Divergent hooves
Sandy cracks
The corneum on these kind of hooves is of bad quality and so cracks can originate in the hoof wall.
Cause:
This hoof can have many causes.
A hoof wall that is too long can be at the basis of this problem. This happens when the horse hasn't been to the blacksmith on time.
When there isn't a good perfusion in the hoof, then the waste matter can't drain off properly and so the hoof gets unhealthy.
Because horses in captivity don't have the possibility to stand every day in a river or lake during drinking, the hooves become very hard and less flexible in the summer.
Symptoms:
Cracks in the hoof wall. These can ascend to the coronal suture and because of this a whole piece of the hoof can fall off.
Treatement:
The problem often originate from the inside out, that's why it's advisible to change the environment.
For example, you can put gravel around the horse-through. This tends to a natural wear and so you won't have to do a lot of extra.
Filng the hoof rounf more often is also a possibility.
In the summer you can make sure that the area around the horse-through is moist, so that the horse stands in mud. This will make sure that the hooves get moisted in a natural way.
Underrun heels
If the horse has underrun heels, it seems that the horse leans backwards on the hooves.
Underrun heels are heels that are underdeveloped and have little to no carrier function. The balls of the hoof and the skin rest almost in the floor. These horses are usually not used.
Cause:
- Too short caulhins wherefor the heels aren't supported enough.
- A too narrow shoe wherefor the edges grow over the shoe.
- Taken too much of the heel angle during the cutting.
- Hooves with a less developed frog.
- Narrow backfoot half wherefor the hoof wall gets pressed in.
- Neglection.
Symptoms:
It looks like the horse leans backwards. Because of this the imaginary axis is often broken.
Treatement:
The best remedy is an adapted shoe.
If the imaginary axis isn't broken, a normal horseshoe is applied without wedges. During the next cutting the front of the hoof gets slowly shortend so that the horse leans fewer backwards and the heel grows steeper.
If the imaginary axis is broken, an adapted shoe with wedges had to be applied so that the axis grows back in a right line. During the next cuttin one tries to grow the heel back on and make the stand lasting.
Diseases
Hoof abcess
A hoof abcess is an inflammation of the sole dermis. Because of the formation of pus, there's pressure on the sole and the coffin bone which is very painful.
Cause:
A dirty stable or meadow contribute to a hoof abcess. Also a little stone that has penetrated the hoof or a bruise of the sole can lead to a hoof abcess.
Symptom:
If the horse stands lame very suddenly. This makes things look worse than they really are.
The abcess can be also located higher. The pus will then find a way out itself.
The hoof feels warmer and is painful when you touch it.
Diagnosis and treatement:
By sounding and examening the hoof a diagnosis will be established.
If you want to be sure that the lameness is caused by a hoof abcess, you'll have to cut it out.
If the lameness isn't that bad or you're not sure what's caused is, than it's better not to cut out anything. The body will fight the inflammation itself and in this way the horse has no unnecessary risks for infections.
Another possibility is to let the blacksmith cut out a funnel-shaped hole in the hoof abcess once this is located. Then the pus can get out and the pain and pressure will disappear toghether with the pus. After that you can clean the hoof by putting it in a bucket or hoofbag with sodawater. To prevent further inflammation you can fill the hole with some cotton-wool drenged in Betadine.
Thrush
Thrush is a bacterial infection in the frog of the hoof.
Cause:
If your horse has been standing for too long in a dirty, wet stable, this can be the result. The hooves don't get the chance to dry. Because of this, bacteria get the chance to penetrate the hoof, because it's soft.
Symptoms:
The affected hoof stinks, becomes black and so soft that you can puncture it.
Treatement:
First of all you have to clean the stable and keep it clean. Then all rotting parts have to be removed. You better let a blacksmith do that. Leaving the rotting area open is very important. This way air can get to tho bacteria and they can't stand it.
Besides that ointments like Betadine and Egyptian ointments can help.
White line disease
White line disease is a disease where there's suddenly a complete demolition of the white line or horn wall. The disease doesn't restrict itself to only the white line, as the name may suggest. It can occur in all parts of the outer horn wall.
Cause:
The combination of an agressive fungus with an agressive bacterium is responsible for this disease. They can penetrate through a hole in the white line. Once they're in, they feed themselves with inflammation fluid and blood remains and excrete enzymes and exotoxins.
Symptoms:
Mostly the horse is lame. If you can scrape some granulat horn away with a hoof pick, there's a big chance that your horse suffers from white line disease.
Treatement:
The best thing to do first is to expose the affected area and treat the place with a bacteria and fungus killing product. It is very important to persist this treatement, because micro-elements survive a long time.
Sometimes it is also necessary to remove the entire wall so that oxigen can get in. The fungus and bacteria don't like this.
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