cracked hoof between nails ?

[Rosie1994]

My mare is only shod infront. She has always been flat footed and is very sore if she loses a shoe. The farrier says the horn quality is good, but they grow to a certain point and start to 'flay' out at the bottom. In recent months her feet have been quite good, she lost a shoe earlier in the year after escaping from the field, travelling across country and ending up on main road. She was lame after this, but was reshod and was still a bit sore for about a week afterwards. Now in the same foot, on the inside, she has a sort of bulge in the hoof, just at the bottom, between the shoe and the nails, She has a small crack upto 1 nail and then almost across to the next nail. (HARD TO EXPLAIN !) I am using Cornucrescine daily, just wondered if anyone can give any advice or any tips of how to best care for the hoof until she is shod again. (was done almost 3 weeks ago)

[Bay Mare]

It's possible that there's some infection there which will need to be addressed (stuff to use includes milton soak, borax, cider vinegar, cleantrax etc ... there are lots of threads on it. I, personally, can't abide cornucrescine and won't have it anywhere near me or my horse.

Ideally you'd get the flare addressed, the hoof trimmed, a roll put on the toe and infection/thrush dealt with. In addition you could do some conditioning work to help the feet get used to being without shoes and, hopefully, to get some concavity back. You may find that the sole becomes chalky and that some chunks fall out (or even the whole sole) but this isn't anything to worry about, it's just false sole being got rid of.

Can you get hold of or borrow some hoof boots? These will make her more comfortable while she's on harder surfaces.

It depends what you want to do with her but it may be worthwhile leaving the shoes off for a while to let the hoof structure strengthen and get rid of any infection before going back into shoes. It's something that always used to be done but isn't anymore, more's the pity.

[Wally]

Agrree with baymare, Cornucrescene is not what I'd put on feet.

If she needs shoes then so be it, but I'd be trying to get moisture back into the feet. No oil, nothing fancy just good olf fashioned water, walk in a river, find a bogg patch or get somekind of foot bath she can stand in for 20 mins a day.

If the farrier has not detected any infection I'd be surprised if there would be any.

Baymare, I always think Cornucrescene would make a good cake covering! :D :D :D smells better than marzipan anyway.

[Rosie1994]

Thanks for your replies. The farrier had a good look at her foot last time and there was no problem. She definitely has no signs of thrush. I know ideally she would be barefoot, but I've tried it in the past and she just doesnt manage. I know it woould take time for her feet to adjust, but I have to weigh up the 'pros & cons' and I need to be able to keep riding her to help keep her weight down. Unfortunately I'm not near any rivers or streams. I do brush her feet with water, but she is not very good at actually standing with her foot in anything (not keen on water!). The problem area is just in 1 place, the rest of the foot and the other front foot look OK. Can I ask why you both dont like cornucrescine ? 2 farriers have advised me to use it in the past. What do you reckon to things like hoof moist ?

[KateWooten]

I don't know if this might work for you but my trimmer makes me (asks me !!) to put the ponies' water trough in a slight dip and then regularly overflow it so that there is a muddy patch around it that they have to walk through. That seems to be enough to get my lot's hoofs properly moistened.

It's difficult to imagine what's going on with the bulging without seeing it ... but you have to understand the role of 'flare' in your horse's foot situation. Flare is bad because it is the wall of the hoof growing and getting pushed out away from the internal foot structures that it needs to be tightly bound to. It's nasty because the more the hoof wall flares, the more pressure there is on it to flare even more - it's a vicious circle.

If you can find and talk to a good barefoot trimmer in your area - and that is not always possible - and you could give yourself enough time and money to get boots sorted out - I'd definitely give barefooting another go. But dedicated, expensive, well-researched barefoot - with all the suggested changes to the horse's lifestyle, footing, workload (usually MORE work is suggested not less !), boots etc etc. It's not a cheap or an easy alternative in the sort term (although it really does pay off hugely in the long term IMO).

[Wally]

nothing with oils in it, water based, but a hosepipe is the cheapest method.

[MelanieD]

Farrier should mention if there's any infection but don't assume because your farrier hasn't mentioned it there isn't any. A bit of ming around nail holes is practically normal, and not really a huge problem if it grows down and doesn't spread and start causing lost shoes and cracks. I've made the mistake of assuming my farrier would tell me about any infection, when she had her shoes off the ming in the hoof wall was spectacular and farrier had never mentioned it.

Soaking in borax is good, if there isn't infection then at least the feet have had some water and if there is infection then borax really makes the bugs have a bad day :)

[Rosie1994]

Thanks. Sorry my ignorance, but what is Borax, I have heard the name but cant think what it is. Where do I get it and how much do I use to soak the foot in ? I suppose I can do that anyway, it wont do any harm will it.

[MelanieD]

Borax is sold as a laundry thing in some braches of boots, or think its sold on greenshop or something like that on the internet. Think its 2 teaspoons to a gallon of water, I just put some borax in some water and then deposit foot in the bucket.

[mayoguinness]

I got some from Asda!!

[cc rider]

my mare is shod on the front only and had cracks up to the nail holes too. nothing to worry about, just growth says my farrier. its because the hooves are dry and he suggests wetting them every day it doesnt rain i.e a good soak with a hosepipe. i also use naff hoof moist too and it seems to have made a big difference.
i dunno. we spend all winter trying to keep hooves dry and free of mud and then all summer trying to get the moisture back in!!!