Please help my mares hooves, its getting worse! HELP

Question

On my 4 year old T.B mares back, left hoof has like a crack on the inside which does not seem to cause her any pain, i am just worried in case it gets worse, which it is it is getting bigger! I am going to try and get a picture, but does anyone know what we can do on it, when i work her she wears brushing boots, what else can we do do help this?

Its like a horizontal crack bout 3cms long at the moment, but it statred really small at first. Any advice will help, thanks!

Answer 1

Get a good hoof oil. Make sure it's an oil not a grease as grease's tend to stick and stop the hooves breathing properly. Get a horse hoof supplement. I have used one with biotin and zinc in it along with flax seed oil with great success. Most importantly get a good farrier asap and have regular trims done. I have found that my horse's hooves stay in better condition when they have a dam rather than a trough. Standing in the wet clay several times a day seems to do them good.

Answer 2

Treatment depends on whether the hooves are shod or barefoot.

My area of expertise in in the barefoot horse, and most of what I learned came from a guy called Pete Ramey:

www.hoofrehab.com

He has written several articles that he put on his site that talk about hoof health.  he also has an outstanding book, as does Jaime Jackson.  

If you mare is currently barefoot, you will want to make sure you maintain the trim.  I do my horses myself every 3-4 weeks, and generally, there is only so much growth that I can use a rasp to balance things out.  

When I have cracks, I get in there with a rasp and bevel the edges of the cracks.  That helps prevent the crack from getting too much worse, as does the regular trimming.  I keep the hoof wall about 1/8 inch longer than the sole, and I bevel the edges in what a lot of folks call a "mustang roll"  Since I have started this method of trimming, I have had no problems with flares, cracks, or lameness.

If good triming doesn't help, and you have a hoof quality issue, you can get hoof-boots for her to protect the hood capsule while you are working her, or you can set her up with casting material.  Shoes may or may not be a good option based on the location of the crack, the nails you would need for the shoes could worsen the problem.

If her hoofwalls are generally brittle, make sure you aren't missing something in her diet.  There is a lot of research now about specific minerals and vitamins and how they effect hoof quality.  Biotin is a common hoof supplement.  They are now looking at the role of copper and zinc in hoof health.  It is all interesting stuff, and Pete Ramey has a good article that touches on that idea on his site.

In the end, the best advise you will get will be from your farrier.  I am answering based on description w no information about your horse's age/breed/health/hoof health/balancing issues/work expectations/home footing, etc.

Your mare's hoof issue sounds like a minor one, and with dilligent care, it should show improvement quickly.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

get your farrier now.

Answer 4

I picture would really help us give our opinions.  

A farrier will tell you what is wrong...and it most likely won't be an opinion.

A horizontal crack makes me think a 'gravel' has blown out.  Or she hit the hoof and traumatized it.  But that's just my opinion without seeing it.

Have your farrier look at it...

Answer 5

The integrity of the hoof is impaired and this means it is possible that infection could easily enter the sensitive structures within the hoof.  A horizontal crack is not like the ones that form from the ground when hooves overgrow....it is most likely the result of trauma and if it is deep enough, could cause serious problems.  It may not be that bad, but your farrier should see it to make that call.

Answer 6

hi to help stop the crack take a rasp to the end of the crack and that will stop it and then go get some jello and put it in her food twice aday for six weeks and her hooves will grow out and the ferrier will have to come out and trim her.and the jello will not bother her or cause any problems ,its good for them any flavor will  do

Answer 7

See a farrier and he should tell you what to do.....

Answer 8

You need to get your farier out to take a look at it. They will be able to give you a suggestion of the best thing to use for it.

If you try to treat it by yourself, it may get worse. But, you can start to give her a good hoof and coat supplement, and using something like Hoofflex or Hoof maker on all of her hooves.  

Answer 9

A good farrier can repair the problem.

See quarter crack.

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage5.h...

Answer 10

Call your farrier to take a look at it.  If you can't for a while use hoof lotion on it every day to keep the hoof moist to reduce cracking any more.

Answer 11

My TB has really bad hooves but i would keep shoes on him if his feet are bad also turpintine can help and i give my horse this pill called Bio-Hoof and it helps A LOT!!!!