hoofs

Question
I have four horses and all of them have a thin white chalky
line on the top of their wall between the coronal band and the
wall.  Is this some type of fungus or lacking nutrition?  They
are fed alfalfa and strategy feed.  We just moved to the
Eastern part of Washington, so it is a different climate.

Answer
Hi Rian,

Thank you for your question.  If I'm not mistaken, you're talking about a band of chalk-like substance that runs around the top of the hoof, right under the coronet band.  This is a normal part of hoof growth that is less noticeable in dry climates, but that gets a whitish appearance in climates with more moisture (like where you are).  There is no need to worry about the appearance of that line, but just remember that it does indicate the hoof is a little softer courtesy of the moisture.  In the dry climates the hoof tends to crack where in the wet climate the hoof will break off easily.  You can improve hoof hardness in any climate be feeding a hoof supplement that includes Zinc, Biotin and Methionine.  This type of supplement will improve hoof health overall, but in your case will not change the appearance of that line.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, Corlena