What is caudal hoof failure?

The Misunderstood Caudal Aspect Often, when the hoof fails, it fails in the back half of the foot, he said, listing collapsed heels, underrun heels, quarter cracks, heel cracks, and bar cracks as problems that can occur in the caudal area.

What is caudal heel pain in horses?

Caudal heel pain is typically used to describe pain from the heel or back of the foot. A horse with caudal heal pain would respond positively to a palmar digital nerve block. The navicular structures are often included, but the horse could also have pain associated with other structures.

What are the parts of a horses hoof?

A horse’s hoof is composed of the wall, sole and frog. The wall is simply that part of the hoof that is visible when the horse is standing. It covers the front and sides of the third phalanx, or coffin bone. The wall is made up of the toe (front), quarters (sides) and heel.

What is the quarter of a hoof?

The USDA describes the quarters as being on the sides of the hoof wall and that they are the narrowest area of the hoof wall. Without a precise description, it has become common practice to call the caudal area the quarters.

What is pedal osteitis?

Pedal Osteitis means inflammation of the distal phalanx (coffin bone). The distal phalanx or coffin bone is the main supporting bone in the foot of the horse. Pedal osteitis is a common condition or clinical sign but many times it is not the complete diagnosis.

How do you treat heel pain in a horse?

For some cases, there are shoeing changes that can help. “ Round the toe, bring the break-over back, and elevate the heel a bit or support their heel,” Barrett said. “Those things can help, and if a horse responds to that without needing any other treatment, that’s the best-case scenario.”

What is caudal heel syndrome?

Caudal Heel Syndrome, also known as Navicular Syndrome, commonly occurs because heels run too far forward due to lack of trimming.

Does Bute help navicular?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as bute, naproxen, banamine and firocoxib are commonly used to treat horses with navicular by reducing inflammation and thereby easing pain.

What is navicular disease in horses?

Navicular disease affects the front feet of horses causing a low grade bilateral lameness, that usually progresses slowly. In some cases, one foot is affected more than the other causing an obvious lameness. Affected horses may stand with the more painful foot in front placed of the other (pointing).

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.

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.

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

The most important aspect, whether shod or not, is that the foot is appropriately balanced for the horse. What this means is that the horse’s foot has a good alignment from pastern to bottom of the foot (“hoof-pastern axis”), a wide frog, adequate sole depth, and overall symmetry.

What to do when your horse has a cracked hoof?

For long-standing and complicated cracks, the edges of the crack should be held apart by filling the crack with acrylic hoof repair material and further stabilized with fiberglass or acrylic patches stuck over the crack and wires or laces. The foot should then be shod with a full-bar shoe with clips.

Where are the quarters on a hoof?

Quarters. The quarters are located on the sides of the hoof wall. The quarters are the narrowest area of the hoof wall. The hoof wall is widest at the toe and tapers down as it approaches the quarters.

How do you use Keratex hoof hardener?

Apply Keratex to the lower half of the hoof wall, starting above the line of the clenches, ensuring that it is liberally brushed into cracks and into old nail holes. (See B above.) It is recommended that Keratex be applied to the sole of the hoof to prevent bruising.