--- In barefoothorses@yahoogroups.com, "Tibbi Searcher" <tibbi07@...>
wrote:
>
> I have a three year old filly who has developed a quarter crack on her
> front toe. She had gotten a little long and I felt that more frequent
> trimming would clear it up. I've trimmed her twice since the crack
> appeared and things seem to be getting worse. She has now developed a
> small hole between the wall and the sole directly behind the crack.
>
> I described the situation to a farrier that this was due to the
> pressures working against the crack and that the best chance for
> correcting the problem was to shoe the foot to reduce it's expansion
> and allow the crack to grow out.
>
> She has never been shod and her feet are other wise healthy. I've
> picked the hole out and have detected no foul oder or discharge, so
> don't feel there is an infection present. She isn't showing any signs
> of lameness and probing the area doesn't bring discomfort.
>
> I'm doing a basic barefoot trim. Keeping the walls low and rolling the
> toe and quarters to relieve pressure on the outer wall.
>
> Any advice would be most appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Tibbi

Can you post pics?

Very Important Question: Is there new uncracked growth across the top
of this crack?

Has the upward pathway of this crack been stopped? Is the crack just
seeming to break out kind of messy at the ground? That's normal. It
all has to grow down from the top. You have to contain it until it
does and keep the torque off it from getting longer, so it will grow
down and be gone.


>
The horse lands heel to toe just like you. He's even got an arch to
his foot. There is tremendous torque at the toe when the hoof breaks
over it to leave the ground. Are you trimming yourself?....fantastic!!
Do you need shoes?....no, the magic bevel! She's always barefoot, she
isn't tender?....definitely don't need the shoes.

How's your bevel? Your bevel is your ace in the hole for taking the
torque off that crack and everything else, while you wait for it to
grow down and be gone.