What is the junction between the hoof wall and the sole?

The white line is the junction between the hoof wall and the sole. The tissues of the white line area contribute to sole protection and help attach the sole to the inner wall of the hoof.

What is the white line on hoof?

Simply put, it is the separation between the wall of the hoof and the sole of the hoof where bacteria and/or fungus can reside and eat away at the hoof. White Line Disease (WLD) is also commonly known as seedy toe, hollow foot, wall thrush, and stall rot.

Where does the hoof wall grow from?

Normally, the hoof wall grows at the rate of about three-eighths inch per month. New layers of hoof wall are produced continuously from just below an area called the coronet at the junction of the skin and the hoof wall (Figure 2c). The hoof wall is covered with material that prevents evaporation of moisture.

What part of the hoof touches the ground?

The frog is a part of a horse’s hoof, located on the underside, which should touch the ground if the horse is standing on soft footing.

What is the sole of the hoof made of?

The sole makes up most of the undersurface of the hoof. It is made up of nearly 33% water, so it is softer than the wall. The structure of the sole is similar to that of the wall, except that it breaks away when it grows to a certain thickness.

What is the corium of a hoof?

Corium: The part of the hoof that produces the new hoof growth. It contains many nutrients and blood vessels that are necessary to produce new hoof growth, as well as a lot of nerves, which makes it very sensitive. It is very much like the quick of the human fingernail.

How do you treat white line disease?

White line disease can be cured. Here’s how a farrier does it. First off, abnormalities in the hoof need to be addressed. 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.

How do you know if you have a white line disease?

White line disease may be diagnosed during a routine trimming when a farrier notices a small area of crumbly or powdery black or gray tissue at the white line. Paring away the damaged horn reveals separation of the hoof layers leading upward from the toe toward the coronary band.

How do you know if your horse has a white line?

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.

What is the most sensitive part of a horse’s hoof?

The sensitive laminae is engorged with blood vessels and is the largest area of sensitive structure. It is located between the hoof wall and the coffin bone.

Why are cracks in the hoof concerning?

Any defect in a hoof wall is cause for concern. Cracks like this are typically associated with a minor, healed trauma to the coronary band that briefly interrupted hoof production. As the hoof grows out, the crack migrates downward to eventually grow out entirely.

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.

Why is horse hoof called frog?

In German, the bottom of a horse’s hoof is called the “frosch.” The frog forms a “V” (triangular) into the center of the sole. This triangular shape of the horse’s pad, it is believed, probably reminded the early railroad men of the triangular area where 2 tracks met, which also got the name “frog.”

Why do farriers cut the frog?

A healthy frog can help farriers balance the foot. Trimming the frog to match the smooth dermal frog will improve function. A thick, big-bellied knife gets closer to sensitive structures and can cause hemorrhaging. Since the frog is in the middle of the foot, that means there are two halves on either side.

What does a healthy horse frog look like?

A healthy frog usually appears broad and flat, with narrow clefts (also called sulci) along the side and a shallow central cleft. The central cleft should look more like a thumbprint, or a wide dip, rather than a deep narrow crack.