Screwed

My plans to take both my horses out Sunday for a practice pack trip got screwed Saturday evening -- literally.
Bud, my big gray gelding, was limping when he came in to eat about 5 p.m. I picked up his right front foot and found a 3-inch deck screw stuck securely into the sole of his foot.
It went in at an angle, just underneath the frog, with the head of the screw sticking out past the edge of the shoe. It must have hurt like hell when he put his weight on that foot. I had to actually unscrew the thing -- very carefully and slowly using a pliers, because if I used a screwdriver I would have been pushing against where it went in and causing more pain.
But I got it out, and equally important, I got hold of my vet at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night when he was preparing to leave town. (Thanks Dr. Bob).
He advised soaking the foot in a solution of Epsom salt, betadyne and water, then packing the injured area with betadyne and sugar paste, and wrapping it with duct tape to hold it in. No Bute.
This I did Saturday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night and again today. Tonight I just soaked it and left him. Fortunately, Bud is pretty good about being treated, and he stood patiently with his foot in the pan of solution for 20 minutes at a time, as long as I sat next to him and talked to him.
Today he doesn't seem to be limping at all. I plan to get on him tomorrow for a little ride, just to see how he feels.
So Turk, my pack horse, became my saddle horse Sunday. We had a good ride in an area called South Shale Ridge. It was hot but pleasant.
It's hard to say where Bud picked up the screw. I used some screws like that when I built my barn, nine years ago. But they've been in and round it every day since then and haven't had any problems. Plus I can't find any place where a screw appears to be missing. I try to be careful about always picking up dropped screws and nails, but this one may have been in the dirt for nine years.
Another scary day for a horse owner and horse lover.