Quarter Cracks and how they are treated
Big Brown has a quarter crack history.
When you're talking about an injury that Big Brown is dealing with right now, a quarter-crack type injury, it's more an annoyance to a horse than anything else. .
A quarter crack is something that can cause some minor discomfort to a horse, and in a worst-case scenario could prevent him from maybe putting 100 percent of his weight on his hoof which would be debilitating in the long run.
(This is a picture of a severe quarter crack on a horse’s hoof. It is not the picture of Big Brown’s hoof)
The hours leading up to the race would be the critical time to ensure that the plan by hoof specialist Ian McKinlay is viable. Treatment will end today with an acrylic adhesive, which McKinlay said would make that area stronger than the hoof itself.
Quarter crack: It can be a mild superficial sand crack, or a deep fissure that goes through the hoof wall into the sensitive laminae below. Bleeding, infection and lameness are all possible consequences.
Early recognition and correct treatment can save a lot of future trouble. What should you look for? What can you do to help prevent it? How can you treat it? Can you repair it?
The answer is yes. Quarter cracks can be repaired and stitched up with wire that goes through the hard part of the hoof. the wire is put in painlessly and then gently tightened until the crack comes together. After a few days and when the hoof is cool or cold to the touch you can undo the stitches and clean the crack, trim out the bad spots and stitch it back up again.
With time the quarter crack will heal and as long as the horse does not work out and is rested should in time be as good as new.
Unfortunately some horses, such as Big Brown are prone to quarter cracks and his sire also had quarter cracks so it is a hereditary condition at times.
This type of injury is not uncommon, and that there are hundreds of ways to approach the situation.
I'm not saying it won't hinder a horse's performance, but as far as being a cracked bone, it's nothing like that. Some horses, it won't bother. Others who do not have a high pain tolerance, it will bother them.
Quarter cracks, which essentially are defects in the hoof wall that usually can be traced back to stress on that area.
Some horses are able to go back into training in a matter of days as long as it's not a severe injury, it can be stabilized without complications.
Jockeys do not like surprises during a race, and they have to rely on the opinion of specialists. And great racehorses can find a way to run - and win - through pain.
"The adrenaline starts pumping, and great horses do great things through some kind of pain at times. Big Brown's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, hopefully will get a clean break and get his horse into a good position in the longest of the Triple Crown events at 1 1/2 miles.
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