The Farrier quicked my horse! Quick update...opinions please

[TheUpNorthCowgirl]

I have a speed show to run on Friday and my regular farrier coudln't get to my house to trim my horses until the week after. (he lives 3 hours away) Well my mare Dusty desperately needed her feet trimmed so I took her to a new farrier in the area. He gave me referances, I called them. All sounded good. He gave me his credentials, where he went to school, places he's worked. All cool.

I took her to his place, he trimmed her. I put her back in the trailer and took her home. I get her out of the trailer and she is lame! She is tip-toeing on her back feet and she's taking very short choppy strides with her fronts. Please tell me a quicked horse can be fine in 5 days?

I gave her some bute last night and I took her out and made her stand in the pond (it has a soft bottom) She's really lame on dirt or gravel but seems to be moving normally on grass and sand.

I feel aweful for taking my horse to this guy cause now she hurts! And I've spent $100 on entry fees for this show! *Blah!* What did I to to my poor horse!?

[RhettsMom]

Arghhhh. My friend did me a "favor" last May by getting my boys feet trimmed for me. He was lame all freaking summer!!!

I dont know if she will be better in 5 days or not. But. I will tell you to keep and eye on her for abscess now. Rhett abscessed shortly after his ""trim"" Dirt got up there and he graveled out. Had a three legged lame horse from June through Sept as I chased the nasty infection around his hoof.

[gbarmranch]

Get some Icthomal (spelling?), put on some gloves, smear the nasty stuff on a piece of guaze, place on bottom of hoofs, secure with duct tape and vet wrap - won't "cure" it completely, but it will help and may prevent an abcess - but be warned - if it gets on your clothes it is there for ever!!!

[JJCC]

is your horse barefoot or shod?? the only way to *quick* a horse is with a nail driven too deep at a bad angle. just because a farrier quicks a horse does not mean they are a bad farrier (unless this is a regular thing, then maybe you should consider switching) any farrier that tells you they have never quicked a horse while shoeing either hasnt been doing it for that long or is lying, just like any rider that tries to tell you that they have never ever come off. A quicked nail is quite obvious when it happens, the horse usually jumps as the nail goes in, the nail should be removed immediately, and iodine or peroxide put in the nail hole. *CLOSE* nails (not quite quicked) are harder to diagnose as they can cause lameness one hour after being shod or one or two days later after being shod. Close nails should be treated same as quicked ones, removed, and the hole treated with iodine or peroxide. Removing these nails will often give IMMEDIATE relief of the lameness.

NOW if your horse isn't shod, and is just barefoot, then what happened was that she was trimmed too short. again, this is something that can happen to even the best of farriers from time to time. To avoid situations like this it is best to stick with your regular farrier and plan ahead so that trims/resets fall in line with your show schedule.

depending on HOW short she was trimmed, 5 days may or may not be enough time for her to recover. it USUALLY is. i would recommend keeping her on the softest footing possible and using peroxide or coppertox at least 2x a day on the sore foot/feet which will help to harden the soles.

hope that helped

[taelesean]

I'd keep her out of the pond, that will soften her feet - you want them hard. You can give her some releif by hosing them, and letting her stay on grass and sand.

I'd go along with the coppertox or peroxide.

A close nail is sometimes called a hot nail.

Also, its not uncommon for a horse to be ouchy after they are trimmed by a new farrier, even if he does a good and proper job. The new guy will do things just a little bit diferent, and he won't know your horse and her quirks.

[tuffsmom]

Tuff got hotnails in his hoof by the last farrier that did his feet. I had to soak his feet for 5 days in epson salts. Both of his hooves were so hot. You would not believe it.

I just got him back. He was stall bound for 6 weeks. The vet did not want him stomping his feet and doing any more damage. The hoof wall peeled off where the nails were. Tuff's hooves were in terrible condition. After 3 weeks, I could put him out for an hour a night.

[EquineAlberta]

If she is sore from being trimmed too short, then you could also try venice turpentine on the soles to toughen them up. Using Cornucrecine on the coronet band may also help the hooves grow back faster.

Karen2

[cowgirlmommy]

I am so very sorry for your horse and so sorry for you and the event you most likely will miss now. I am sorry to say dear, but, I personally do not think 5 days is enough time to grow out but with some of these remedies the other members have said, you may help your horse stay comfortable. And also get better a bit quicker. Take care and let us know how you guys are doing .

[TheUpNorthCowgirl]

I have called and talked to antoher farrier this afternoon and he is coming out in the morning tomorrow to look at Dusty. He says by the sounds of things, he is going to put pads and shoes on all 4 of Dusty's feet to get her soles up off the ground. He said with shoes and pads she should be sound for the competition on Friday, and the padding will help her feet even after the competition.

Question... is this a safe thing to do to my horse? What is a fair price for pads and shoes? Anyone ever have their horse padded and shod? What can I expect? I won't run my horse if she appears even the least bit sore or uncomfortable.

[tuffsmom]

If there going to be enough hoof wall to attach the shoe. I had to wait for the hoof wall to grow out. He might be able to do the glue on shoe with pads. I did get to avoid this process for my horse.

[doyle82]

IMO I would go back to my original farrier and see what he has to say about it or maybe even the vet.
How awful would you feel if this other farrier comes out and puts shoes on her and she gets worse?
Sometimes we cause more harm than good by trying to get them seen right away instead of waiting for their "regular" farrier or vet to be able to check them out.

[cowgirlmommy]

IMO,I would be very worried about the discomfort level of Dusty. Just because they put pads and shoes on her, is NOT a guaratee at all that she will be comfortable. If she is as bad as you say, I can not see how she wil be able to go to the event, even with pads and shoes. And here in BC where I am, a trim,and shoes alone cost me $90. So I am not sure with pads. I agree with the others,you might want to wait for your regular farrier as they know your horse and you know the farrier! We have to remember when we may have cut our finger nails too short or had one rip off(to the quick) and how uncomfortable and almost painful it is. So we can only try to imagine the discomfort of a horse with her hoofs cut too short(to the quick) and still having to walk and run on it(them). It would have to be painful. But I will definitely pray for you and Dusty that if that is the route you choose to take getting her shoed and padded, that it works well for you both and that Dusty has no pain or little pain! Good luck! And let us know how the other farrier makes out in the morning.Take care!