We recently had a rainy spell in Austin, which is unusual this time of year and it has really greened up the grass. Instead of walking around on rock-hard ground and dry grass, our horses were padding around in soft footing and lush pasture for about a week. Once the ground dried out, several of my clients reported that their horses had sore feet, with some horses even showing signs of mild laminitis. Luckily none of the horses required any treatment other than more-frequent trims and a few weeks off work. Because horses can easily develop sore feet in this kind of sudden and unexpected weather I'm going to break down the events leading up to the soreness and demonstrate how this condition can be prevented.
Basically these horses were the victims of too much prosperity. Their owners were all responsible people who kept their horses in good body condition, fed quality vitamin and mineral supplements, and rode regularly. When the rain suddenly deluged the area, the horses got a break from the heat, had more to eat than normal, and were not ridden as much. Life was just a little too good!
The rain triggered a cascade of events that eventually led to foot soreness. With their excellent feed, combined with their high quality vitamin and mineral supplements, these horses had more than adequate nutrition. The extra grass and decreased work caused them to gain weight while the damp weather encouraged their hooves to grow faster than usual. The lush grass may have also triggered some changes in the bacteria that normally live in the horse's intestines, which in turn could have triggered some laminitis.
Since these fast changes in weather can easily occur during the summer, I've outlined some steps you can take to prevent foot soreness.
Adopt a Flexible Feeding Plan
Adjust your feeding plan based on your horse's individual needs at different levels of work. A horse in light or no work may do best on hay or pasture. You can add a handful of grain if you need to feed vitamin/mineral supplements. You may also want to supplement these horses with free choice minerals such as ABC Stress System, Equilix, or Moorman's horse minerals. Adjust the amount you feed based on your horse's anticipated level of work. In other words, don't wait for your horse to gain or lose weight before you act. Also remember to account for the quantity and quality of the pasture or hay. Finally, in addition to cutting back on grain you may need to confine your horse to a paddock to limit access to overly lush pasture.
Adjust Shoeing or Trimming Schedules
Your horse's feet will grow faster during warm and damp weather. If your farrier has a flexible schedule or you trim your own horses, plan to reset shoes or trim more frequently in these weather conditions. Don't allow your horse's hoof wall to grow too long or it will start to flare at ground level. While flares don't cause problems on soft ground, they will feel like hang nails to your horse when he starts walking on hard ground. Flares can also shift more weight onto your horse's soles, which leads to chronic bruising.
Pull Laminitis-Prone Horses Off Lush Grass
If you have a horse that tends to become laminitic, monitor him closely for any symptoms. At the first sign of trouble, such as in increase in the digital pulse, pull your horse off pasture and restrict access to grass. Cut back on the amount you feed and add extra probiotics to re-establish the healthy bacteria in the intestines. You may also want to slightly increase the amount of mineral supplements you feed to help with glucose metabolism.
Use Boots and Drying Agents
If you have to ride your horse on hard ground while his feet are still soft, cushion the impact with boots. There are a variety of excellent boots that easily fit almost any shape hoof and are simple to use. Finally, you can use drying agents such as sole paint sparingly on the sole to toughen it.
Final Note
Of all the steps outlined above, the most important factor in preventing sore feet is awareness. By closely monitoring your horse's environment and condition you can usually prevent most foot soreness before it happens.
About the Author
Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.”
Contact
Madalyn Ward DVM
11608 FM 1826
Austin, TX 78737
303-575-1170
www.holistichorsekeeping.com
www.horseharmony.com
www.horseharmonytest.com
www.yourhorsebook.com
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