Hi, everyone -
Due to work it’s been a long time since I’ve been on here.
Appreciate thoughts in advance!
Living in NE Florida for work - originally from NY. Have retired 21 yo 16.3 TB that I did some work with after his retirement. But he has kissing spine, because of my work contracts and moves etc I couldn’t keep a consistent schedule. So he’s been mostly retired the past few years. Haven’t ridden him in over 2 years.
His feet are a constant issue. Brought him down here about 4 years ago. Had shoes on front. Been barefoot on and off the past couple of years. 18 months ago moved him from a big stable with crappy wet pastures and wacko owners where they insisted on leaving him when field was under water - to current small barn with great care and much better pastures - with always a dry spot to stand. And he’s smart about the water - avoids it. But it is still Florida.
Have decided to send him back to NYS - where his feet used to be better, although never perfect. Out of the FL heat. Going to a BFF’s farm and nearer to good vets.
Also has a 5 year old RF injury from catching himself in the pasture, slicing across the top of his hoof, with resulting inconsistent growth on the inside 1/4 of his hoof.
Considering all of the above, he has usually been about 95% sound to run and play and happily graze.
He is on a biotin supplement, taking Prascend for Cushings diagnosed down here (every time he grew in a winter coat “it’s Cushings!” but yes, the tests came back positive). He’s in good weight, no digestive issues. Nothing else that suggests any medical problems.
Abhors flies so constantly wearing fly sheet and fly boots, but let ONE land and he’ll stomp like crazy.
Last summer, before the Cushings diagnosis, thought I might try injections as he would be a smidgen off going to the left, and otherwise was in good shape. And maybe? we could try some riding again? Had never done injections before, ever.
He had SI injections and back hock.
Within a month, he was 3 legged lame. Did turn out to be a significant RF abscess, vet was perplexed, only confirmed by the farrier, and took some time to finally pop in front of the BO who did a great job of getting it addressed.
(For the 14 years I’ve had him, he had maybe 3 abscesses back in NY, 2 of which were never apparent until they blew. The 3rd he was lame for a few hours and then it blew. )
Abscess healed eventually. Have kept shoes off - he had fronts on, lost one during all of this, had other pulled off, tearing holes by another when done incorrectly…
This week farrier says he saw a slight head bob and could still get a reaction when hoof testing, Flew up to the barn when I saw his text a few hours after. No limp that I could find. His frog had been sloughing off and was finally gone. He’s fine this week running in the pasture, not toe pointing, no easily discernible limp. Farrier thought maybe I should get x-rays to rule out a chip or something floating in that hoof. (Had x-rays last year before the injections and nothing there.)
Finally, the most consistently maddening thing is his hoof walls. The farrier can trim, and within days horse will have stomped off a piece of a wall on the side of one of his feet - maybe 2 inches in length. With the rest being fine. Just trimmed again, all was good. Now LR hoof wall broken on the outside in less than 4 days.
Farrier finding positive hoof test has us thinking maybe another abscess brewing.
I am going to begin going back up every night (instead of 2-3 times a week) and applying Durasole on his walls. He’s in his stall at night.
Questions:
- But when thinking about any abscess brewing again, should I be soaking in Epsom salts? We’re trying to keep him out of the water in the pasture for his hoof walls.
- Does Cushings or Prascend have any complications that create more abscesses? I’m thinking it’s more the Florida wet, Although NYS can certainly be muddy. But his feet, although not perfect, were definitely better up there. Plus the farriers I’ve had here confirm the issues with Florida and feet.
- Worried about the trip - best way for him to travel. He’s very narrow framed. Am fine with either cross tied and he has a stall option. Best for leg relief? I picture possibly more secure in the straight stall, but for a trip over 12 hours or? moving around might have him more comfortable?
Thanks so much for any advice.
I will miss him greatly, but think he’ll be much happier in the pastures in NY, great hay, cooler temps, good vets, under the care of BFF and her daughter.
