Hoof cracks are a common but often overlooked issue in our equine companions.
Many of us are guilty of trivialising these issues, with ‘It’ll grow out’ or ‘It’s just because of the nails’, but we need to remember that the hooves are vital living tissues that must be taken care of. As the old and oft-repeated saying goes, ‘No hoof, no horse.’
All horses can develop hoof cracks
Both barefoot and shod horses can develop hoof cracks, although a shoe hides a crack in a way that a bare hoof cannot!
The cause of a hoof crack isn’t always easy to determine
Horse hoof cracks can be a primary issue but can also occur secondary to something else.
Horse hoof cracks reflect the quality of the hoof, which is influenced by a number of factors, including:
- Hoof care schedule
- Footing and environment
- Weather
- Nutrition
Failure to maintain a regular hoof care schedule is a cause of cracks as hooves get too long. All horses need regular hoof care year-round, even if they aren’t being ridden or are barefoot. When the hoof is allowed to grow excessively, it will flare around the bottom, and the natural shape will be distorted, allowing it to crack more easily. If you stretch a horse for too long between hoofcare sessions, you risk developing flares, distortions, cracks and hoof wall separations. A crack that starts at the bottom of the foot and works its way up is usually related to flares or distortions.
Superficial hoof cracks are usually related to weather and the environment. The horse’s feet tend to mirror his environment. When it’s very wet, the hooves absorb moisture, which makes them soft and more vulnerable to bruising, abscesses and bacterial infection. On the other hand, an overly dry hoof becomes hard and brittle, so it loses flexibility, allowing the wall to chip or break around the edges or, if the horse is shod, for nails to loosen.
Some people advocate for topical products to help the hooves, but hooves grow from the inside out, so nutrition should always be considered in a horse with poor hooves. Horse hooves and hair require many of the same nutrients, so a horse with a dull, dry coat will likely have poor-quality hooves.
When hoof cracks are less of a concern
Small hoof cracks and chipping around the bottom edge of a barefoot hoof are not uncommon as the hoof grows out and the horse becomes due for his next trim. Shod horses can develop cracks around incorrectly placed nails.
These cracks still merit discussion with your hoofcare provider but are not an emergency.
When horse hoof cracks are a major concern
Certain types of hoof cracks are a major cause for concern and require prompt attention from your farrier and, in some cases, your vet. These include:
- A crack that runs horizontally parallel to the hairline. This is often related to an injury or an abscess. This type of crack is typically an interruption of normal growth extending down from the coronary band.
- Any hoof crack that involves bleeding. If a hoof crack bleeds, the crack is very deep and involves the internal structures of the hoof.
- A hoof crack that involves separation at the hairline. Separation at the hairline indicates that the integrity of the entire hoof capsule is compromised. This can be a weak spot that may eventually become a horizontal crack that allows opportunistic bacteria to enter. If the crack continues to grow, it will eventually reach the load-bearing surface of the hoof, and the hoof can give way completely.
- If there is movement or separation in the hoof on one or both sides of the crack. If you can see movement in the hoof on one or both sides of the crack, this is very serious as it means the hoof capsule has sustained significant injury.
- A vertical hoof crack in the back of the hoof that extends down from the coronary band. This is termed a quarter crack and is usually related to load bearing. These are notoriously difficult to fix, particularly if they are related in some way to the horse’s overall conformation.
- If a barefoot horse develops a hoof crack in the middle of the toe at the front of the hoof. This is an opening for opportunistic bacteria and potentially leads to infection, such as white-line disease.
NOTE: All hoof cracks can open the barrier of the hoof capsule and allow bacteria and fungi in. You can end up with a secondary problem if opportunistic bacteria enter, and you now have an infection to deal with.
Quarter cracks
Located in the back quadrant of the horse’s hoof, a quarter crack is a vertical crack that originates at the coronary band and extends down towards the sole. This type of crack starts internally and only becomes visible when it reaches the surface. The horse may or may not be lame. These cracks are usually related to loadbearing and how the horse moves.
This is a serious type of crack that cannot be ignored, as it reduces the load-bearing surface of the hoof. Your vet and farrier should be involved in treatment, which might require wire lacing and/or a patch or glue to stabilize the area. A therapeutic shoe, such as a bar shoe, may also be needed to take pressure off the section of the hoof below the crack.
Take home message
Hoof cracks shouldn’t be ignored because problems can develop when the hoof’s integrity is compromised.