How to Prevent Hoof Crack

Hoof crack is a condition common in horses that causes the hoof to become weak and crack. Hoof crack makes a horse unstable and weak. Preventing hoof crack keeps your horse from injury and infections. Horses get hoof crack from many different causes. Do what you can to prevent hoof crack and keep your horse healthy.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Visit the veterinarian as soon as hoof crack appears. One cause of hoof crack is Laminitis--a disease that attacks the hoof, making it fragile and brittle.

2. Walk the horse on softer surfaces. Extensive trotting or walking over hard ground causes the hoofs of some horses to crack. Alternate the surfaces the horse walks on.

3. House your horse in good conditions. Prolonged exposure to damp air or water on the ground makes the hoof too soft. If the horse is housed in a hot, dry climate the hooves dry out and become brittle. Make sure the climate in the stable is between 70 and 80 degrees. If the climate is dry, hose the house down with water three to five times a week.

4. Rub the horn of the hoof with vitamin E two to three times a week during hot seasons. Check the horn regularly to see if it is flexible. If the horn becomes hard, soak the foot in warm water for about 5 minutes.

5. Shoe the horse properly. Improperly shed horses get hoof crack more often than those with proper shoes. The person shoeing your horse needs to be reliable and properly trained.