Noticed more horses with brittle hooves this spring

I've been shoeing for 15 years and I swear I'm seeing way more cracked and chipped hooves this March than usual. Talked to a few vets and they think it's the wet winter followed by a sudden dry spell messing with moisture levels. Anyone else seeing this pattern where you are?

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1 Comment

wright.rowan1mo ago

Oh come on, I gotta call this out. I've been around horses my whole life and I'm not buying that it's the weather. Spring always brings some hoof issues but this year feels pretty normal to me. Maybe the real problem is people switching to those barefoot trimming methods or cheap feeds that don't have enough biotin. I've got three horses on my place and their feet look fine, same as last year. The wet to dry thing is just an excuse, bad genetics and poor management are way more likely the cause.