Hoof care guide - Help with hoof diseases in horses

Why is hoof health so important for horses?

Healthy and well-maintained hooves are the basis for the horse's ability to move without pain or consequential damage to higher structures such as tendons, ligaments or bones. In the wild, horses move for at least 16 hours a day and are therefore dependent on a healthy gait. 

If hoof problems in horses remain untreated, they can cause severe pain and lameness in the affected horse, depending on the disease and the duration of the disease. A lack of willingness to walk and a lack of docility often occur beforehand and should be recognized as early as possible. Untreated hoof problems can therefore lead to a loss of performance and cause massive damage to the horse's health, e.g. by becoming chronic and significantly limiting its ability to cope with stress.

For healthy hooves, daily cleaning, regular visits to the farrier or hoof trimmer and correct hoof care are particularly important. hoof care is essential. However, if diseases do occur, they can be detected quickly and treated in good time if the hooves are examined regularly. In the case of hoof diseases, early action can usually avert major damage.

Common causes of hoof disease in horses

The causes of hoof diseases can be very different, but usually stem from incorrect management in terms of husbandry, feeding and hoof care and treatment . For example, inadequate stall hygiene, mattresses, damp and poorly mucked runs, but also extremely hard and stony runs can be husbandry-related causes. Incorrect feeding, e.g. in the form of too much pasture grass, starch or sugar, too rapid feed changes, poisoning due to spoiled or contaminated feed and an undersupply of nutrients can also cause hoof diseases. In addition, inappropriate and irregular hoof trimming and a lack of hoof care without daily cleaning can cause various hoof diseases.

Recognizing hoof diseases - typical signs and symptoms

Visible changes

Typical external signs of a disease or problem on the hoof are cracks, fissures, unpleasant odors, changes in shape in areas such as the white line, hoof wall, frog or pads, black spots, cavities forming, increased hoof temperature or pulsation.

Changes in the horse's behavior

In addition to external signs on the hoof, hoof diseases also cause changes in the horse's behavior. Initially, these behavioral changes require close observation in order to be detected early. 

Initially, the horse loses the joy of movement, appears restrained, apathetic, sluggish, unwilling or stumbles more often. These are the first signs of pain or problems that should be recognized and taken seriously. This is often accompanied by a relieving posture and, with increasing pain, lameness.

Hoof diseases in horses - The most common clinical pictures

To give a brief overview of the most common hoof diseases, the diseases are first briefly described and the symptoms, causes and treatment are shown in the table below. For more in-depth knowledge, we recommend the corresponding blog post.

Thrush in horses

In the case of thrush decay processes caused by bacteria and fungi cause the frog horn to darken and slowly begin to dissolve.

Hoof dermatitis

In the case of hoof dermatitis the tissue of the hoof corium becomes inflamed. A distinction is made between septic and aseptic inflammation of the corium. The septic form is triggered by germs such as bacteria and fungi. The aseptic form is caused by irritation, such as long-term overloading.

Laminitis

Laminitis in horses begins with an inflammation of the hoof corium. As a result of the disease, the hoof corium swells so that the blood circulation in the hoof is disturbed. The swelling cannot expand in the hoof capsule, resulting in severe pressure pain.

In the further course of the disease, there is often a very painful, partial or complete detachment of the hoof corium from the horn capsule. In the worst case, the horn capsule detaches completely (shoeing off).

If the hoof corium is severely detached, the connection between the coffin bone and the toe wall is destroyed. The coffin bone is pulled backwards and downwards by the pulling effect of the deep flexor tendon (coffin bone rotation). As a result, the tip of the coffin bone can even penetrate the sole of the hoof (sole penetration). In most horses with laminitis, the coffin bone also sinks downwards (coffin bone sinking) due to the defective suspension apparatus in the horn capsule. Chronic laminitis begins with the change in the position of the coffin bone.

Hoof abscess 

A hoof abscess is an encapsulated infection in the hoof caused by germs (bacteria and fungi) with severe inflammation.

Hollow wall in the horse

The Hollow wall on the hoof is a separation between the horn wall and the horn of the white line. This means that the wall horn and the horn of the white line or the hoof wall, sole and horn capsule are spatially separated from each other.

White Line Disease 

In the case of White Line Disease (WLD) decay processes caused by bacteria and fungi cause the horn of the white line to darken and decompose. 

Horn split in the horse

Horn fissures are separations in the area of the horn wall in the longitudinal direction, which run parallel to the horn tubes from the coronet band towards the bearing band. True horn splits are always located in two characteristic places on the hoof, at the front in the middle of the toe or laterally at or just behind the widest part of the hoof. A distinction is also made according to location and depth. A deep crack from the coronet band to the bearing band is the penetrating, continuous horn crack. A transverse horn defect is called a horn fissure and is usually caused by former bruises or injuries to the coronary band.

Dry hooves

With hooves that are too dry fine cracks often develop on the entire hoof wall, the hooves become inelastic and are less able to absorb shocks.

Hoof wall broken out

Broken hooves show cracks, splintering and wall chipping in the lower part of the hoof wall. This damage can be superficial or penetrate deep into the wall horn and affect both shod and barehoofed horses. Broken hoof walls impair the function, statics and stability of the hoof and can also lead to pain and lameness in advanced stages.

Treatment of hoof diseases in horses

The treatment of hoof diseases differs greatly between the various conditions. While some conditions can be easily treated by the horse owner with the help of a care product, others require immediate treatment by a vet. In most cases, long-term, regular care by a good and experienced farrier, who may also work together with a vet, is recommended. In the case of hoof diseases, early action can usually avert major damage.

Tips for preventing hoof diseases in horses

Good prevention is better than any treatment. True to this motto, horse owners should thoroughly scrape out their horse's hooves 1-2 times a day. On the one hand, cleaning helps with prevention and, on the other hand, enables immediate recognition of changes to the hoof. This is why you should always take a close look at the frog, sole, white line, corner bars and hoof wall and briefly check whether the hoof is at a normal temperature when you pick it up by hand.

In addition to daily hoof care and checks, species-appropriate husbandry is also an important preventative measure. This involves correct, individually adapted feeding, sufficient exercise, good stable hygiene and suitable exercise areas. Regular visits to the farrier or hoof trimmer are also essential.

Keralit products are also ideal for everyday care to prevent hoof diseases. To prevent thrush, we recommend the following once a week, depending on the type of husbandry Keralit Thrush Liquide or Keralit Undercover. To prevent hoof abscesses, hollow walls, white line disease in unshod horses and cracked or breaking hooves, we recommend one to two weekly applications of the Keralit hoof strengthener. To prevent white line disease in shod horses, we recommend an application of Keralit Undercover. To improve moisture and elasticity, for example to prevent dry hooves, but also to care for the horn, we recommend the use of Keralit Hoof-Elast twice a week.