Help! Mare will not soak hoof

[Sparrowette]

my mare hurt her hoof, got a piece of shavings stick stuck in her hoof. Vet was out. Thank Jingles, I was afraid it was a nail, but no. Just a stick, but it went in to get a little blood and there was a small amount of drainage.

Mare will not get her feet wet. Knocked over the little tub of epsom salts 3 times then vet gave up and cleaned and wrapped as well as could. I need a good hoof soaker boot quick that is easy for my old bones to get on her, and will fool her about the water. Any ideas???

I have Tractor supply available, and things with 1 day shipping from amazon are also in play.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

I would go with a Davis boot - available on Amazon - search for Davis Hoof Boot. They do come in sizes - better too large if getting on and off will be a challenge.

[JB]

Sugardine paste (sugar + betadine), or Epsom salt paste (Epsom Salt, water), pack in the foot, wrap the foot. No real need to soak much of anything.

[Texarkana]

Davis boot all the way!

Tractor Supply in my area sells a red, hoof soaker bag, too. Don’t buy it. It is garbage.

[Marla_100]

I’ve had to be sneaky w/ young horses when they balk at soaking. Get a roll of heavy duty freezer bags like you store

food in. Double up and put one inside the other, and slip her hoof in, tie the top w/ bailing twine, have your soaking liquid prepared and

handy nearby, then slowly pour the solution into the bag, slowly. Helps if solution isn’t too cold. She may stomp a couple

times but it usually works.

[Sparrowette]

I wound up buying this:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E2DJ5KM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They didn’t have any Davis boots in her size that had one-day shipping. These look the same, and have some good reviews, so went with them.

She needs to learn that water is not the enemy. She’ll barely stand still for a bath, but the boot is worth a try. If worse comes to worst, I’ll try the poultice.

Thanks for the help! I really appreciate it.

[JB]

A poultice is just going to do its job longer. If you’re going to pack and wrap the foot afterwards anyway, it just saves time and energy and materials to just pack with a good drawing poultice and keep everyone happier

That doesn’t mean you can’t also work on the water issue, I’d just prefer to spend the time working on the hosing and bath part, and not worry about keeping a foot in a bath.

[Sparrowette]

Marla, I’ll try that, too. Last night, she was balancing on 2 feet, and a ballet stance in the bucket. Third hoof was on her tip-toe, like she was a ballet dancer in her previous life! :lol:

Would not, would not, would NOT put her hoof flat. And vet had her drunk, too!

[2tempe]

Our vet gives us used IV bags. get hoof in there, duct tape and return in 30 minutes, or whatever.

[DinkyDonk]

Pack sole with Epsom salt paste, cover with large gauze pads or part of a diaper, etc., wrap hoof with duct tape, and have a nice day…

[Sparrowette]

JB, I’ve attempted training for water, but what happens, is the stubborn gal will walk through a water puddle only if I walk through there first, and prove to her that we won’t fall through to China!

[JB]

I just posted this in the “claustrophobic” thread, specifically about stall doorways and getting my horse to go quietly in and out, but replace “doorway” with “puddle”, and the same thing applies. I’ve done the puddle thing too. It just need to be wide enough (left to right from the horse’s perspective" that he can’t go around it. Ask and let him think, ask again if he deviates backwards or to the side or just disengages his brain, let him alone and thinking if he’s facing the puddle.

"I did that with my OTTB mare when we got the barn built. She would RUN into the stall, and RUN back out. I mean, OTTB, she had a LOT of in and out stall time!

I put a 12’ lead rope on, taught her basic “point and go that way”, and then we did that over and over with the stall. I stood on the outside for both in and out. I asked her once to come out, or go in, and as long as she was facing the right way and actively thinking about it, I ignored her. But if she backed up, or turned her head, I didn’t reprimand her, I just asked again.

It took a few days, of dozens of ins and outs, for her to start walking out reliably, even if it was still in a worried and hurried manner. A few more days and she was totally quiet about it, and it’s never been a problem since.

But the “point and shoot” needs to be solid before you add an obstacle to it, because whatever level of solid training you have for a given thing, expect some degree of training “loss” when you introduce something new."

[mmeqcenter]

@JB

Sugardine paste (sugar + betadine), or Epsom salt paste (Epsom Salt, water), pack in the foot, wrap the foot. No real need to soak much of anything.

Yep.
Sugardine pack is my best friend.

[jonem004]

Heavy duty dry bag (like to keep your gear dry when you’re kayaking). I put a couple of laps of duct tape around the pastern, loose enough to pour water through but tight enough to keep it in when it’s full. Pour a small amount of liquid in and let your horse get used to that before filling it. It’s attached to their hoof, so think about your horses temperament before attempting this.

[skrgirl]

You can put a slightly large davis boot on and fill it with hot epsom salt water and stick her in her stall. Some of it will slosh out but it does the job. This is how we do all of ours when needed. Saves the time of having to stand there with the horse.

[ecileh]

@Sparrowette

I wound up buying this:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E2DJ5KM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They didn’t have any Davis boots in her size that had one-day shipping. These look the same, and have some good reviews, so went with them.

She needs to learn that water is not the enemy. She’ll barely stand still for a bath, but the boot is worth a try. If worse comes to worst, I’ll try the poultice.

Thanks for the help! I really appreciate it.

Silly question but…do you have access to warm water when you bathe? My mare was an absolute dragon in the wash rack until I figured out that if I used warm water (even in the summer), she was much happier.

[GetSpotted]

I’ve used a memory foam type cheap bath mat. Just soak mat with epsom salt water and let her stand on it. I would reserve some of the mixture and “resoak” area where she’s standing a few times during the 20 min treatment.

[Sparrowette]

No, we don’t have hot water. Just what comes from the hose.

But the BO put in an actual restroom this year! No more porta-jons for us!

[RedHorses]

One of mine dislikes hose-cold water. I usually sponge him after I ride using water from a bucket that I filled and put out in the sun before starting the ride. It is still cool, but enough warmer that he can handle it.

When I do use the hose I use one of the less water, driving must/spray settings.

[specifiedcupcake]

When you’re out of “acute injury” days, spending some time teaching her to stand for a soak will make the next inevitable incident so much nicer. Everyone compliments how well my horse stands for x-rays and soaks…that was like 4 years of daily ground work and it pays off when you need to treat an injury!!

Also - an electric kettle can be great for having warmer water to soak/sponge-bathe!!