The Gods have finally spoken...

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Danzig

grabbing a quarter is when a horse basically trips himself up, usually one of his back feet hitting one of his front, and possibly taking off a piece of hoof, or the shoe, in the process.
war admiraly famously grabbed a quarter in the belmont, came back to the winners circle with blood all over his underside. the injury was serious enough that they almost retired him. luckily (or else seasbiscuit might not be quite so famous) he was able to return to racing.
a quarter crack is a flaw in the hoof wall, which of course everyone probably saw on big brown-it's like a hangnail in a human, only in this case, a horse is putting about two hundred and fifty pounds on the hoof. it can get pretty serious-and a horse can lose time letting one grow out. a horses hoof is actually made of the same tissue as a fingernail-he basically stands on an evolved toe nail--horses used to have toes, now they stand on tiptoe on the one toe they have left.

I understand all that. What I was wondering is why a quarter crack is worse than a grabbed quarter. My guess is that it's not always worse. It probably just depends on the severity of each. If one horse grabs a quarter badly and takes a huge chunk out of his foot, that would probably be much worse than a minor quarter crack. But if a horse slightly grabs a quarter, that's not going to be a big deal compared to a bad quarter crack.

That would be my guess, but I'm not positive. That's why I was asking Chuck. I do know that in the case of Touch Gold as compared to BB, Hofmans said that the grabbed quarter was nothing compared to BB's quarter crack.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I understand all that. What I was wondering is why a quarter crack is worse than a grabbed quarter. My guess is that it's not always worse. It probably just depends on the severity of each. If one horse grabs a quarter badly and takes a huge chunk out of his foot, that would probably be much worse than a minor quarter crack. But if a horse slightly grabs a quarter, that's not going to be a big deal compared to a bad quarter crack.

That would be my guess, but I'm not positive. That's why I was asking Chuck. I do know that in the case of Touch Gold as compared to BB, Hofmans said that the grabbed quarter was nothing compared to BB's quarter crack.

perhaps a quarter crack would be worse as it is indicative of a hoof weakness, while a grab is just that, a horse injuring himself. once that grows out, you'd think it would be a solved problem. however, with big brown for instance, you have constant worries about his hooves.
they said on tv yesterday ( i think it was the mouth himself talking) that when the hoof guy was first called for BB, he asked if it was the front left hoof-so it sounds to me like he was expecting it, based on work done on big brown in the past.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

perhaps a quarter crack would be worse as it is indicative of a hoof weakness, while a grab is just that, a horse injuring himself. once that grows out, you'd think it would be a solved problem. however, with big brown for instance, you have constant worries about his hooves.
they said on tv yesterday ( i think it was the mouth himself talking) that when the hoof guy was first called for BB, he asked if it was the front left hoof-so it sounds to me like he was expecting it, based on work done on big brown in the past.

I would guess that 90% of quartercracks are on the inside of the left front.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I would guess that 90% of quartercracks are on the inside of the left front.

really? i wonder why.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

really? i wonder why.

left hand turns

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

left hand turns

that makes sense, now that you say that. do you agree with the folks who think the horses should train in opposite directions from day to day? i don't see what it would hurt.
like the local gym, walk to the left today...

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

that makes sense, now that you say that. do you agree with the folks who think the horses should train in opposite directions from day to day? i don't see what it would hurt.
like the local gym, walk to the left today...

I suppose it couldnt hurt

Originally Posted by Danzig

that makes sense, now that you say that. do you agree with the folks who think the horses should train in opposite directions from day to day? i don't see what it would hurt.
like the local gym, walk to the left today...

I did that on the track as much as possible.
With the crosscountry kids also. During the same workout.

Hope you can get back into your routine.

Originally Posted by Danzig

really? i wonder why.

Now this is very interesting.
I know someone has put an impulse pad down
to ascertain the force applied at all points on
a hoof through the duration of the hoof strike.

It has to have been done. Its easy.
Cornell, ATM or some school with large
animal research has got to have this info.

Europe... Horses that run the other way.
I wonder what the % is there.

Geek overload.
Excuse please.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Europe... Horses that run the other way.
I wonder what the % is there.

Geek overload.
Excuse please.

Quarter cracks are practically non-existant in Europe. I believe the reason that they are so common here is because of the sandy surfaces here. Because of the sandy surfaces here, the horses' feet get all dried out and are prone to cracking.

In addition, the surfaces are much firmer over here.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Now this is very interesting.
I know someone has put an impulse pad down
to ascertain the force applied at all points on
a hoof through the duration of the hoof strike.

It has to have been done. Its easy.
Cornell, ATM or some school with large
animal research has got to have this info.

Cornell and A&M are cow schools

I just told you why

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Cornell and A&M are cow schools

I just told you why

Yes you did and I did not see it in time.
So 90% in Europe on the other side?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I understand all that. What I was wondering is why a quarter crack is worse than a grabbed quarter. My guess is that it's not always worse. It probably just depends on the severity of each. If one horse grabs a quarter badly and takes a huge chunk out of his foot, that would probably be much worse than a minor quarter crack. But if a horse slightly grabs a quarter, that's not going to be a big deal compared to a bad quarter crack.

That would be my guess, but I'm not positive. That's why I was asking Chuck. I do know that in the case of Touch Gold as compared to BB, Hofmans said that the grabbed quarter was nothing compared to BB's quarter crack.

the danger with quarter cracks is infection underneath the initial crack especially after patching. Infection can just rot out much of the horses foot. With a grabbed quarter it is usually right there in front of you, they dont usually have an infection run deep. Of course this is talking in general terms.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

the danger with quarter cracks is infection underneath the initial crack especially after patching. Infection can just rot out much of the horses foot. With a grabbed quarter it is usually right there in front of you, they dont usually have an infection run deep. Of course this is talking in general terms.

Thanks Cannon.