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Expert
Posts: 1343
  
Location: East Texas | Is anyone other then me having problems with their horses feet splitting and cracking terribly because of all the wet weather? I have one horse that is extremely bad. The farrier put two staples in to keep a crack from spreading wider (on a back foot), but now his front feet are looking even worse. He was trimmed 4 weeks ago and it was only the back foot that was bad, now the fronts are looking terrible. The farrier comes like clockwork on a 6 week rotation, but he is coming next week to take a look and said that I am not the only customer he has that is calling panicking about their horses feet. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | horsesinharleton - 2015-06-30 11:14 AM Is anyone other then me having problems with their horses feet splitting and cracking terribly because of all the wet weather? I have one horse that is extremely bad. The farrier put two staples in to keep a crack from spreading wider (on a back foot), but now his front feet are looking even worse. He was trimmed 4 weeks ago and it was only the back foot that was bad, now the fronts are looking terrible. The farrier comes like clockwork on a 6 week rotation, but he is coming next week to take a look and said that I am not the only customer he has that is calling panicking about their horses feet.
I have a broodmare like that right now. She came from sandy dry South TX and last spring here in WY we had a lot of moisture from May on and again this yr. Her feet are horrible. Thank gosh she isn't a riding horse. But our plan is as soon as she gets back from being bred, I'm just going to have her trimmed fairly short, to get as much of the cracks out as we can, and then put shoes on. She's out in pasture 24/7 so too far out to try and give her supplements etc. I might try and also put a dressing on her feet, but walking around in tall grass will just take most of it off. Good luck, I know this mare is stressing me out trying to fix her. |
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Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: East Texas | wyoming barrel racer - 2015-06-30 12:24 PM
horsesinharleton - 2015-06-30 11:14 AM Is anyone other then me having problems with their horses feet splitting and cracking terribly because of all the wet weather? I have one horse that is extremely bad. The farrier put two staples in to keep a crack from spreading wider (on a back foot), but now his front feet are looking even worse. He was trimmed 4 weeks ago and it was only the back foot that was bad, now the fronts are looking terrible. The farrier comes like clockwork on a 6 week rotation, but he is coming next week to take a look and said that I am not the only customer he has that is calling panicking about their horses feet.
I have a broodmare like that right now. She came from sandy dry South TX and last spring here in WY we had a lot of moisture from May on and again this yr. Her feet are horrible. Thank gosh she isn't a riding horse. But our plan is as soon as she gets back from being bred, I'm just going to have her trimmed fairly short, to get as much of the cracks out as we can, and then put shoes on. She's out in pasture 24/7 so too far out to try and give her supplements etc. I might try and also put a dressing on her feet, but walking around in tall grass will just take most of it off. Good luck, I know this mare is stressing me out trying to fix her.
This is my new horse that has just barely been started on barrels. I don't want to put any more stress on his feet, so I am just not riding him. Ugh! I am bummed!! We are in East Texas and have seen tons and tons of rain. The farrier said not to put anything on them (which when I see cracks, I immediately think it needs moisture). Anyhow, I hope your mare gets better, too!! |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I have to keep one of mine shod and totally out of the mud. Stall as needed, cross-fenced my pasture to confine her to the part that drains well. I also put her on Smarthoof Ultra. The difference in her feet from a year ago is amazing. I have never in my life seen feet as bad as hers were. |
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Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: East Texas | Three 4 Luck - 2015-06-30 12:33 PM
I have to keep one of mine shod and totally out of the mud. Stall as needed, cross-fenced my pasture to confine her to the part that drains well. I also put her on Smarthoof Ultra. The difference in her feet from a year ago is amazing. I have never in my life seen feet as bad as hers were.
Found them at SmartPak... gonna order some! Thanks! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | Mine aren't cracking and splitting so much as they are staying too wet and soft. Sure is making them sore. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2604
Location: Texas | Hooves are just like your fingernails. After being in a swimming pool for hours your fingernails are going to be soft. Same as your horse's hooves. If they are in the wet dew grass from sun down until late morning the next day when it drys then they are going to be soft. Cracks are not from dryness! If you have toe cracks you probably have the start of white line. Hooves don't need to be mositurized. Keep the horse out of the wet grass and your problems will go away! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 639
Location: God's country...aka TEXAS | Water pulls the natural oils from their feet. Their diet provides these oils and proteins. The excess rain pulls these oils out. So it is necessary to apply hoof conditioner and a hoof supplement to avoid cracks, chips, dryness etc. |
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Wet weather and feet