Quarter Crack?

[Orca]

In a quarter crack caused by overgrowth (originating at ground level, extending 1/2 to 2/3 up the hoof, not superficial but not raw), what would be the potential management plans in barefoot vs shoed approaches?

 

[okepunya]

In a quarter crack caused by overgrowth (originating at ground level, extending 1/2 to 2/3 up the hoof, not superficial but not raw), what would be the potential management plans in barefoot vs shoed approaches?

Can you show me pics it?

 

[Orca]

I will take some over the weekend, if that would help. Thank you.

 

[FfionWinnie]

If it's getting worse not better then do something before it hits the coronary band I would say. That will probably mean a shoe to stabilise it and the crack filled.

I suspect this isn't something you can address BF - you can change the diet etc but meanwhile I wouldn't let it get anyway worse personally, having seen it in a friend's (shod) horse. He needed an egg bar and it filled as well as rest as it was progressing and through the coronary band.

 

[brucea]

Is your trimmer putting in "scoops"? If so don't.

One of my cobs always has a quarter crack in the same place every autumn. It's the way he has been for the last 10 years. We keep an eye on it and if it looks to be an issue I will unload the crack. Always sorts itself out though.

 

[ycbm]

In a quarter crack caused by overgrowth (originating at ground level, extending 1/2 to 2/3 up the hoof, not superficial but not raw), what would be the potential management plans in barefoot vs shoed approaches?

Barefoot approach. Cut the overgrowth off and keep it off. Feed the horse a low sugar high fibre diet with a mineral balanced with no iron or manganese and high levels of copper zinc and magnesium. Don't trim off flares and deviations, trim only for excess height. Work the horse on abrasive surfaces and wait for the crack to grow out.

 

[Orca]

Thanks. I'm in the process of buying a cob with a Q crack. She has had a trim recently and I have permission from the owner to speak with her current farrier and seek his opinion. I would like to keep her barefoot but I suspect this won't heal (or might get worse - I'm worried about it breaching the coronary band too Ffion) without shoes. I don't mind shoeing the fronts until the hoof has recovered but I don't want to discount barefoot if there is management which has proven to be successful.

Brucea, is your cob unshod? If by unloading the crack, you mean shortening and taking the weight off the quarter, how is this achieved without the help of shoes?

Thanks again.

 

[Orca]

Barefoot approach. Cut the overgrowth off and keep it off. Feed the horse a low sugar high fibre diet with a mineral balanced with no iron or manganese and high levels of copper zinc and magnesium. Don't trim off flares and deviations, trim only for excess height. Work the horse on abrasive surfaces and wait for the crack to grow out.

Crossposted! I might not have control over her diet for a couple of weeks which is why I'm focusing on the hoof itself to start with but your advice will be very useful, thanks.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I think I would try barefoot but if it gets worse then take other action. Pics would help.

 

[Orca]

Thank you. I will take some photos over the next couple of days and add them asap. I'll also mark her hoof while I'm there, so that I can check whether the crack has grown upwards at all the next time I see her.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You should be able to tell from photos or you could measure how far it is from the coronary band. Good luck.

 

[brucea]

Orca - all I do is rasp out a little rounding at the bottom of the crack

None of mine wear shoes. An unnecessary thing are shoes.

 

[Orca]

Thanks brucea. I'm definitely inclined towards the barefoot way if at all possible. The issue I think might be the extent and breadth of the crack. I'm concerned that it may have gone too long without help to recover without a shoeing intervention but I'll collect photos tomorrow to give everyone a clearer picture.

 

[SARAH PAGE]

I would also recommend getting your horse checked by a Physiotherapist. I use Abigayle Williams, as I had the same problem with my horse, and with Abigayle's help we were able to address physical issues, through using correct exercises to rebalance my horse. The result was the limb which had the cracked hoof was no longer being overloaded by my horse being unbalanced, and with the farrier and physio's help and support they got the problem resolved. No need to shoe my horse, she is still unshod.

 

[FFAQ]

Hi, I've seen cracks that a horse had for apparently 2 years grow out within 6 months with careful management and trimming. This was a severely damaged laminitic horse. Previous farrier had advised that the cracks would never go!! They were full length cracks - about 3 on the dorsal wall on each front foot. Not full thickness, but certainly not hairline either. You could get your hoof pick in them and dig out dirt! Incidentally, cracks grew out within 8 months of shoe removal.

 

[missyclare]

Whether its originating at the toe quarter, or the heel quarter, something is too long. The quarter area is the arch of his foot. When the foot is on the ground, you should be able to slide a credit card under this area. (between heel and toe pillar) If you can't, then the quarters have grown out, filled in the arch and is arresting hoof mechanism. Usually the horse will break out the quarters and self-trim and get relief. If not, then its possible that the hoof is too strong to to self-trim or ground conditions not effective, Not enough movement, or the toe, heel and quarters are all too high, or matters complicated by a run under heel. When the arch is filled in like that, the wall takes the brunt alone and jams right up the wall to the coronary band. You'll see an excessive arc upwards in the coronary band right where the crack is and on both sides. This is how sidebone is born. The answer is to get good balanced trims with regularity. Getting the wall even with the sole in length and maintaining that bevel will remove the torque that is ripping that crack upwards and allow it to heal. As soon as that bevel is applied the torque on that crack is gone immediately. As soon as that bevel fades to the ground and you can't get a credit card under there, then the torque is right back on, so regular trims.

 

[ycbm]

Whether its originating at the toe quarter, or the heel quarter, something is too long. The quarter area is the arch of his foot. When the foot is on the ground, you should be able to slide a credit card under this area. (between heel and toe pillar) If you can't, then the quarters have grown out, filled in the arch and is arresting hoof mechanism. Usually the horse will break out the quarters and self-trim and get relief. If not, then its possible that the hoof is too strong to to self-trim or ground conditions not effective, Not enough movement, or the toe, heel and quarters are all too high, or matters complicated by a run under heel. When the arch is filled in like that, the wall takes the brunt alone and jams right up the wall to the coronary band. You'll see an excessive arc upwards in the coronary band right where the crack is and on both sides. This is how sidebone is born. The answer is to get good balanced trims with regularity. Getting the wall even with the sole in length and maintaining that bevel will remove the torque that is ripping that crack upwards and allow it to heal. As soon as that bevel is applied the torque on that crack is gone immediately. As soon as that bevel fades to the ground and you can't get a credit card under there, then the torque is right back on, so regular trims.

Not all horses need or want quarter scoops. The idea that all horses should have them comes from using the wild horse foot as a model, but our horses are not wild. A arc in the hairline can be corrected by building strength in the heel without making the quarters ground passive. Most trimmers in this country are not trained to automatically relieve the quarters from the ground.

OP, you say this crack has been caused by allowing the feet to overgrow. Provided they have now been brought back, in balance, to the right length, the crack should grow out.

 

[Orca]

Thanks all. It's interesting to hear the different approaches even within the same sphere and I do feel confident now that the hoof can be managed unshod.

I wasn't able to collect photos yesterday but I did investigate further. The crack had breached the coronary band! This was hidden under feather. At ground level, the crack is about half to an inch wide but towards and through the coronary, recedes into little more than a 5-10mm scar (which is why I hadn't felt it on the first visit).

Orca was effectively feral until recently. It seems to me, taking all of your advice and experiences into account, that her recent trim has stabilised the crack and the crack is growing out but that the damage to the coronary band is currently causing scaring, even to the new hoof growth. Is this possible?

Either way I will still collect photos because aside from anything, it's interesting to see how the hoof is apparently healing from what once must have been a very painful and potentially devastating injury, unshod.