Posted by Rick Burten on October 20, 2002 at 14:56:16:
In Reply to: Re: injury to young racehorse posted by Shelly Ames on October 19, 2002 at 10:31:33:
: : : a friend of mine has her 2YO TB colt in training - just 3 weeks now at a prominent facility. She is overseeing the training and today while the horse was being worked in the round pen, he caught his foot on something and ripped his shoe off and part of the heel, injured the coronary band and cracked the hoof from the back of the heel all the way down to the front of the hoof. The horse has been treated at the barn with bute and wrapped, and is being shipped to the vet clinic tomorrow. My friend seems to think, even though this is a serious injury and there was a bloody trail all the way back to the barn, that she is simply going to have it cleaned up, antibiotics administered and have the hoof glued back together and the horse will resume training in about 2 weeks. I thought that it would take up to about 10 months for the foot to stabilize and the hoof wall to grow back. Shouldn't the horse be rested during that period? Whats the feeling on this type of injury and then putting a horse back into training?
: : Your friend is mistaken and if she puts this BABY back in training too soon what she will end up with is dog food. Hopefully the vets at the clinic will dissuade her of her intentions and inject her with a dose of reality. Sadly, this injection does not always vaccinate against stupidity or innoculate against a failure of common sense.
: : Has anyone figured out what the horse caught his foot on? It may well be that there is no culprit other than the horse himself. It sounds as though he may have overreached, caught the heel(s) of the front shoe/hoof with the back hoof and done the damage. If the damage is as extensive as you describe, then layup is necessary.
: : Rick
:
: Okay Follow up: the horse went to the clinic, the sensitive laminae was exposed and they debrided it - cleaned it out - there was swelling so they put him on antibiotics and wrapped him up - sent him back to the training farm with 10 days of antibiotics, daily wrapping and cleaning, and stall rest. After 10 days, he goes back to have the repair made and be reshod. Then, he is going to swim for 2 weeks with daily hand walking and jogging. Then he goes back into training. Does this sound right? Or is this the owners wishful thinking? What are the possibilities, at this point of possibly infection? Oh yeah, there was damage to the coronary band, although she says it was "minimal". What is the likelihood that this may end up being chronic? Appreciate your advice.
I appears that the injuries were not as severe as first thought/reported. While swimming is good, non-concussive exercise, it will certainly soften up the hoof and I'm not so sure that that is what is needed. Of course, I haven't seen the horse, so........ Assuming the vet(s) actually know what they are about, then their recommendations are the ones to follow.
Rick