# Split hoof



## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

Seems like my mare has a split in one of her front hooves. It's not _terrible_, but I can stick my fingernail into it at the bottom and it ends about two centimeters below the coronary band.  There seems to be a crack in one of her back hooves, too, but I can't really tell if it's another split or just a sand crack. And she has some rather big chips in her other back hoof...not quite a quarter dip but almost.

*sigh* I don't get it. I pick her hooves almost every day. We haven't been on the rocky trails in two months. She's on pasture 24/7, has TWO mineral blocks, plenty of water...I water the pasture every other day. How could I not have noticed before? And why did she even get a split? Ugh!

Gonna call the farrier tomorrow and see if he knows how to treat it. For now I told my sister she couldn't ride, and I mixed up some hoof conditioner and put it on all the hooves with problems. (Aloe vera gel, coconut oil, 8 drops tea tree oil, 8 drops lavender oil, 2 drops peppermint oil, some jojoba oil, and a bit of vegetable glycerin.)

I can't help but be worried, not that I'll have to put her down, but that treatment will be expensive and put her out of commission for a long time.

I could use hearing some success stories right about now.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Split hoof =(*

Try hooflex...the sticky pasty kind...work it in the crack really well every few days or as needed and start letting your troughs overflow so she has to get her hooves moist every time she goes to drink. The crack doesn't sound all that bad, but definately have your farrier take a look and see what he says. I think it should be an easy fix...keeping her hooves oiled and a bit more moist will really help. You also might want to look into some special feeds that will help with her hooves.


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## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

My farrier still has to come out and take a look at her, but I've been letting her water bucket overflow like you said, as well as wetting down under one of the trees where she usually stands in the afternoon. I've been hosing her off every day, too, since it's been so hot and her flyspray makes her coat all dirty. So she's standing in mud and moist grass more now. =) I also got some Hoof Heal at the feed store per a friend's suggestion and since I can put it on the goats' feet, too.


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## coltrule (Mar 24, 2011)

*Re: Split hoof =(*

Sounds like your doin all you can, Some horses have bad feet, my filly Lolly (almost 4 years old) has terrible feet and has to have shoes on,her feet crack so bad,no matter what I do,while my gelding Dandy, has perfect feet.


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## Burns Branch Boers (Apr 11, 2011)

*Re: Split hoof =(*

our horses have pretty healthy feet--but every now and then do get cracks, it is normal for that to happen. Right now it is dry at our place and they both had little cracks started.

It is ok if they get a crack-just means you will need to shoe them until the crack grows down. May take a few farrier trips that include shoes.

A great way to avoid cracks is be sure the farrier comes EVERY 6 to 8 weeks. If we got a little beyond this it is when I notice cracks beginning.


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## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

The farrier has always said that my mare has good feet, I think I just wasn't paying attention to how dry they were getting. We've been keeping a good trimming schedule...every 8 weeks, but maybe she should get trims more often during the summer. I know now that I need to pay more attention to her feet, 'cause as the saying goes, "no foot, no horse"!

My little doeling was "helping" me put on my horse's hoof conditioner last night. Silly little thing...she actually licked some off my horse's foot. =P Then she frantically rubbed her mouth all over my leg. I guess it was spicy. xD


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Split hoof =(*

I used a hoof heal on my horses. When it is dry like this I always slapped some on them, it is like a lotion for them. I Ferrier always said my horses feet looked great because of it.

I only do it because it is so dry here.


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## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

The farrier came today to look at my horse's hooves and give her a trim. The good news: the crack is superficial and not a big deal, I just need to watch it and make sure it doesn't get bigger. The bad news: my mare's hooves were really, really dry and brittle. So I need to put on the conditioner 2-3 times per day in addition to flooding the area around her water trough. Oh well, ya live and learn...at least she didn't need shoes. =)


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