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A condition my farrier calls "gravel" is when sand or grit will get 
between the wall and white line and work it's way up the hoof. It 
normally has an abscess associated but it may never show lame. One day 
it will "pop out the top" as a crack. It is common in sandy conditions 
but it takes months to work its way up and out. The hoof grows out with 
a blemish and usually there is no problems.

However, that's not what you have here. My guess is he whacked it on 
something, a root in the sand, a log, the other front foot or  maybe 
even the trailer on the way up. If a horse is not used to sandy footing 
- it can be a learning experience for them just as if they are not used 
to muddy footing it can be a learning experience for them.

Truman

heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> First of all, good call to pull.  It never helps to continue aggravating something like that.
>
> Yes, I've seen and experienced that sort of problem.  If it is just on one foot, it is most likely due to a localized trauma or bruising.  That would be my guess, given that he was sensitive to having the area palpated and that he had noticeable blood at the spot.  Give him a few weeks off, until you get some good growth starting down from that area, and then he should be fine.  Keeping it reasonably clean initially will help as well.  Sometimes a blemish will appear in the growth pattern for awhile, but most of these grow out normally in the end.  Odds are you encountered something hidden in the sand, or that he hit himself due to the insecurity of the sandy footing.
>
> You may also get cracking along the coronet band from concussion, but when that is the case, it usually doesn't show up until post-ride, and then is either bilateral on the fronts, or quadrilateral (all four feet).  Such horses are usually a bit tender and hesitant to move out, but not necessarily "lame" since they are affected symmetrically.
>
> Heidi
>
>   


--

"It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended 
from man." H.L. Mencken


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