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  Discussion on Expansion/contraction of crack
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New Member:
Julieb

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2003 - 3:02 pm:

My horse is a gainted horse, unshod since we keep her strictly on our property. She has a vertical crack in the toe of her right front foot, for approx. 1/12 years. The farrier regularly trims her feet and I have mentioned shoeing her to stabilize the crack but he does not seem to think this is necessary. When trimming her feet he cuts a "v" shape in the crack but a few days later it will always begin cracking above the "v" anyway. It seems we have made no progress whatsoever with this. Any suggestions.
Member:
Frances

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003 - 7:54 am:

My TB mare has the same problem - thin vertical cracks at the front of each front hoof. My farrier has also been cutting out the area to prevent the crack spreading, but, just as you say, a few days later the crack emerges from the top of the cut area. The good news is that I've stopped its progress now, by using Keratex Hoof Hardener on it. The crack has STOPPED in its tracks!
Member:
Lala

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003 - 6:01 pm:

Lynn -

Congratulations on your cure!

I want to know the secrets to your success!

How often do you use the Keratex? Do you use it over the entire hoof or just the portion with the crack? Do you use it into the coronary band? What about the drying and brittle effect that some people notice with Keratex, have you noticed any? Is you mare stabled or turned-out? What is her bedding? Is she shod? How long before the Keratex stopped the crack in its tracks!? Do you use any other hoof care products? Anything else we should know?

I'm really not giving you the third degree, just trying to figure out how I might use it for same problem on my shod TB mare and my barefoot two year old who has a dual crack and a small quarter crack.

Thanks, Fiona
Member:
Ryan

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2003 - 1:43 am:

I would think re-evaluating the trims these horses are getting would be a good step. An out of balance hoof can certainly cause cracking, and worsening of cracks. Their has to be unnatural forces to cause the hoof wall to crack. Especially if it is deep. The hoof wall is incredible and durable, so imagine the force needed to cause cracking. Until the 'cause' is dealt with, then it would be difficult to solve the cracking problem.

Just a thought,
Melissa
Member:
Frances

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2003 - 7:10 am:

Fiona: I followed the recommendations in the leaflet enclosed with the Keratex Hoof Hardener, i.e. twice a week for two weeks, and then once a week only. (If you look on Keratex's website, or contact them by email, they now suggest much more frequent application, but I would be wary of that - once a week works very well, and you don't want to overdo the hardening effect.) I apply it to the hoof wall, starting above the line of the clenches, and absolutely NOT on the new growth of the coronary band. You can also use it on the sole and, for thrush, diluted with water 50-50 on the frog.

I haven't found it to have a drying or brittle effect, just a strengthening and hardening one. After the farrier had come and, as usual, cut out the front hoof area to a point above the existing crack, I started the treatment, and the crack just never showed its face again.

I'm not using any other hoof treatment except an oral supplement (Farrier's Formula) to improve the new growth, started at about the same time as the Keratex, so it's early days yet.

My mare is stabled during the day and turned out into bare paddock at night as long as the summer weather lasts. Her bedding is shavings (water-absorbent so not that great I know, but she's at livery) and has always been shod until, 3 weeks ago, I suggested pulling her back shoes to the farrier (she kept twisting off the back hind shoe)and he thought we could give it a try (tired of being called out to replace it!) I did use the Keratex on those newly bare hooves, or at least on the bearing surface, a little more often for the first week to harden them off. So far so good.

The idea with the Keratex Hoof Hardener is to repair and strengthen the damaged horn, and then when you've got a strong dry hoof, to discontinue the Hardener, and start using their Hoof Gel to maintain the condition and repel water.

Hope it works for you!
Member:
Lala

Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 2:35 am:

Melissa - helpful thought re trim, shall ask farrier when he comes next week, have a lot of faith in him. The crack on my mare's front hoof has been reduced over two years from about a millimeter to about hairline width and does not extend up as far as it did, now only goes about 2/3 of way up to coronary band. So, making some progress. My two year old's cracks date to late winter this year and are on a front hoof in the center about half a mm wide, about a centimeter apart and run all the way up to coronary band and then a broader triangular, half a centimeter at base wide quarter crack on outside of hoof. I'm thinking he may need shoes in front.

