If you have ever had your foot stepped on by a horse, you will already be aware of how painful and potentially damaging this is, and if a horse has stepped on your foot, you might be wondering whether you need to get yourself to hospital, or whether it is likely to heal on its own.
It’s always better to err on the side of caution, but you should assess your own pain level and determine how much it hurts before you decide what to do.
Horses can do a lot of damage when they step as they are heavy creatures, and you should therefore always be aware of what they are doing and how they are moving.
Do not go barefoot around horses, but instead choose protective shoes that will minimize the damage if a horse does stand on your foot.
Pay attention to where a horse is standing, and if it is showing signs of restlessness, try to stand further away from it so that it cannot accidentally tread on your feet.
While horses are amazing and beautiful creatures and working with them can be a pleasure, you should always be aware of the risks and look for ways to minimize them so that you keep yourself safe.
When a horse is frisky or unpredictable, take extra care, but be aware that accidents can happen even when both you and the horse are calm.
What Should I Do If A Horse Stepped On My Foot?
If a horse has stepped on your foot, the first thing that you should do is secure the horse and lift its hoof off your foot; do not try to drag your foot out from underneath it, or you may do serious damage to the skin.
Next, move away from the horse so that you can assess the damage. Foot injuries are very common when working around horses, but it is crucial not to ignore it and carry on with what you were doing, especially if you are wearing improper shoes or the injury feels bad.
Sit down somewhere to inspect your foot and consider how bad the pain is; this kind of injury can be excruciating.
If it is bad, you should put the horse back in its stable (or preferably get someone else to do this for you) so that you can go back to your house and apply ice for a few hours; this will help to take down any swelling and reduce the pain.
You should then consider whether to call emergency services or not.
You may need to get an x-ray of your foot to see if it is broken or just badly bruised, as you are unlikely to be able to tell this just by looking at it.
If you cannot wriggle your toes or bend your foot, you will almost definitely need an x-ray, as a break is very likely. Go to a hospital so that a professional can treat the injury properly.
What Happens When A Horse Steps On Your Foot?
When a horse steps on your foot, most of the horse’s weight may be transferred onto your foot, and this can lead to major bruising, cuts, or even fractured bones, depending on how heavy the horse is, how much weight it puts on you, and how protective your footwear is.
You should always wear sturdy shoes when working around horses, even if you don’t plan to have your feet very close to the horse; accidents happen.
How much weight the horse will put upon your foot when it stands on it will depend on the situation; a horse that has accidentally put its foot down on yours while most of its weight is on the other three feet will not do much damage, although it may leave bruising.
A horse that has been startled and ended up with one of its feet on you, or a horse that is deliberately leaning into you, could do significantly more damage.
The surface you are standing on and the footwear you have on will also make a big difference; a soft surface with plenty of give and protective boots will massively reduce your risk of serious injury, whereas a hard surface and unprotective footwear will expose you to broken bones and bad cuts.
What happens next will depend on how bad the injury is, but you may need a cast.
Can A Horse Break Your Foot By Stepping On It?
Yes, a horse can break your foot by stepping on it, quite easily if you have the wrong footwear on. It may break one or more toes, but in extreme circumstances, it could break the actual bones of the foot if it puts enough pressure on them. This could be excruciatingly painful.
If your horse does step on your foot, you should examine it once you have put ice on it and brought the swelling down a bit. If there is any crookedness or misalignment, you will need to go to a hospital to get checked out, and you should do so promptly. Your foot may need to be put into a cast.
Often, a horse will just cause bruising, especially if you have boots on, and although this can feel extremely painful for a surprisingly long time, you won’t need a cast. However, it is still worth getting this checked, even if you are fairly sure you are just bruised. It’s better to ensure there is nothing majorly wrong, rather than risk your bones healing crookedly.
Conclusion
If your horse has stepped on your foot, it may have done some serious damage, and it is important to get the injury checked by a professional unless you are sure that it is minor. In the meantime, apply ice to bring down any swelling, and avoid wearing shoes that cause you pain as much as possible until the injury has started to heal. You may wish to keep your foot elevated to help reduce the swelling, especially if you have to stand for long periods in between.
