How to recognize a hoof abscess?

Answer 1

The horse in question will be lame, for a start. There will be heat on the hoof and it will probably be sensitive. There may or may not be swelling. Some abscesses can't be confirmed until they abscess - that is, open and begin to drain. In addition, an abscess is fluid filled, so it will bend a bit when you press on it.

Answer 2

the horse will be lame. There are varying degrees- my mare gets them all the time (apparently you are supposed to pick up your feet when you run!!) and sometimes she can't even use the leg, and other times she just barely limps.

They can be misdiagnosed as a tendon problem as well. You can do hoof block tests or take Ultrasounds of the tendon as well. If it rules out a tendon problem, you have a probable hoof abscess.

Some defining (but not always seen) features:
bad thrush from wet pastures, soft spots in the hoof, you push a spot and it oozes out (even if just water from wet mud- means there may have been an abcess there or that you just popped it)., also a hard ball, pus, a new chip in the hoof, etc.
There are a billion different signs, but those are the ones I run into the most.
Once the abcess pops (think of a zit) and starts to heal, the pressure is relieved and the horse isn't lame anymore. It could be a one day thing in some cases.

Your best bet is to get your farrier out to take a look at the hoof- sometimes they can trim away where the abcess is or pop it for you. They also may notice if something is stuck in the hoof (such as a nail) which would cause an abcess.
Your next best thing is to soak the hoof in Epsom salts (cheap at your local Wal-mart) and warm water 2-3 x a day, which will help if the abcess is close to the bottom of the hoof- otherwise it does nothing (but doesn't hurt).

Answer 3

Both the answers above are correct.

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