Posted by Patty Stiller on May 21, 2003 at 19:44:10:
In Reply to: horizontal crack/hollow posted by SUSAN PROKOP on May 21, 2003 at 15:52:27:
: I LIVE IN MINNESOTA WHERE WE HAVE HAD A VERY WET SPRING IM NOT SURE IF THAT IS PART OF THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM..MY 13 YEAR OLD QUARTER HORSE HAS A HORIZONTAL CRACK ON THE INSIDE OF HIS FRONT HOOF.IT STARTED AT THE BACK JUST BELOW THE HAIRLINE AND RAN ABOUT 2 1/2 INCHES TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE HOOF AND THEN ABOUT 1/8 INCH WIDE..WELL THE FERRIER CAME OUT AND TOOK A HOOF PICK AND CLEANED IT OUT AND IT WAS HOLLOW NOW ITS LIKE A SMALL CRATER...HE HAS NEVER BEEN LAME OR HAS NEVER FAVORED THIS..THE OTHER FRONT HOOF APPEARS TO MAYBE DOING THE SAME WITH A SMALL HORIZONTAL CRACK STARTED THERE...THE BOTTOM OF HIS HOOF IS HEALTHY AND HARD...IM LEAVING FOR S.D. NEXT MONTH HE HASNT BEEN SHOD YET.....PLEASE HELP..
First, please don't type in all CAPS, it is considered shouting on the internet and is hard to read.
To answer your question, it sounds like the horse just blew out a heel abscess,or got overly long heels which curled under and cracked.
It is very common for abscesses to come up the hoofwall and emerge at the hairline. If your farrier feels the area is strong enough to go without a shoe, and the horse is not lame, don't worry.
You should see new hoofwall growing in from the top, and the removed heel will have more wall at the ground for support very soon, if not already. The gap in the wall is of no importance unless you are showing in 'showmanship at halter' classes.In that case the area can be filled with hoof repair material. Patty