January 2003

The Quarter-Crack Curse

The recovery is long, but the cause is simple and may be preventable.

There’s no question our horses’ hooves ūtake a lot of pressure.

Few subjects are as controversial as the cause of quarter cracks. Some farriers insist, “Quarter cracks are always caused by improper shoeing!” Other farriers flatly deny this and point to factors in environment, heredity and injuries to the coronary band and hooves.

In reality, while several factors predispose a horse to quarter cracks, the most preventable ones are related to trimming and shoeing, with incorrect balance of the hoof topping the list. A properly balanced hoof works to even out the pressure on that hoof wall. Pressure, especially uneven pressure, can lead to hoof cracks. …