Mounted search and rescue

[Jyaniro@aol.com]

I agree with you, use protective measures and be careful what you walk on! All horses (race, show, working, pleasure etc.) somehow all manage to get objects in their soles.

I worked with  large animal vets for many years. If a nail or other object pierces the sole and falls out the entry wound it's usually invisible by the time you pick his feet. So you'll be unaware of what caused the puncture wound until it causes an abscess.We have never seen glass, but????

 

When you are brushing the dirt from the sole you may discover the object has remained in place. DON'T PULL IT OUT. Protect the punctured foot and help keep the foreign object stay put with wrapping and duct tape, or with a slip-on medication boot.  An x-ray of the foot can show how far the object has penetrated and which structures are involved. A veterinarian can remove the object and advise a course of treatment.

Your routine check can alert you to a problem. Check for an abscess by feeling the pulse on the back of your horses pastern. If it feels stronger than usual or if the foot is warmer than normal the cause could be an abscess inside the hoof. Get your veterinarian or farrier  before your horse is in even greater pain due to the pressure of increased blood flow to the infected area.