January 2006

Make Abscesses A Fast Battle

The trick is to have the skills and supplies you need to encourage rapid pain relief.

An abscess can’t always be found with hoof testers, but they remain a valuable tool.

Sooner or later, just about every horse owner is going to have to deal with a hoof abscess. You’ll come to the barn to find the horse that looked fine when you last saw her is now lame—really lame. Fortunately, the pain normally rapidly abates once you can get the abscess to drain, and the hoof heals uneventfully—provided you have the equipment and knowledge to handle the situation like a professional horseman.

Any puncture wound to the foot that enters live tissue, including misplaced shoe nails, carries bacteria into the tissues and sets the stage for abscess formation. Letting the feet go too long between trims, especially when barefoot, leads…