Don't Rasp the Protective Layer of the Hoof

Don't Rasp the Protective Layer of the Hoof

For those who care mare about their horse's health than cosmetic appearances.

Ever since the domestication of the horse, many different types or breeds of horses have been developed. Mostly, they have been established through rigorous breeding programs, which focus on selection for certain qualities that are most desirable in that breed. For example, various breeding programs have been designed to enhance breed-specific characteristics such as endurance, stamina, speed, agility or simply appearance. As a consequence, genetic factors that control hoof quality have, in some cases, been sadly neglected. That is one of the reasons why many horses need to be shod these days.

In 1949, the authoritative farrier Charles M. Holmes (Fellow, Member, Examiner, Associate and Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers) noted in his textbook ‘The Principles and Practise of Horse Shoeing’ that, “Care should always be exercised by the farrier never to remove any of the periople (stratum tectorium). It was the usual custom some years ago to clean up the feet: in fact a horse was supposed to be very badly shod unless the wall was rasped up from the coronet to shoe, and in cases of carriage horses, the wall was frequently sandpapered as well. Needless to say, this was very harmful to the feet and it was unnecessary work. The removal of this natural covering allows the wall to become dry and brittle and in feet treated in this manner, there is a disposition for the wall to develop toe and quarter sand cracks.”

Unfortunately, worldwide, the majority of farriers finish off the shoeing process by rasping the hoof wall from the top to the bottom of the hoof wall because that is what horse owners expect. It is mainly for cosmetic purposes.

About The Hoof Wall

The hoof wall bears all the weight of the horse. It has been estimated that, at speed, the hoof wall of each foot may be subjected to impaction pressures of around one tonne. It is easy to understand that such impaction pressures would cause serious joint problems if transferred upwards from the hoof wall. To enable the hoof wall to absorb impaction pressures as effectively as possible, it is essential for optimum pliability that the water content is maintained at around 25%. It is the degree of pliability of the hoof wall that determines maximum absorption of impaction pressures.

Excessive moisture loss or dehydration of the hoof wall causes it to harden. The dehydrated and hardened hoof wall cannot effectively absorb impaction pressures, which are then transferred to other regions of the leg, increasing the likelihood of lameness. The dehydrated hoof wall is also prone to cracking and crumbling, leading eventually to premature shoe loss.

By contrast, if excessive moisture is gained by the hoof wall during wet conditions, the hoof wall softens and strength and resilience is lost. A softened hoof wall, which becomes too pliable, cannot optimally absorb impaction pressures. Nail security is also reduced, which is why an excessively hydrated hoof wall may lead to lameness and premature shoe loss.

THE STRATUM TECTORIUM (THE SHIELDING LAYER)

These are the principle reasons why Charles M. Holmes taught that the hoof wall should not be rasped as part of the shoeing process because the outer layer of the hoof wall naturally has a thin waterproof layer called the stratum tectorium (or sometimes called the stratum externum). This thin outer layer of the hoof wall naturally prevents excessive moisture gain or loss from the hoof wall.

Hoof wall is newly formed at the coronet band, which is located at the junction of the leg’s hairline and the hoof wall. As new hoof wall is formed, a layer of cells is added to its surface. Cells within this layer then dry, forming a thin waterproof layer (the stratum tectorium) to protect and help maintain the optimum moisture content of the hoof wall throughout its life.

As it takes around a year or more for the newly formed hoof wall to grow down from the coronet band to the ground level, the lower regions of the hoof wall are exposed to environmental and abrasive conditions for almost a year. It is not surprising then that, even with well-kept horses, the protective stratum tectorium is invariably lost in the lower regions of the hoof wall.

Supportive Approaches

As well as attention to nutritional needs, it is clear that one of the most effective ways to keep a horse’s feet in sound condition would be to preserve the properties of the natural stratum tectorium for the full life of the hoof on all regions of the hoof wall. So, what is needed is a rapid drying, completely non-toxic (for both the horse and horse owner), non-sticky and bacteriostatic/ fungistatic substance that is very easy to apply and mess-free and works in exactly the same way as the natural stratum tectorium.

New growth originates at the coronet band.

Many approaches to hoof care have been developed over the years and horse owners need to determine what best suits their horse and lifestyle. With regard to maintaining the waterproof properties of the hoof wall, a great many water immiscible substances like oils, greases or tars may be used. Application of some of these substances can be messy and it is important to check if they are easily removed during the horse’s movement that would occur during an average day. Interestingly, it has been shown that some oils and greases do offer support for pathogenic organisms.

Other approaches to support hoof health include hardening of the hoof wall, usually by application of a chemical process. Intuitively, this approach will not permit optimum absorption of damaging compaction pressures. Moreover, some chemical processes that are used to harden the hoof wall may have harmful side-effects. For example, one of the chemicals that may be used is formaldehyde. This highly toxic chemical is used by pathology laboratories to harden and preserve tissues prior to pathological examination. A solution of formaldehyde is also used as an embalming agent to preserve human remains for example.

Preventing the loss of the important outer protection of the horse’s hoof is one way to protect your horse and help maintain soundness, so being aware of what methods your farrier uses and the quality of the products applied to the hoof are a couple of steps that can help your horse maintain optimum hoof pliability and reduce regular shoe loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Peter Kay

Almost three decades ago Peter Kay developed a spray-on aerosol product, which functioned in the same way as the natural stratum tectorium. It was bacteriostatic and fungistatic and completely non-toxic. It effectively sealed old and new nail holes after shoeing and protected even the smallest cracks and fissures. Unfortunately, based on its contents, its use was banned by the racehorse industry.

A new and superior, improved version of this unique foot care product that is suitable for use also in the racehorse industry can now be manufactured and distributed within and from the U.K. It is referred to as PRO-STRATEC for optimum hoof health care.

Investors are now being sought for exclusive worldwide distribution. Please contact, Dr. Peter H Kay at peterhkay@gmail.com