Advice for really bad abscess hole?

[S_Shea]

Hi all, looking to see if anyone has a similar experience or advice to share with my mares nasty abscess hole.
If it wasn’t so large, or in a different place I wouldn’t be concerned, but of course it is both of those things

Abscess happened roughly a month ago, was a doozy of an abscess-about two weeks before it broke, thankfully no internal structures involved vet confirmed, but VERY painful and drawn out.
My girl has no history of abscesses, and I’ve had her since she was a weaning so can attest to that.
She’s currently sound on absolutely all surfaces, and is in moderate to heavy work with no trouble.

BUT….

Will include pictures, or attempt to if I can figure it out lol
Hole is about two and a half inches long, and right across her heel and hind quarter

I’m concerned it’s going to break off and cause longer term issues. (And of course discomfort for the princess) It appears to have started separating and naturally I’m sure will start to chip off, farrier tells me there isn’t much to prevent that without putting a shoe on.

Anyone had a crack like this? Or thoughts on how to best manage it?
Partial to options that don’t involve a shoe, nothing against them but my girl has been quite happy barefoot Preformatted textso if it can be avoided that’s ideal

I AM aware of her funky angles up front, my original farrier retired and his replacement was not qualified in the slightest, thankfully have found a new one and are back on track, will include a back foot to confirm😉 and give a reference to her usual foot

[Simkie]

I would 100% cast that until it grew out enough to not be scary if (when) it breaks off.

[Marla_000]

I would not be working or riding her til that crack is grown down and gone.

[JB]

I wouldn’t hesitate to use shoes to get that grown out. The are of most pressure can be floated so the crack doesn’t blow out and take healthy hoof with it.

[Annie10]

Ditto what the others said and I would 100% put a shoe on it until it grows out or you are going to have one hell of a mess and wish you had

[Libby2563]

Ditto a shoe or cast. I am a little farther along on a similar issue from an abscess that blew out the coronary band at the end of Feb. A smaller crack than yours opened up in about the same place between trims. This is June 15 when the hoof wall tore from the crack all the way down to the ground and I had to nip and rasp it off:

A month later the medial wall is continuing to separate from the hoof and he is intermittently taking bad steps, especially on the gravel driveway. I feel bad for him and wish I had asked my farrier to give him some protection at the last trim. She doesn’t do glue-ons unfortunately, but if she had offered a cast that would have been good. I didn’t want to nail a shoe on because he got his first shoes for a few cycles in the fall and I think the abscess started when the nail holes grew down to the ground. I just finally ordered stuff to do glue-ons myself, so we’ll see if that helps.

[Bonnie2]

Personally, I would not put a shoe on. If she catches it and pulls it she is going to rip that whole chunk off. Casting is a good idea. Would be worth asking your vet about. I think my first choice would be to get the vet and farrier together and remove the damaged wall. A dremel works well for this. Then bandage/cast/shoe for best support and protection. Left in place, the loose chunk of hoof is likely to be a continuing problem. That was some abscess! Sorry for your bad luck!

[JB]

Nails shouldn’t be back where this crack is, so if a shoe does get pulled, it shouldn’t be pulling any more wall off than “normal”

If you go with casting, make SURE the farrier does due diligence to keep anaerobic bacteria from setting up house in that crack

[Kirikou]

Another vote for shoes in this instance (this doesn’t have to be a “pony will wear shoes forever” deal - just until the crack has grown out) - along with bell boots if a bit “rumbunctious” in turnout/work.