EVERYONE involved with horses will be familiar with the old adage – ‘no foot, no horse’. The most common lameness in all horses, regardless of whether you are dealing with a finely tuned racehorse or a Shetland pony, is a foot abscess. Foot abscesses are caused by a localised bacterial infection in the sensitive structures of the hoof. Pus is produced by the body in response to fighting this infection.

The pus accumulates in the hoof wall and, as the hoof cannot expand, the increased pressure within this pocket of purulent material causes significant pain, resulting in lameness.