My horses hoof is all cracked?

Question

I have a three year old thorough bred horses and her hooves are all cracked?? Have had the farrier out and he has said to just keep clipping and filing them??? Is there any oil or paste i can put on them??? Got told to use cooking oil[ paint it on the hooves] and the paste[ its a thick black paste] and it should help stop the cracks... How long could it take to get rid of the cracks?? There sand cracks... Can i continue to break her for riding while the cracks are healing??? Please help...

Answer 1

Thoroughbreds can have notoriously bad hooves (not all I know) Start giving her biotin in a feed,it's a really cheap supplement that does work,although it can take a good few weeks for you to see an improvement,once her hooves are improved then keep using the biotin at a maintenance rate. You can also use farrier paste aka cornucrescine,which you can get at most horse suppliers. the sand cracks will have to grow out,and depending on how high they go could take 6-8months to be fully grown out. Keeping the hoof wall moisturised,for want of a better term is essential. Keep the hoof filed regularly and only work her on soft going or give her the winter off in order for her to improve.

Answer 2

If your horse's hoof walls are not properly finished when the feet are trimmed, this type of chipping is what you get. You need a farrier that knows how to finish a barefoot horse's hoof walls. Simple.



Do not put cooking oil or any other type of topical chemicals on your horse's feet. All of them are harmful and will destroy your horse's natural ability to regulate moisture which is inherent in all horses. Applying chemicals or hoof oils or conditioners is not recommended in any circumstance. You want your horse to grow a good foot, give her good nutrition and a healthy foot will grow in in about a year. You can stimulate growth by stimulating the hooves, getting her to move.



Again, have the hoof walls finished properly and your sand cracks should be a thing of the past. There is no reason why you cannot continue your ground work training with your horse.

Answer 3

Get a different farrier. The one you have doesn't sound like he knows how to do a barefoot trim.



A barefoot trim is done every 5 weeks not more unless the hoof grows out VERY slow.



And it's kept up to be rolled so there is very little cracking only around the edges when the hoof is in need of a retrim. Very little cracking.



If there is a lot of cracking, then this means the trim is no good.



Get a farrier/trimmer who knows what they're doing. Not all are the same, and not all know how to trim a hoof when there's no shoe involved.



Putting stuff on the hoof won't get to the root of the real problem....a bad trim.

Answer 4

Hoof dressings actually do more damage to hooves that are already compromised, and should not be used. They will seal anaerobic bacteria and fungi against the hoof wall protein. Anaerobes thrive in an airless environemnt. Sealed beneath oils and tars, the microbes thrive to digest and biodegrade the structual tissues of the walls. This is obviously not beneficial. The cracks also allow microbes to invade deeper layers of tissue so you don't want to do anything to encourage them to thrive in the cracks. Ample research has shown that hoof dressings do nothing to benefit healthy hooves, and worsen damage to compromised hooves. Moisture comes from the circulation inside of the hooves, and as long as the tissue integrity is maintained, the hooves are well designed to deal with the environmental changes they are exposed to. It's best to keep the hooves dried out as much as possible.



I agree with the The Great Gazoo that you need to find someone qualified to perform a correct barefoot trim, and trims should be performed on a regular basis, every four to five weeks. Mechanical forces are what lead to deeper hoof cracks, and a correct barefoot trim balances those forces to strengthen the walls and secure their bond with the coffin bone inside of the hoof. Even with some deep cracks, a correct trim will result in mechanical forces that bring the edges into closer approximation with every step, as opposed to further stressing it the way rigid shoes do. The existing cracks will have to grow out over time.



A good certified trimmer will be able to tell you what if any limits there will be. Here is some veterinary information on hoof dresings...................



https://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=3840

Answer 5

I would give him some time off. In the mean time tend the hooves carefully. A basic part of horse hoof care is simply picking out the mud, manure, stones and other debris from the sole of your horse's hooves. It is simple and yet, this one of the most neglect parts of horse care. Keeping your horse's hooves clean goes a long way to help prevent common hoof ailments. At times, your horse may get small stones lodged in the grooves of the frog, which can cause bruising. Picking out your horse's hooves also removes packed mud or snow, which can make it uncomfortable for your horse to walk. Cleaning your horse's feet will allow you to see problems such as a puncture wound from something like a nail. No Hoof, No Horse - http://www.horse-stall.net/horse-health/no-hoof-no-horse.htm Unlike many of the other conditions that afflict horses, hoof maladies are largely preventable. This article will instruct you in tasks which, performed on a regular basis, will help in avoiding joint, back, and leg problems, prevent lameness, and enable your horse to move about freely and comfortably. Hoof Care - http://www.horse-supplies.org/hoof-care.htm More on Hoof Maintenance - http://www.horse-stall.net/horse-health/horse-hoof-maintenance.htm

Answer 6

It's perfectly normal especially on horses who are not shod, it's dryness and growth that mainly causes it. Just keep applying the hoof oil and try to keep it easy with the horse until they grow there isn't anything you can do apart from having the farrier sort them every 6 weeks, put shoes on see if that helps but some horses do have brittle feet especially thoroughbreds.

Answer 7

My first horse had a similar problem to yours. I went to the vet's and asked about it and she gave me a fancy oil to paint on them. Get it checked out by a vet because sometimes it's a result of infection.