I always thought quarter cracks were mostly from dry hooves until I read a study from the University of Kentucky

It said over 70% of the cases they looked at were linked to poor hoof balance and uneven weight bearing, not just moisture. I found it in an old issue of the American Farriers Journal while cleaning out my truck. Has anyone else shifted their trim approach after seeing that kind of data?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley433d ago

Yeah that study was a real eye opener for me too. Totally changed how I look at a hoof now, way more focused on the breakover and heel support.

pat_fisher243d ago

Honestly @riley43, that study is a game changer. It makes you see how a long toe can really mess up a horse's stride. Like watching my own horse before and after a good trim, the difference is night and day. Now I'm always checking where that breakover point is. It just makes so much sense for how they move.

alex_wilson793d ago

Remember that study also made me look at the whole horse. A hoof out of balance is often a sign of a bigger problem up the leg or in the way they travel. So now I watch them walk on hard ground first, before I even pick up a foot, to see where that uneven weight is really coming from. Fixing just the hoof might not be enough if you don't address the cause.