[westerngrl]

My pony has little cracks on three of his feet, they are not over an inch yet but they are worrying me. what can i do to prevent them from getting bigger and fix them? Also my other horse's feet look like they might start to crack too. Yesterday I bought Rain Maker and it seems to make the hooves look better. Is Rain Maker good? is there anything else i should buy?

[Dawn]

Cracks typically come from an unbalanced trim. Or not being trimmed often enough.

[westerngrl]

he was trimmed three weeks ago, his previouse owner was a farrier. He is in a very large paddock and only about 10 square ft are muddy all the time, would hanging around there affect the hoofs? I'm going to see if the farrier can come out and check him over. I'm going to get pictures tomorrow.

[Dawn]

Pictures will help. Be sure to take them from straight on angles and from ground level. Also pictures of the soles.

[westerngrl]

ok, thanks

[Bondedlevity]

with or with out shoes?

My horse had stress cracks in both front feet due to long toes and short heels and the shoes where up to the very toe and could not properly brake over the toe

[westerngrl]

They both have no shoes, I couldn't take pictures today because I left my camera in my dads truck, I do have pictures on my phone but I do not know how to get them on the computer. if it is not raining when my dad gets home I'll run over and get some pictures.

[ryu2832]

Hoof cracks are usually due to unbalanced trim. If the trim is fine and the hooves are still showing cracks, the horses feet have probably been too wet for too long.

Rainmaker will not help your horses feet if this is the case. Find a product with lanolin, no petrolium products (pine Tar, mineral oil, petrolium jelly), and little or no water in the formulation. Olive oil will work in a pinch.

Rainmaker will dissolve the waxy protective layer your horse grows naturally from the coronet band to keep excess water out and make the condition worse.

Until he gets dry footing you won't be able to prevent it probably, but definately don't use Rainmaker.

[v_lady22]

My 16mth old filly is with her trainer doing yearling training and i was just speaking to him and she has got a crack on her off side front hoof which im starting to worry about he said shes a bit lame but hes put a boot on it and is getting the farrier out tomorrow. but he said its happening alot at the moment becasue of the drought as the ground is so hard he said not to worry to much but start greasing her hooves but i am worried about it. do many people put shoes on yearlings and has anyone had there young ones get cracks at this age specialy when they are at training?

[redleaflady]

Cracks can be from inbalanced feet. They can also start when a horse is changing their feet. I have seen a lot horse's feet crack and the center of the frog split (no it wasn't thrush either) before their feet widened. It may mean your farrier is doing something right and changing the feet for the better. Also, if the weather/ground has gone from wet to dry and back again a lot lately, that can cause the feet to crack. They feet can deal with a constant but not a lot of changing in conditions.