Common hoof problems

At a glance

Thrush

Thrush is a common bacterial infection of the soft tissue of the frog, and sometimes the heel. It can affect one hoof or all four. The British Horse Society explains that it develops where bacteria can grow without oxygen: in wet, muddy or dirty conditions, and in feet that aren't picked out, so that muck packs into the grooves beside the frog. Horses with deep, narrow clefts or contracted heels are more at risk, because the frog can't clean itself properly.

Signs. A strong, foul smell when you pick out the foot is often the first sign. You may also see a black, oily or tar-like discharge, and the frog may feel soft or spongy, or flinch when pressed.

What to do. Thrush can usually be treated successfully with prompt care, and typically takes two to three weeks to clear. Your farrier can advise you. Treatment usually means a clean, dry area to stand, with absorbent bedding such as shavings; picking out and scrubbing the foot daily, ideally twice, with an antibacterial solution such as correctly diluted iodine or chlorhexidine; and having loose or diseased frog trimmed away so air can reach the infection. Avoid treatments that seal the sole and keep air out. Call your vet if the thrush isn't responding, the horse is lame, the frog bleeds, or the lower leg swells.

Canker can be mistaken for thrush, because both affect the frog and smell bad. The difference is that thrush breaks down frog tissue, while canker causes abnormal growth: moist, spongy, cauliflower-like tissue that bleeds easily. Canker is serious and needs your vet.

Bruised sole

A bruise happens when tiny blood vessels under the sole are damaged by pressure or a knock, for example from treading on a sharp stone or frozen ground, or from a lot of work on hard surfaces. Horses with short heels and long toes are at higher risk, and laminitis can also cause bruising.

Signs. A shorter stride or discomfort on hard ground, mild to severe lameness, heat in the hoof and a stronger digital pulse. Red, purple or yellow marks may show on the sole, more easily on white hooves.

What to do. Contact your farrier for advice. Rest on a soft, deep bed is vital; your farrier may remove the shoe or relieve pressure on the bruise. Uncomplicated bruises usually settle within two weeks. Call your vet if the horse is lame, the bruise is very large, or it isn't improving: pain relief and X-rays may be needed. Bruises can also develop into abscesses.

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of infection trapped between the sensitive and outer layers of the hoof. Bacteria get in through tiny cracks or gaps in the wall or white line, or through a puncture wound, and the pressure builds up and causes sudden, severe pain. The British Horse Society notes that abscesses are more common in spring and autumn, and that rapid swings between wet and dry ground, long gaps between farrier visits and deep bruises all raise the risk.

Signs. Sudden, severe lameness, often in a horse that was sound hours before; heat in the hoof; a strong digital pulse. There may be swelling around the coronary band or pastern, and sometimes a discharge, perhaps bursting out at the coronary band.

What to do. Call your farrier or vet. World Horse Welfare stresses that although abscesses are common, laminitis, tendon injuries and fractures can look similar, so lameness needs to be properly diagnosed. Treatment aims to let the abscess drain, which often brings immediate relief. A warm Epsom salt soak or a poultice can help soften the hoof. If you bandage a poultice on, keep it loose over the coronary band: you should be able to slide a finger between the bandage and the hoof all the way round. Mild abscesses can clear within a few days to a week; deeper ones can take weeks or longer. Ask your vet to look for an underlying cause if your horse keeps getting them.

Hoof cracks

Cracks are splits in the hoof wall. Most run vertically: grass cracks start at the bottom, often because the hoof is too long, and sand or quarter cracks start at the top and may be linked to poor balance or injury. Common causes include poor trimming or shoeing, long gaps between farrier visits that let the hoof overgrow, and poor-quality horn or nutrition.

What to do. Not every crack needs treatment; shallow ones are often only cosmetic. But call your vet or farrier straight away if a crack reaches the coronary band or causes lameness. Heat, swelling near the coronary band or a discharge can mean the crack is infected. Deep cracks may need special shoes, clips or patches to stop them moving while the hoof grows out, which can take up to 12 months. An infected crack must not be sealed, as that traps the bacteria inside.

White line disease (seedy toe)

In white line disease, the inner layers of the hoof wall separate and bacteria and fungi move into the gap. The British Horse Society notes that the exact cause isn't fully understood, but long toes, low heels and poor hoof balance can lever the wall away from the sole, and very wet or very dry conditions and poor nutrition can add to it.

