hoof problem Questions
 

My farrier is comming tuesday. But i wanted too ask you guys what yout thought. So my paint gelding has i think a absesse on the outside of the hoof well it cracked from the hairline down too the black spot idk how to explain but its cracked open where the black spot is and iv been soaking it in epsen salt but what else can i do? Any kind of hoof stuff i can put on it? It bothers him when i touch it but he dosnt limp or anything. If you want a picture i could walk out too the barn and get one.
help would be great :-)

You are now seeing where the abscess ruptured....which is a good thing. Usually the horse is in the most discomfort before the rupture. Now that it ruptured, the pressure has been released. Epsom salts are a good soak. If there is no heat or lameness....I would just let it grow out.

Hi,

If I'm picturing it accurately, your horse had an abscess which burst on the coronary some time back & the 'spot' - probably a small horizontal crack - has grown some way down the wall, but now it has cracked from the abscess spot back up to the coronet?

If that's the case I imagine it's underlying infection eating the horn tissue away. Epsom soaks can help, but I'd be inclined to treat it with something stronger, and the farrier may need to open it up to be able to clean it out properly. As it's up to the coronet, if the farrier has to resect, I'd be inclined to brace the hoof.