How do you treat hoof wall separation?

There is no treatment or “cure” for HWSD. Management through hoof care and/or the use of special shoes may be attempted, but these options are expensive and labor-intensive. Environmental management and dietary supplementation may also be incorporated to lessen the symptoms and keep the pony more comfortable.

What causes hoof wall separation?

A separation in the hoof wall is considered to be a delaminating process potentially thought to originate from genetic factors, mechanical stress, inappropriate farriery and environmental conditions affecting the inner hoof wall attachment (Moyer 2003).

How do you treat white lines?

The mainstay of white line disease treatment is hoof-wall resection, where a skilled farrier cuts away all three layers of the hoof wall to remove the infected material. A hoof knife or Dremel tool can clear out the powdery hoof wall.

Can a split hoof heal?

“The crack itself is nothing to worry about. It will eventually grow out.” As the horizontal hoof crack nears the ground, your farrier may take steps to stabilize the “loose” piece so it does not break off prematurely. “Sometimes at that point I take out the unattached wall below the crack,” says Moshier.

How much should a healthy hoof wall grow per month?

The hoof wall of a normal adult horse grows at a rate of approximately 0.24-0.4 inches per month At the toe, it takes 9-12 months for hoof horn to grow down from the coronet to the ground surface; at the quarters, 6-8 months; and at the shorter heels, 4-5 months.

What part of the hoof is the most important part?

The hoof wall bears the majority of the horse’s weight and is the most subject to trauma. The hoof wall is visible when the horse is standing. The wall. The wall is related to the papillae of the sensitive coronary band and the laminae of the sensitive laminae.

How do you fix a hoof flare?

A flare in a hoof can be corrected with just trimming, Lesperance says, but a shoe may be necessary in severe cases. “I am fairly aggressive with flares and I like to use my trimming rasp and then my finishing rasp,” she says. “I am not concerned if removing the flare requires me to rasp into the white line.

What is the white line of a hoof?

The white line of the foot can be seen by looking at the sole of your horse’s hoof. The area (that looks whitish) between the outside hoof wall and where it meets the sole is the white line. When this becomes damaged, it allows fungus and/or bacteria to invade and separate the layers of the hoof wall.

What is hoof thrush?

Thrush is an infection of the central and lateral sulcus of the frog of the horse’s foot, most often involving bacterial infection, occasionally fungal infection.

How long does it take to cure white line disease?

In general, resolution takes as long as the hoof wall takes to grow down and fill in the void. If you consider a full hoof wall at the toe requires nine to 10 months to grow, then resection halfway up the hoof means it’ll take four to five months to recover.

What does white line disease look like?

White line disease can initially appear as a small spot where the sole of the foot meets the white line. For more developed cases, it can be several inches long going from one side of the hoof to the other. It has a white, powdery look to it. Scraping it with a nail produces a chalky residue.

How does white line disease start?

“White line disease starts at the bottom of the foot and goes up,” Fraley added. “It originates from hoof wall that was grown six months to a year ago and is now low in the foot, it slowly digests its way up. Again, it doesn’t affect sensitive tissue, just the hard keratin portion of the hoof.”

When should I be worried about a hoof crack?

Cracks that extend more than an inch up the hoof and never seem to grow out and go away can be sign of a chronically unbalanced hoof. Even if the crack is thin and stable, work with your farrier to identify the cause and determine if a new approach to trimming and shoeing might be needed.

How can I strengthen my horses hooves?

Beyond the basics of good nutrition, feeding a supplement containing biotin can also help support your horse’s hoof health. A B vitamin, biotin supports the production of keratin, a protein that provides the structural basis for hair and hoof horn.

How do you treat dry cracked hooves?

Caring for dry or cracked hooves

1. Moisturize only if appropriate. Many people believe horse hooves are similar to human skin and applying external moisture like water, creams and lotions helps them stay hydrated.
2. Treat dry hooves with feed supplements.
3. Clean and check the hooves regularly.
4. Give your horse adequate exercise.