That week in March where every horse seemed to have a hoof crack

I had three different horses in the same week, all from different barns around Lexington, come in with quarter cracks on the same front foot. It was wild. The vet at Bluegrass Equine said the sudden temperature swings from our weird spring weather likely caused it. Anyone else see a spike in specific hoof issues with the changing seasons?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_david3mo ago

Check your horses' feet more often when the weather shifts. I keep a close eye for any new lines or changes in texture, especially around the quarters. Catching a crack early makes all the difference.

nelson.finley3mo ago

That vet theory is a popular one, but I've always seen more cracks in a dry spell than from a quick cold snap.

sage_lewis101mo ago

Wait, so you're saying dry heat is actually worse for cracking than a sudden cold snap? lol yeah, that totally lines up with what I've seen too. I had a gelding a few years back who'd get these tiny hairline cracks in his hooves every summer when it got super dry, even though I was picking his feet and conditioning like crazy. But when winter hit hard with a frost? Nothing. Not a single issue. The vet told me the same thing - dry weather sucks the moisture right out of the hoof wall way faster than cold weather ever could. It's like how your own skin gets all cracked and nasty in winter but ten times worse with the heat. I swear, I've started keeping a spray bottle of water in the barn for just that reason lol.