This article has been edited and approved by Karen Coumbe MRCVS, H&H’s veterinary advisor since 1991.
Hoof cracks in the wall of the horse’s foot can range from being little more than a cosmetic blemish to a serious cause of lameness and pain. They can run vertically or horizontally, when they appear parallel to the coronary band.
A vertical crack that begins at the coronary band is called a sand crack, whereas one that appears to originate from bottom of the hoof wall is known as a grass crack.
To understand the significance of hoof cracks, it helps to know how the hoof wall grows and the way it is structured.
Hoof cracks in horses [806 words]: Structure | Causes | Treatment | Preventing
The hoof wall
The hoof wall grows downwards from the coronary band, originating from “germinative epithelial” cells at the coronet. It takes between 10 and 12 months for new hoof wall to grow from the coronary band to where the sole meets the ground (the “solar surface”). At the heel, the process takes around three months.
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MA VetMB CertEP CertVA MRCVS
Our equine veterinary expert has more than 30 years experience in practice. She is an FEI vet and has attended the past three Olympic and two World Equestrian Games in her role. She has a particular interest in anaesthesia, pre-purchase examinations, ophthalmology and dermatology amongst other clinical concerns. She has been Horse & Hound’s official veterinary advisor since 1991. Karen is part of the Bell Equine team.
