Stone Bruise Care and Rehab

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From: Kate Denisar 
Email: kdenisar@iss.net

My horse Spanky stepped on something that gave him a severe bruise on Sunday February 7th.  He was not lame until Thursday, February 11th.  That evening, I cold hosed him and gave him a Bute. (He had minor swelling and I wasn't smart enough to realize it was a bruise). My farrier came out Friday morning, pulled the shoe, seared the sole, left some sole paint, and reshod him.  I applied the sole paint 2x daily and gave him a couple more doses of Bute (stopped Bute on Saturday AM).

By Saturday evening, Spanky was sound - at least to my inexperienced eyes.  I met a bunch of other endurance riders on Sunday and rode about 10 miles.  He seemed completely sound the entire ride.  Luckily my farrier was there and he had me trot Spanky out for him.  My farrier said that he was still slightly off, but that he looked a lot better.

I went out to the barn on Monday evening to check on him.  He was moving freely and comfortably.  I did not get out to the barn again until last night.  He is lame again.  There is still slight heat on the outside of his hoof.

My questions are as follows:

I have a 50 mile ride next weekend.  Should I scratch him from the ride and give him a few weeks to recover (our next ride is March 20)?

Should I attempt to nurse him back into soundness within the next 7 days?

I reviewed the archives and noticed that excessive moisture promotes abscesses.  Should I pull him in to let his hoof dry out?  I plan to pack it with an Epsom salt and iodine mixture as Heidi Smith suggested.

I worry that keeping him in might make him susceptible to tying up if I end up taking him to the ride.  The plan for the ride was a VERY SLOW 50.

As you can tell, I have limited experience with hoof problems.  I have had Spanky for two years and this is the first time I have dealt with this.

Any advice would be appreciated.  Please respond to kdenisar@iss.net.

Thanks!