How can this crack be mended?
Q
My horse has a horizontal crack in one of his hooves. What can be done to repair this? Alice Luck, Powys
A
In simple terms, the hoof wall grows down from the coronary border in a continuous cycle of regeneration, replenishing the hoof worn through abrasion at the ground surface. Accidental trauma at that coronary border can lead to an interruption in growth and a break in this regenerative cycle, observed as a horizontal crack or lesion.
Understanding the hoof wall
The hoof wall helps to support the weight of the horse above, assisting movement and — like a leaf spring — dissipating forces acting upon it. However, when the hoof becomes damaged its ability to fulfil these roles is diminished, and these forces can overwhelm and undermine the hoof. We see this as an increasingly obvious and enlarging crack, that, left unaddressed, can lead to catastrophic hoof loss and lameness (see Before picture, right). Historically we would talk about fixing, holding or immobilising cracks using rigid and inflexible materials. However, while a lot more more research is needed, these rigid approaches can lead to force being focused and concentrated to the edge of the immobilised area, creating pressure on the sensitive structures and resulting in lameness. If we looked at this challenge afresh we might consider an approach that looks to restore normal movement rather than restricting it. By removing the crack and filling it with a material that flexes and moves like hoof, we can restore normal and proportional movement, allowing a window of opportunity for the hoof wall to fully regenerate from top to bottom, free from destructive forces. Fortunately, innovations within modern materials allow farriers to do just that, giving us new opportunities to resolve these issues (see picture, below left). We can now remove hoof lesions and replace the damaged hoof with Imprint Hoof Repair Granules, a material that flexes and moves like hoof. This provides us with the opportunity to regenerate feet and support the welfare and wellbeing of our horses. If you’d like to know more about just how dynamic the hoof wall is, how it can be undermined by hoof lesions and how we can use Imprint Hoof Repair Granules to rebuild and rehabilitate feet, then you can use the website links below:
wellequine.co.uk/resources imprintshoes.co.uk/conditions/hoof-defects