Yearling being sore?

Question

I have yearling that limps when he is walked on hard ground (rocks, cement, hard packed dirt, etc.) He started to get limpy about a month ago when he walked on gravel, but was fine walking on anything else. I took him to his first horse show and unfortunetly the only way to get to the ring was by walking on lots of gravel. Also, he had to stay there for 5 days in a stall with cement or packed dirt flooring covered with saw dust, much different then the soft bedding he got at home. It's been about 2 weeks since so the show, he's in a different pen that's much softer but when he goes out to graze he has to walk over either cement, or gravel. He hasn't gotten much better, but will walk perfectly fine on grass or softer ground.

Do you think his feet are just really sensitive or is it something else?

-Thanks in advance for any help at all!

Answer 1

He is probably foot sore. I would get your farrier to come out and check him out.

Answer 2

I see you've gotten many mixed answers.

Many young and growing horses have soreness when walking on gravel and rocks. This is because most horse owners will either stall or put their horse in a grass pasture or paddock. Thus, walking on rocks, caleche, and gravel becomes rare for them. Younger horses kept in these types of environments are going to have softer soles and as they age and are ridden their hooves will harden and become more stable to different weights and conditions.

Keep in mind that it's not that his little hooves can't with stand rocks and gravel, it's the conditions that we house the horses in that cause this soreness. Take a look at how long wild horses and burros have roamed free on dry land and rocks and most have better feet than the domesticated horses. Because their hooves wear naturally and are exposed to more elements, they have nice strong hooves.

Take into account your horses diet, natural housing conditions, and age. I'm sure the gravel just caused slight bruising to the hoof wall and it's nothing to freak out about or rush to the vet. Just have your farrier use hoof testers on your equine next time he's out to trim to check for lameness.

Answer 3

I think he just has senstive feet. Try a hoof hardener like Keratex, and if it's in your budget, look into some boots for him when he has to walk on hard ground. Hopefully his feet will eventually toughen up, but it's hard to let him be ouchy when he's just a baby.

Also, ask your farrier's opinion. My farrier always has great ideas, and they come free with the trim!! No vet service fee required :)

Answer 4

I would bet money that it is a bacterial/fungal/thrush issue. Try this: 3 oz of white lightening mixed with 3 oz of WHITE vinegar in a soaking boot. Wrap the top with saran wrap and tape it because this mixture forms a gas that you want to trap in the soaking boot. Try to walk them around a bit to really get the mixture inside the hoof. Soak each hoof for 45 minutes. This will really harden up the hoof and the gas gets up inside the hoof capsule and kills bacteria. A LOT of horses have this problem and their owners are completely unaware. I had a 12 year old gelding with the same problem. I soaked him with this mixture for three days in a row and found out two of his frogs were completely infected with thrush underneath where you couldn't even see it (and he's on a dry lot!) and this mixture killed it all and he hasn't taken an ill step since. Plus, their hooves harden up so much. Go to abchoofcare.com and scroll down and click on the link on the left hand side about white lightening. It's great information. Good luck!

Answer 5

I would have the vet xray his coffin bone...

Intermittent lameness with hard ground and exercise can be a sign of that.

I dont think its sensitive feet, I had a TB that was like that.. but he recovered in less time... the arab we had with the fractured coffin bone had the symptoms your describing and it was very very intermittent.

Answer 6

What kind of horse is it? Thoroughbreds (amongst others) have very thin soles and can get sore on gravel etc. The fact that he's still lame indicates that he's bruised his soles. I would get the vet out to assess the severity. If you plan to ride him when he's older he'll probably need shoes. For now you may want to buy some hoof boots that you can put on when he's on hard ground as if I was you I wouldn't want to shoe a yearling. I have some Old Macs G2 hoof boots for my TBx when he had to have his shoes off, they're fantastic - he could barely walk and then I put them on and bingo, he's cantering round the field. They're not cheap but you won't need back ones, just front. Good luck!

http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/product...

I also have the cushioned insoles in mine :-)

ADD: To the poster below, arthritis is a joint condition, nothing to do with being on cement floors. Though he's right in the sense that they need to be cushioned or the horse will hurt it's self.

Answer 7

we've a arab that acts as if he is being forced to walk on shards of glass, limping, gimping and nearly refusing to move if he is on gravel or hard ground without shoes.  Even frozen winter ground does this to him.

The solution for him when he is barefoot is to paint his soles with pine tar hoof dressing for a few days before his shoes are pulled.  Also my black smith has a glue on shoe, safe for yearlings and even foals, that he will put on when T is very very foot sore... so talk to your smith

Answer 8

a yearling is a young horse. maybe his frogs are still young and the hard ground just hurts them. get it checked out by a vet and a farrier.

Answer 9

his feet probably r sore. and if he is young then it could be his knees. let him rest for a week in soft ground & get him on some hoof supplements to help the growth and condition. he probably needs shoes. if the condition worsens or does not get  better then i would have a vet check done. because of his young age, he could have injured his knees.

Answer 10

whats a yearling?

Answer 11

Sounds like the poor little guy's feet are sensitive.  Many horses are - especially if they are barefoot.

Answer 12

First I would not take him to that show and stall him there again.  Cement floors can cripple a horse and cause arthritis in only a few days.  This can be prevented with a shavings or other soft bedding on top the concrete but the shavings really need to be 6 inches thick or better.

The horses problem is likely to be that either his toes are too short or his frog is resting right on the ground because his heels are too short.  Or it could be both.  Too short a toe will cause a sore sole.  Too short a heel will cause a sore frog.

They get too sore from wear from gravel and rock.  

Another possibility is that he has seldom been exposed to gravel and rocky ground so when put on them gets sore.  If that is the case you can add gravel to the horses lot to force their feet to toughen up.

Of course you never shoe a yearling but you can get easy boots or even davis boots for them.

Mule reiner, The coffin bone is another possiblility,  he may well have fractured his on the cement, especially if he paws.  More likely though the current bout is laminitis or bursitis brought about by the cement.  I still think that he has an issue with sore feet though unless he also limped (prior to the show) on hard smooth surfaces as well.