One of my riding friends is having problems with her mares hooves
splitting. This mare had never had shoes and probably very little trimming
until 2 years ago when I got her out of a broodmare pasture and
greenbroke her and we started riding her. She was 10. Last spring my
friend decided she wanted to try endurance and so she started riding with us
regularly and getting her into shape to try Big South Fork this last fall.
Before the race the mare had hairline cracks in her hoof walls. About 2
weeks after the race these cracks started widening and running all the way from
top to bottom. She was taken to the vet and the vet put her on
Redicine(sp) to blister and stimulate hoof growth and said she had bruising in
her hoof walls and not to ride her for 90 days. The mare now has about an
inch and a half of new growth but now the splits are going up from the old
cracks to the top of her hoof thru the new growth. Her soles look fine and
she has never taken a lame step. She is also now wearing Natural
Balance shoes. My friend is hesitant to start riding her again because of
the cracks in the new growth. Has anyone had experience with this sort of
situation? Any advice is appreciated. Linda
Norton
