesterday and the swelling was minimal. I cleaned it with betadyne, sprayed it with blue kote, and then packed it with corona again. It was starting to look like it was healing a bit- it was dried out, no discoloration (aside from the stain from the blue kote!) and the edges were scabbing.

I asked that he's kept stalled until at least today to ensure that no gunk gets in there. I'm worried b/c I work and live so far away that I can rarely get there during the week. I've asked them to take care of it for me- I highly doubt they will so I'm going to have to drive up there even if it's pitch black.

I did free lunge him in the arena for a little while yesterday, nothing too strenuous. At a trot he appeared to have a slight hop to his gait, but I'm not sure if that's just because his feet are so long in the front that he really has to pick them up to move. I just wanted to make sure that he was getting some circulation through that leg since he's being kept in the stall right now.

Are there any subtle signs that I should look for that would indicate that I should call the vet (aside from pussing, swelling, heat in the leg, etc...)?

04-30-2006, 08:49 AM
JoAnn1978 Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 395	Help - 2 Question- hooves growing quickly, and a wound Of course this had to happen on the worst possible week for me, money wise. I showed up at the barn yesterday and brought Jim in. I didn't hear the familiar clippity clop on the cement aisle. I look down, and Jim has pulled BOTH of his shoes. His feet are very long. Now, I inspect them every time I'm there and they were NOT long last week. Is it possible that some horses feet can grow that quickly, and if so- what do you think the possibilities of going barefoot with him are? Now- to make matters worse, he must have just been kicked before I got there also. There's this awful mare in the pasture with him that beats him up all the time (she beats ALL of the horses up pretty badly), and she must have nailed him right in front of his elbow. The wound is about an inch wide, and 1/2 inch thick. There was no mud or dirt in it. I hosed it for about 10 minutes (to clean it and help with swelling- which there was none at that time). I then sprayed it with this purple wound spray, and then packed corona over it. I asked that he be stalled for the next couple of days so that he doesn't get any debris in it-- or kicked again. Now- I'm very worried. I'm afraid I didn't do enough. The barn manager said that he didn't think that the cut needed sutures, and that he would keep an eye on him in the stall. Do you think I should call the vet to come out?? Is there something more that I should be doing?

04-30-2006, 08:53 AM
joustinggirl Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boones Mill, Virgina Posts: 3,811	It seems to me that they do grow faster in the spring and summer. I usually have to get mine done every 4-6 weeks in the summer and every 6-8 weeks in the winter. And some horses do grow faster than others. My solid mare takes forever to grow hoof. (mane and tail, too) __________________ Pink Tiger says 'Grrrrrr'

04-30-2006, 09:41 AM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,955	hooves I've noticed faster hoof growth in the Spring, especially after it rains! As far as the wound goes, after a short time, sutures cannot be put in. So, with you not knowing when it happened, it's probably going to be fine. I would continue to cold hose it since that seems to have been the best remedy for all my horses' boo boos. Since I only stall my horses to eat, someone else can maybe tell you if that's appropriate. I would think it would be okay to let him out..... __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery www.goatsandsoaps.com for all your Boer goat and bath soap needs.

04-30-2006, 10:16 AM
Faceman Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Arkansas Ozarks Posts: 7,421	If he is on pasture, the spring plant shoots are very high in protein - and that's what they like best. They'll pass on the long stuff to eat those teeny tiny shoots... Most pastured horses' hooves grow very fast in the early springs.

04-30-2006, 10:33 AM
Candy Halter broke Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 78	The hooves growing fast is natural this time of year. As for the cut, I wouldn't worry a bit. You done a very good thing cleaning it out when you found it and packing it. If you are there every day I would clean it as much as you can, as far as every day. I've found scrubbing it with gentle iodine helps really good too. Also I would try to let him get some exercise in that leg as well to keep it from swelling as much. Good luck. __________________ Ride Quickly and win. Hesitate and Lose

04-30-2006, 11:43 AM
mellowdane Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bainbridge Island, WA Posts: 1,098	Yep.. I agree with everybody.. you did everything just fine. I know my guys get all banged up once in a while. Just last week my filly sent her sell bum over teakettle at some point, had a nice gash on the inside of her hock and both her back legs were swollen. Washed it out, hosed her legs down a couple times a day, two days and she was just fine. Just use common sense, if it doesn't improve in a reasonable amount of time, call the vet. Basic wound care goes a long way though. As for the feet.. I totally hear ya. Our guys are barefoot all the time. In the winter, 6-8 weeks.. not a big deal. All the sudden their feet started growing like CRAZY. We had a tentative appt at 4 weeks then we ran a week over. 5 weeks and our horses looked like they hadn't been done in forever! Mainly it was my gelding, his feet were crazy horrible long. My hoof guy was like.. WHOA.. major growth. So now we are a definate 4 weeks until this growth moderates itself a bit..haha. But at least all of our horses have really good solid feet from being barefoot and didnt have any chips, cracks or soreness. Mainly just dragging toes and looking horrible Good luck... you are taking fine care of Jim Melisa __________________ Has is occurred to you that there's a certain inefficiency in questioning me on things you've already made up your mind about? - Spock

04-30-2006, 03:23 PM
Seanachie Greenbroke Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,237	Hoof cells are just specialized hair cells and they both compete for proteins and nutrients. When the horses stop producing winter hair, those nutrients all go to the hoof cells. Add that to the fact that springtime means lots of nutrients are available from new grass and you have a definite recipe for hoof growth. Sounds like you did fine on the wound too. Good luck. __________________ Seánachie "I'll keep my guns, my religion, and my money - you can keep the change."

05-01-2006, 07:36 AM
JoAnn1978 Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 395	Thanks guys. I was (and still am) so worried!! His feet look awful. They're the longest I've ever seen them, and it seems like it just happened in one week. Although, I did happen to notice yesterday that his mane appears to be thicker and stronger, too. They've started him on one hour of grass a day, and we've had a lot of moisture recently. So perhaps that's contributing. As for the wound- I went up yesterday and the swelling was minimal. I cleaned it with betadyne, sprayed it with blue kote, and then packed it with corona again. It was starting to look like it was healing a bit- it was dried out, no discoloration (aside from the stain from the blue kote!) and the edges were scabbing. I asked that he's kept stalled until at least today to ensure that no gunk gets in there. I'm worried b/c I work and live so far away that I can rarely get there during the week. I've asked them to take care of it for me- I highly doubt they will so I'm going to have to drive up there even if it's pitch black. I did free lunge him in the arena for a little while yesterday, nothing too strenuous. At a trot he appeared to have a slight hop to his gait, but I'm not sure if that's just because his feet are so long in the front that he really has to pick them up to move. I just wanted to make sure that he was getting some circulation through that leg since he's being kept in the stall right now. Are there any subtle signs that I should look for that would indicate that I should call the vet (aside from pussing, swelling, heat in the leg, etc...)?