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Common Horse Foot Ailments

ABCESS
An abscess is an infection of the sensitive tissue of the hoof. These infections are sometimes known as "gravels" or "pus pockets", and are usually contained within the hoof. They can be caused by a puncture wound or simply by the trapping of anaerobic bacteria (found in mud and manure) by the natural expansion and contraction of the hoof. We see abscesses after a rain followed by warm weather. Moist warm environments help to facilitiy bacteria growth. An abscess may also develop where necrotic tissue is present, for example as a result of a severe laminitis. An abscess is very painful to a horse. Imagine having a boil on the bottom of your foot. Then trying to walk. It is painful!

QUARTER CRACK
Quarter Cracks are just that. Cracks that occur in the quarter part of the hoof. The toe of the hoof has the thinest wall, moving back to the frog, the hoof wall is thicker and stronger. Most quarter cracks occur in the front of hoof wall and if left untreated may result in lameness.

WHITE LINE
The deterioration that happens on the inner part of the wall of the horse’s hoof. The reason it is called White Line is that this is in reference to the area of the inner layer of the hoof wall, which is white.

FOUNDER
Founder- Is a maritime term meaning "sinking". Founder is secondary to laminitis and is the sinking of the pedal or coffin bone in the hoof.

LAMINITIS
Laminitis/Founder is a very painful condition of the foot. It is a failure of the attachment of the coffin or pedal bone and the inner hoof wall. In a healthy foot, the front of the pedal bone would be parallel with the hoof. The pedal bone is attached to the hoof wall by two interlocking layers of laminae (strong connecting tissues) and when these tissues for whatever reason get inflamed or the blood supply is disturbed the attachment between the laminae fail. This results in a tearing of the pedal bone away from the hoof wall and due to the strong pull of the deep digital flexor tendon a consequent rotation of the pedal bone within the hoof. This cascade of events can result in varying degrees of change depending on the inciting cause with worst cases involving the pedal bone rotating so much as to have its tip penetrate the solar surface or the attachment tearing away not only at the front of the foot but all the way around allowing the pedal bone to sink within the hoof.