Hey everyone here is a new one for me, we have a horse at the barn that looks like it "sliced" its chestnut on something in the stall. But we can't find anything exposed or any blood on anything.

She has blood down her inner leg but not a whole lot? Any ideas, it is hanging by a thread and doesn't seem to bother her at all. I was going to cut it off the rest of the way but everyone freaked out. ( I never get to use my new knife )

Anyway this is a first for me. Should I just betadine the thing (which I did) and let it just drop off. I go back out tomorrow so I will see what happens.

Advice in the meantime will be appreciated.

Spud

I think it would be fine if you cut it off.
It is going to come off anyway.

A pair of hoof nippers works well, but you should be fine using your unused pocket knife.

I had a mare one time that done the same thing, I have no idea how she done it either but these things happen. It looked awfull and like raw meat. I just sprayed some wound wash on it once a day and it healed up just fine. I agree if it's just hanging there go ahead and cut it off so she doesn't keep cetching it on things.
Cathy C

Cut it off. If it is a little tough you can soften it by a hose, or baby oil and then just twist it off. I can't stand it when the chesnuts get long. I am forever peeling the ones off my horses when I pick their feet.

I have a client who has a dog that everytime she is around the horses, the first thing she does is walks up to one of them and starts nibbling the chestnuts off. The horses don't mind one bit. It is the funniest thing that I have ever seen.

But anyways it should be fine to cutt it off (use you new knife )and as long as there is no open wound you shouldn't need any antiseptic.

Chestnuts peel or shed all the time, you just don't always notice them. We usually just peel them off. Don't believe we have ever had one even bleed. Karen

Sorry to ask this but what exactly is a chestnut?

Brownish grayish growth inside of your horses' legs.
Above the knees on front legs, below the hocks on back legs.
Of course all horses' chestnuts are different.

Ok so are you suppose to get them off regularly or are they ok if you just leave them alone?

Some people softrn them up and peal them off because they feel it looks better but there is no real need to. It's just a personal choice. I leave mine alone.
Cathy C

I allow my horses to fall off on thier own, as they always do. I have never had to touch them. I tis my understanding that they are just like callouses, and there is no harm in removing them, I have just never had to.