Farrier cut short - now he is lame?

Question

My farrier cut my new TB's hooves too short and on his front left, outside quarter there is a small sore that looked like it was bleeding, but clotted and stopped. My farrier said he put some iodine on it and he cut it a little too short but my TB was really unbalanced and long. So, he did the best he could to balance it and I talked to my trainer, my farrier, and another very horse-smart lady. She originally thought he cut to the quick or had a hot nail. My farrier said he wouldn't be bearing weight on it or moving much if it was that, and he looked like he was walking fine. I turned him both directions and he looked okay. Its sensitive on the spot, but no heat, and its right up against the horse shoe, so it isn't directly touching the ground. I think he trimmed his sole too short, and since he looked ok at the walk, I hopped on him in the sand arena and walked him around for a bit, he felt fine. He was noticably lame on the leg at the trot and I got off. Cleaned and put iodine on it

Answer 1

change farriers...the fix for long hooves isn't too cut them sooo short that they bleed!  it is a slower and more meticulous method than that - ouch!

Can you imagine walking on a fingernail that you had cut to the quick (assuming that is all it is?)

I had a farrier (not my usual one - his truck had broken down, and he had called in someone else) do my horse and he cut my horses sole down sooo much that his coffin bone broke through the bottom of his sole!  I initially thought he was just tender from being barefoot!  (It was kinda muddy, and you couldn't see the pinprick 'abcess' on his foot - just that he was off!  so you never know!!)

I wouldn't necessarily recommend pulling a shoe on a horse that is too short, cuz he will be even more sore - and then you will have to gauze pack, and duct tape (or boot, with gauze) every few days to protect the area, and you said it was on the outside of his foot, yes??

If it persists more than a day or so, I would definitely call a vet - but because of what I've been through - it's a better safe than sorry situation - if something happens to your horses feet it can take years, if ever, for them to recover.

Answer 2

Keep it clean and medicated, watch for signs of heat or infection, and give it time to grow out.  It may take from 3 to 4 weeks depending on how deep it is.

Answer 3

soak it and put limn on it and give it some rest

Answer 4

There's not a one of us (if we have ever had any experience with horses at all) that hasn't had this happen...iodine is good, and my first choice.On the other hand, cut too short, unless quicked, usually doesn't seem to bother the horse once his shoes are back on......so, I would definitely watch the foot for signs of heat (bad nail) but the main thing is keep it clean and dry,  iodine it and let him move around at will.  And yes, if a horse's hoof has gotten a little long, it's like our nails or a dog's or any animals, the quick grows out accordingly and they are more sensitive when trimmed...no, I wouldn't reccommend getting another farrier, how silly...EVERY farrier can and will do this, it isn't necessarily always their fault.

Answer 5

SOAK, SOAK, SOAK in warm water with epsom salts. And get the shoes off the front right now.  Keep them off until he grows out in 5- weeks minimum.

Answer 6

I had a farrier that did that once.  I told him the next time he came to not trim so short, he did.  That was the last time I called that farrier.  No good farrier should ever trim a horse too short!  Just a tad more and they could bleed to death.  Their main arteries go directly to the hoof.  And you should not have to see your horse lame from a trim!  Good farriers are hard to find but I'd only give this guy one more chance.  If he does it again, look for another farrier.

Answer 7

HE WILL BE FINE IN A WEEK OR TWO,KEEP HIS HOOVES CLEAN AND MEDICATED, THIS HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN YOU KNOW. HAVE YOU EVER CUT YOUR TOENAILS A LITTLE TOO SHORT SAME THING.

Answer 8

Just keep putting iodine on it, this will disinfect it and dry it out a bit so it heals.  And then just give him some time off.  It may be a couple weeks but really his hoof just needs to grow out and there isn't much you can do about that but wait :(