This is Kid's left hind hoof that had a coronet band injury when he was a foal. When not trimmed properly, the crack opens and splits down the entire length of the hoof. There is also a second crack towards the toe that was open six weeks prior to this trim but it has since pressed back together and its growing without the crack now. The injury site at the coronet band has damaged where the hoof wall grows in at that spot and may never fully grow completely closed. There may always be a need to relieve the quarter area in this hind hoof to prevent future cracks.

You can see after I rolled the walls that this crack isn't something that will go away any time soon. The crack starts up at the coronet band and actually runs forward into the wall adjoining it. The key to keeping this crack in check is to make sure the wall in this quarter area is passive to the ground. He will more or less be walking on the sole in this area of his foot when it is loaded in mid-step. I also made sure and rasp away any edges of the crack that would potentially catch on anything.

  This is Kid's same hind hoof after the trim.