Please share best practices/ tips and tricks for healing a chronic rundown injury. We are getting a retired racehorse this wknd whose career has been cut short due to recurring rundown RF, have not even seen it (he was wrapped when we looked at him) so I don’t know the severity of it and have never dealt with such myself. I appreciate the advice !
A rundown injury is like a skin abrasion, and not normally deep. The ergot may be damaged, or worn/torn off. The abrasion happens because the underneath of the ankle joint/ergot bends down far enough to touch/hit the ground in a race. If a horse has another soundness issue, this can make it worse, load harder onto that leg, thus causing the damage. Different track conditions can also be a factor. Usually just some antibiotic cream of your choice, and enough bandage to hold that in place will be all you need, just like you would do for any other superficial cut/scrape. It will heal, in time. Check for related issues that may have contributed to the run down abrasion that you see.
