At the conclusion of a ride, I saw that Brena was taking weight off her right hind foot. This came as a surprise, as she had felt quite level when we were out. It was a slow ride, walking all the way back to the barn, as the trails were wet and slippery.
After washing the foot to remove mud, this is what I found. The photo shows the right-hand heel bulb of the left hind foot. There was no bleeding or any foreign object (other than mud) in the cut.
The soft, rubbery tissue has separated from the heel, and there is some sign of bruising. First thought was a burst abscess, however Brena still isn't quite sound a couple of days later. Also, whilst she has gone lame suddenly due to an abscess, that was before it burst. So a cut seems more likely. I'm careful to avoid places where there may be wire, such as collapsed fences hidden in undergrowth. However, we did ride across muddy ground which can be stony, albeit sandstone rather than sharp stones such as flints. It seems most likely that Brena stepped into a softer area of mud and cut her heel on a stone or debris that was hidden.
Now Brena is getting several days box rest until she regains soundness, and to allow the wound to heal sufficiently that infection should not be a problem. She does not seem to mind staying in when the weather is wet and windy.
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