Soreness After Putting Shoes Back On - Long

[EAY]

About three weeks ago my TB mare, who is shod front only, lost a shoe and so we pulled the other shoe to allow her feet to grow out enough to put the shoes back on. She had been about 4 weeks since her last trim. I continued her in light work during the two weeks that she was without shoes but kept her on soft grass. She was a little ouchy at first but would quickly work through it. At first she was improving enough that I was considering letting her go barefoot for a while since I'm not doing a lot with her at the moment and the horses where I board all seemed to be having terrible trouble keeping their shoes on after the wet spring that we had. But the last couple of days before the farrier was to arrive she seemed to be more sore rather than less and I was very relieved when he said that her feet looked good and that she had enough growth to put the shoes back on.

After this she still seemed a little tender footed when I would first start trotting but again it would improve with work and she was doing well enough to pin 3rd in a competitive hack at a show over the weekend. Today, which is one week with her shoes back on, I had a lesson and she was noticeably lame. The lesson was in the sand arena rather than on the grass where I've been riding, so that could have been a factor. At first my trainer felt that it could be a hind-end issue but when I jogged her for the farrier, who luckily was at the farm today, he thought it was more likely in the front. She did show some though not an extreme reaction to the hoof tester on both fronts, particularly around the heels. He definitely felt that the lameness that he observed could be the result of this soreness.

My question then is whether it seems reasonable that her soreness today could be some residual soreness from going without shoes and why it would be showing up now or getting worse now that the shoes are back on. The farrier did not see any signs of bruising when he did her feet. Also, I'm concerned that since the flies are really horrible now and the ground is getting rock-hard that it will be difficult for her feet to heal (if that is the problem) with all the stomping that she's doing. She's on 24/7 turn-out. I could put her in a stall, but it's something that the BO discourages without a very good reason, and she would be alone in the barn and not very happy with that anyway.

I've given her some bute and plan on seeing how she's going after a couple of days rest. Should I be doing more at this point? Would some kind of boot or pads help?

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

My two cents: Go to the vet and get x-rays. Seriously. You need to figure out what's going on inside. May have nothing to do with shoes or being barefoot.

[eruss]

I'll start by saying I don't believe I've ever seen bute take soreness out of a foot. Although everyone recommends it! Actually, I should say rarely!

When you pull shoes off, it may take a few days or week but the feet will get a little shorter where the nail holes were. The foot is weak there and breaks apart (usually).

So after 4 weeks and the foot a little sore and probably shorter, the farrier may not have been able to trim the heels correctly. If there was a little inflammation in the foot it may have been building up and finally showed in the sand.

There are many shoeing options. The cheapest way would be to keep her on soft footing and pack the feet. Only do what you have to do with her. Get her to grow some foot and she'll probably get better by the next shoeing. You could also put some fly wraps on her legs so she stomps less.

[JLR1]

I would not rush to get xrays just yet and agree with what Eruss suggested especially if your farrier did not notice any obvious things like bruising or an abcess. If you noticed any heat or pulses then I would be a bit more worried.

[EAY]

She seems better today though was still a bit off when I jogged her. I plan on bringing a camera out this evening when I check her so that I'll have a more objective record of her progress.

She does wear flywraps which do help to reduce but not eliminate the stomping and the flies are again brutal today.

The primary reason I suspect that it is soreness due to her time without shoes is that she was perfectly sound before losing her shoe. She was a little uncomfortable though not lame when going barefoot on soft ground but would improve with work. I had expected her to be back to normal as soon as she had her shoes back on, particularly as the farrier seemed pleased with the condition of her feet, but she remained a little ouchy but continued to work out of it as I still kept her on the soft grass. The actual lameness came on fairly quickly after working her in the sand for about ten minutes.

She is still sound at the walk and canter and continues to reach out nicely at the trot. Also, the farrier didn't find any heat or rapid pulses yesterday, and I couldn't feel anything today.

If she's not appreciably better by the end of the weekend I will be getting the vet out for x-rays but I just wanted to make sure there was not something extra I should be doing, such as packing the hoof or stall rest, to allow the foot to heal if in fact that is what's causing the soreness.

Also, I've begun to get worried about pedal osteitis. Is this something that could develop so quickly and without any kind of work on hard ground? She's on group turn-out but doesn't do any running around with her buddies.

[ponygrl25]

I would try some hoof packing, hawthornes or forshners, and a little bute for a couple of days and then see how she is. X-rays are not cheap and this sounds like a case of sole bruising more than anything. If in a few days she is not better, then I would call my vet and take further action.