Signs. A widened white line that looks crumbly, powdery or waxy, often starting at the toe, and a hollow sound when the wall over it is tapped. As it spreads, the wall may flare or look dished, and abscesses may keep recurring. Most horses stay sound at first.

What to do. Call your farrier or vet promptly. Treatment usually means removing the damaged wall so air can reach the infection, then treating it daily; most uncomplicated cases respond well with consistent care.

Nail bind

Nail bind happens when a horseshoe nail is placed too close to the sensitive tissue inside the hoof, causing painful pressure without actually piercing it. It can happen even in experienced hands, for instance if the horse snatches its foot away during shoeing.

Signs. Lameness that appears straight after shoeing or up to a week later, with heat and a stronger digital pulse. The horse may flinch when that particular nail is tapped.

What to do. Contact your farrier first, or your vet in more serious or lasting cases. The nail, and often the whole shoe, is usually removed. Early attention usually leads to a quick recovery.

Penetration injuries

If something sharp such as a nail, screw, wire, glass or a sharp stone goes into the sole or wall, it can damage important structures inside the hoof. The British Horse Society describes these injuries as rare but very serious: they can lead to severe infection, long-term lameness or life-threatening complications.

Signs. Sudden, severe lameness, sometimes "hopping lame". The opposite leg may swell from taking all the weight. If the object has fallen out you may not see it, so watch for heat, swelling or signs of infection.

What to do.

1. Don't pull the object out. Removing it could cause more damage, and your vet needs to know where it went in and how deep.
2. Call your vet immediately. They may ask you to send photos.
3. Keep your horse still and calm if it's safe to do so, as moving could cause more damage.
4. If your vet tells you to remove the object, photograph it first, mark how deep it went, and keep it for the vet.

Keep tetanus vaccinations up to date, and keep fields, yards and stables clear of nails, screws and sharp debris, sweeping up after any repairs or farrier visits.

Heel bulb and overreach injuries

An overreach happens when a hind hoof strikes the back of a front foot, often through tiredness, poor coordination or fast work; sharp objects can also cut the heel bulbs. Look for U- or V-shaped cuts or flaps of skin on the heel bulbs, with heat, swelling or lameness. Clean small wounds with cool water or saline, apply firm pressure with clean gauze to stop bleeding, and cover them; call your vet immediately for deeper wounds. Well-fitted overreach boots help horses prone to it.

Laminitis

Laminitis is inflammation and weakening of the laminae, the tissues that bond the pedal bone to the hoof wall. In severe cases the pedal bone can rotate or sink inside the hoof. World Horse Welfare describes it as an emergency: contact your vet immediately if you think your horse might have it. The British Horse Society stresses that there is no "safe season" for laminitis: it can happen at any time of year.

Early signs include shifting weight from foot to foot, reluctance to pick up the feet, heat at the hoof wall or coronet, and a strong digital pulse. The well-known "laminitic stance", rocking back onto the hind legs, appears in fewer than half of cases, so don't wait for it.

While you wait for the vet, don't force your horse to walk. If it can walk, move it to a stable or shelter; if not, make it comfortable where it is and restrict its grazing. A deep bed, ideally of shavings, supports the feet.

Regular trimming helps prevent laminitis: the British Horse Society notes that leaving more than eight weeks between visits may contribute to it.

Other conditions

• Navicular disease affects the navicular bone deep in the heel, usually in both front feet. Horses may shorten their stride, land toe-first or point one front foot, and lameness can come and go. Your vet will diagnose it, and corrective shoeing is often the most important part of managing it.
• Hoof wall avulsion is a severe injury in which part of the wall is torn away, often when a hoof is caught in fencing or a gate. Call your vet immediately.
• Hoof Wall Separation Disease is an inherited condition of some Connemara ponies, in which the outer wall splits and frays, usually showing in the first six months of life. There is no cure, but frequent trimming and special shoeing can help, and genetic testing prevents affected foals being bred. See the Connemara pony profile.

Prevention: the same few habits

Almost every problem on this page has the same prevention advice from the British Horse Society:

• Pick out feet daily, and check for stones, cracks, smells and heat
• Keep to a regular farrier routine, so hooves stay balanced and don't overgrow
• Give your horse somewhere clean and dry to stand, in the field and in the stable
• Feed a balanced, high-forage diet to support strong horn
• Keep fields and yards free of sharp objects

See Hoof care: a practical daily routine and Working with your farrier.