Lynn - thanks for all the guidance. Sounds like I may research Keratex some more (with your grain of salt on frequency)and then apply after I consult with my farrier. Gel also sounds like great idea. On Farrier's Formula -- I used to use it until I read Dr. O's comment that it doesn't provide enough biotin (and perhaps not enough methionine) to help problem hooves. I haven't used it in over 18 months but about six weeks ago started my horses on Gen-a-Horse and have seen significant improvement -- but whether that is actually more weather related I don't know. Time will tell when I see how they fare in muddy fall and wet/freezing/dry winter conditions. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again, Fiona

Member:
Frances

Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 6:27 am:

Fiona - interested to hear about the Gen-a-Horse - who makes it? Yes, please do keep me posted!
Member:
Lala

Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 10:05 am:

Good morning Lynn,

Gen a Horse is made by Nickers International, based in NY. It describes itself as having 1168 mg of pure biotin per pound, 15 mg per scoop of biotin and 92 mg per scoop of methionine. The scoops are much smaller than a Farrier's Formula scoop, about twice as large as a Cosequin scoop. I feed two scoops a day, one am one pm.

I ordered my initial jar (10 week supply) from American Livestock Supply and then my second (52 week supply) jar from KV Vet Supply based on price comparisons.

In the ALS catalog interested to see a product called Biotin Plus by Paragon that describes itself as having 50 mg per scoop of d-biotin and 500 mg per scoop of d-calcium pantothenate and L. methionine (no amount specified) but happy with the Gen a Horse so haven't tried that one.

ALS has interesting note on its cover that if one goes to its website www.americanlivestock.com one can see a product ranking. Hmm, might be interesting.

Dr. O - haven't reread the article lately on hoof/skin nutrition so not sure if the answer is in there -- what's the difference between biotin and d-biotin? ditto re methionine and L-methionine? Indications and amounts for using d-calcium pantothenate? Thanks.

I take all the descriptions of amounts with a big dose of scepticism from reading all those reports on how supplements' ingredients don't necessarily match what they purport to be. I really think we are in a one step away from snake oil situation and improvements could simply be related to daytime stalling and better weather BUT the gullible consumer part of me says, but no, their coats really seem shiney beyond that and hair growth is definitely faster in bite areas (my colts delight in creating new and interesting hair loss patterns on each other) and scratches areas.

Well probably more than you wanted to know, put it down to procrastinating!

Fiona
Member:
Ryan

Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 10:25 am:

Fiona,
Since, the horse can grow an entire new hoof in about a year. The hoof wall not only generates from the hairline down, but also from for lack of better termenology, from the inside out. Thus you can get great healing in much less than a year. If the inner hoof and outer hoof are not balanced, then you do not have overall balance. Does your horses hooves have flaring in the walls, esp the lower portion? If you took a straightedge to the hoof, from hairline down, is the lower portion of hoof wall at the same angle as about 1" down from the coronary band, or hairline? If their is any deviance at all, the flaring has to be removed, or you will not attain inner/outer balance. A crack should be completely healed in less than a year, the hoof promotes incredible healing. But if the balance is off, then the unnatural forces will continue, and you will continue to have cracking.

Shoeing doesn't heal cracking, I hate to see you shoe for that purpose. The only thing that can get rid of the cracking for good, is the proper balance.
I am not trying at all to say you do not have a very good farrier, but there is a reason the crack has not healed before now.

Also, exercise is imperative to growth and healing. The hoof needs the resistance of the ground (hard ground) to grow structure. If a horse is lame from the crack, then you would need to go at the horses speed for a little time each day, hand walking.

Is their any possibility the horse has become infected in the crack? Maybe a soak in Clean Trax as they are talking about on another post would be in order.

Just some thoughts I was thinking about and thought I would relate.
Melissa S.
Member:
Lala

Posted on Saturday, Aug 30, 2003 - 2:26 pm:

Thanks Melissa for reminding me of the role balance plays. I should have taken pictures of how my 2 yo came back from his two months away this past winter to get backed. He wasn't trimmed the whole time he was gone and came back with extreme outside hoof wall flares that my farrier has been working on since. He has made significant progress. The quarter crack is new over the past few weeks but the center cracks date back to February.

I don't think the quarter crack/chip is infected and am almost positive the other center of the toe cracks are not infected.

I may take some pictures to post so you can see the dramatic difference in condition of the horn related to weather and environment and the actual extent of the cracks.

Re exercise, I'm curious as to how much, if any, more you think I should give the 2 yo. Right now he is turned out 24/7 and has acres to move around in. I started him back in work by lunging him three times about 20 minutes and rode him once for 10 minutes at walk during this past week. He moves short in front so I am hesitant to give him any more work until the quarter crack is healed. I am thinking shoes in front so that the pressure from landing on a lump of clay or pebble or just in general is spread out somewhat so that it does not hurt the cracked area as much. I think I need to refresh my recollection/research quarter cracks a wee bit more in general -- and get several truckloads of sand!

Fiona




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