Hoof abscess horror story!

I heard a horror story today about a horse which had poor foot balance resulting in stress to the foot (due to improper environmental stimulus-trim/shoe etc); and as a result developed an abscess in its hoof wall.  Rather than calling out a DAEP who could liaise with the vet to help implement a proper treatment protocol, they just went along with what was suggested and got a whopping vet bill (in the thousands of £'s) and a very sore horse....

So what happened?  The horse developed an abscess due to strain as a result of poor foot health (which is quite a common cause of abscesses).  The abscess can only drain out by flowing a track through soft tissue to get to an exit point (also an area of soft tissue).  Usually an abscess develops naturally and the horse gets increasingly lame until it is either absorbed by the body or drains free from the soft tissue surrounding the hoof (coronet band/heel bulb).  An abscess can be encouraged to drain in the heel bulb using gravity and by poulticing and homeopathic support and can travel via soft tissue near the blood and liquid rich corium from where it gets its 'nourishment'.  As the corium is naturally close to pedal bone, it stands to reason that abscesses develop and travel close to bone.  The treatment for this horse was a resection of hoof wall to the corium from ground surface to coronet band where the abscess was travelling to; under general anaesthetic.  The reason?  The abscess was close to the bone!!!!  The after-care included regular dressing with necrotizing agents and in the future; egg bar shoes.  So the horse has gone through more pain than an abscess alone could create and it's future prospects are further put into jeopardy by the use of products which cause harm.  The reason?  Down right ignorance of true foot function. 

Please folks, use  Degreed Applied Equine Podiatrist to both care for your horses feet to prevent abscesses in the first instance and to also help deal with these common afflictions of the domestic horse; for the sake of your bank balance and your horses health and your enjoyment together!