TIL a client in Austin was told by their old farrier to never trim a hoof with a slight crack, which is just wrong and can cause way bigger issues.

I mean, idk where that advice comes from but leaving a small crack to 'grow out' on a horse that works on hard ground just lets it split further up the wall, and I've had to fix three of those exact cases this spring alone.

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.parker10d ago

But isn't a trim just more stress on an already weak spot? Seems like messing with it could make things worse. I've seen plenty of little cracks just grow out fine with regular trims and good care. Calling it a tear in paper feels like a stretch for something that's basically just a fingernail.

patel.morgan10d ago

Yeah, that old advice is a great way to turn a simple fix into a major rehab job. A small crack acts like a tear in a piece of paper, it just keeps going under pressure. Trimming it back to solid hoof wall and maybe putting a groove above it stops the split in its tracks.

fionat5510d ago

Totally get the paper tear thing. My own attempts at "just a trim" have turned into a full hoof makeover more than once.