Serious question, why does everyone think you need to pull the shoe for a quarter crack?

I mean, I've seen this so many times at clinics and on forums. People act like the first step for a quarter crack is always to pull the shoe, reset the foot, and start over. But idk, maybe it's just me, but I've had way better luck leaving the shoe on and patching it in place, especially on performance horses that need to stay in work. I learned this from an old timer in Kentucky about five years ago. He showed me how to use a good acrylic patch and a couple of clips to stabilize the area while it grows out. It keeps the hoof protected and the horse comfortable without the stress of a full reset. I've done it on three different eventers now and they've all stayed sound through the healing. Has anyone else tried patching in place, or am I the only one who thinks pulling the shoe right away can sometimes cause more problems than it solves?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucas_carr2418d ago

My old boss in Ocala had me patch a quarter crack on a jumper mare back in 2018 without pulling the shoe. We used Equilox and two quarter clips, kept her in light work the whole time. It grew out clean in about five months and she never took a lame step. I get why people want to reset, but sometimes that just upsets the whole foot balance when it's not needed.

victor_taylor3217d ago

Wait you patched a quarter crack without even pulling the shoe? That's wild. I've seen guys try that and the whole patch just blows out from the flex. Using two clips makes sense to hold it, but man, I'd be so nervous the whole time. Light work for five months on that feels like playing with fire.