Don’t Obsess Over a Hoof Abscess

Many horse owners have had the following experience you put your perfectly healthy horse up for the night and the next morning He walks out of the stall threelegged lame. A nightmare scenario right? Whoa there. It may not be as bad as it appears if your veterinarian or farrier determines the problem is a hoof abscess. Hoof abscesses are a frequent occurrence in horses and although they can seem dramatic they are relatively straightforward to manage.
How a Hoof Abscess Starts
A hoof abscess starts when environmental bacteria gain access into the hoof capsule.

The most common way that bacteria does this relates to fluctuating moisture in the environment. When the ground is dry hooves become hard and somewhat brittle. This causes small fissures cracks to develop in the sole. When the ground becomes wet the hoof acts like a sponge and softens further opening these small cracks. Bacteria in the environment can take advantage of these small breaches in the otherwise impenetrable hoof wall and invade the tissue inside.
As they invade the warm healthy inner hoof tissue the bacteria multiply rapidly. 

The horses immune system comes to the rescue but during the battle between good and evil the horses white blood cells versus bacteria casualties occur as white blood cells die and cause pus to accumulate.
This pus exerts pressure in the confined and inflexible hoof wall. If youve ever had swelling under a nail you know the pain this causes. Now imagine the pain a horse might deal with as they stand on an abscessed hoof.
Hoof abscesses can however occur at any time of year so the weather is not the only cause. Sole bruises caused by hard ground and penetrating hoof wounds also invite bacteria to invade the hoof. One type of penetrating wound is a close nail or one

that is driven too close to the sensitive laminae internal supporting structures between the outer hoof wall and the coffin bone. This creates a convenient path for bacteria to enter on the nail which can lead to infection.
Poor hoof conformation can also be a contributing factor to the development of a hoof abscess. Some thinsoled horses are naturally predisposed to frequent abscesses. This is likely due to their increased risk of sole bruising and the shorter distance bacteria have to travel between the outside and inside of the hoof.
What You Might See
While you might expect to see a severely lame