Sand Cracks In Hoof ?

[nikkinoo]

How do horses get these?

is there anything you can do to help/treat them? or just leave them grow out

If Im right they are not as bad as Grass Cracks.

(Can I just clarify Sand are horizontal and Grass Vertical)

Please correct if I am wrong, Just never had to deal with one before.
Farrier was ment to be on yard yesterday but didnt turn up so got to wait till next week now, so was wondering if there was anything I could do myself in the mean time.

Thanks

 

[TheFarrier]

Grass cracks start from the gound surface upwards. Grass cracks are caused by the feet bieng too long or chipping or bieng left too long between visits from your farrier.

sandcracks go from the ground surface to the corronet band. sandcracks are from a verticle injury to the coronet band... they are also grass cracks that have travelled the length of the foot, this normally only happens if the crack was left untreated. These if untreated and located on the side of the foot can turn into a false quarter, This is a bad sandcrack wich can result in the part of the foot growing separate from the rest of the foot (cloven hoof effect)

these types of cracks are normally treated with double clipped shoes to keep the feet stable and prevent the cracks travelling or separating further. Your farrier may groove the top of the crack but this does not always work. These can also be patched over/together with various materials. Stability of the hoof is the main idea behind dealing with verticle cracks of any kind.

Sand cracks are NOT horizontal!!

Horizontal cracks are horizotal.

Does your horse have horizontal cracks? these are not normally an issue and will be from an abcess or injury to the coronet band and have grown down. they will grow out. If the crack is large or open keep it clean to prevent infection in the hoof.

 

[Donkeymad]

Well, I know sand cracks are not horizontal, but I thought they started from the coronary band and went down. Learnt something new today then!

 

[nikkinoo]

ahh right thank you farrier,

yes it is horizontal crack that he has got about an inch long, the horse is stabled and has a huge stable and tends to keep it really clean so no muck in crack at the moment it is also cleaned out daily, its just the more I look at it the bigger I think it is getting.
Going to take a photo tomorrow so I can monitor it.

Is it still ok to ride him ? never been lame or footsore (he has very hard feet as is a bare footer,

 

[TheFarrier]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, I know sand cracks are not horizontal, but I thought they started from the coronary band and went down. Learnt something new today then!

[/ QUOTE ]

Whole length of foot and can start at either end.

If he is not lame then there isnt any reason you shouldnt ride