farrier how-to

One Farrier’s Simple

Quarter-Crack
Repair Method
Pennsylvania shoer says this technique is
effective and much easier to apply than others
By Steve Teichman, CJF design leads to failure in several areas, be such an issue. This problem
including: was identified in wartime ship

I
’d like to share a step-by-step
quarter crack repair method that
we have adopted at Chester County
Farrier Associates. For 37 years, we
have been seeing poor quarter-crack
repair jobs, infections resulting in lame
horses and repair failure. We needed to
come up with a simple, easy-to-apply
system.
This is not be an article on how
to shoe these horses. I would like to
assume some base knowledge that the
horse is well-balanced and fit with the
appropriate shoe.
In 2009, we repaired over 20 quarter
cracks. All of the horses involved
remained in work and had no compli-
cations as a result of this method. It is
also designed to be simple for an owner
to maintain, as the repair is meant to be
self-cleaning.
Of the conventional crack-repair
methods, we most often see the stitch
method. Though somewhat effective
in stabilizing the hoof, it is plagued
by failure, even when applied by the
most skilled. Some of these patches are
nice looking, but lack function. Poor
Un-weighting the heel area: This
is a bad move — unless you want to
keep coming back to “patch.” This is a
sure way to make this an uphill fight.
Patches that create areas that
may lead to infection. Patch separa-
tions that lead to small pockets, which
can trap water and dirt, are more of a
problem when you apply adhesives
over wire stitching. The adhesive
may come loose and the wire remains
attached. Other complications may be
caused be repairing over live tissue,
even when you think you are not close
to sensitive tissue. Complicated and
improper drain placement is another
area where infection can bite you
Drilling errors. Let me tell you,
you need to have many hours of prac-
tice before you are halfway qualified to
attempt this. More often then not, hoof
horn is too easily damaged along the
leading edge of a crack. That damage
leads to a loss of strength and sets up a
nice place for infection to set in.
A patch shape that fails along
leading and trailing edges. You
would think by now that this would not
repair. Naval engineers figured that
placing a heavy patch along damage
in the hull of a ship would make the
damaged area as strong or stronger
then the original material.
Wrong! Instead they found that
the patch would fail along its edges.
You need to have a repair that closely
matches the strength and flexibility
of the original material. Matching the
form of the structure is also critical.
These issues make many repair
methods not practical or worth the risk
when there are much simpler and more
effective methods available.
This method dramatically lowers
the skill level needed to successfully
repair any quarter crack. Depending on
the crack and the horse’s occupation,
these patches will stay tight for up to 3
months. They are easy to trim out. As
they grow down you can cut or rasp
through your repair easily. The average
time to apply one is about 30 minutes.
The sample hoofs were all shod
with some form of a heart bar shoe with
significant frog pressure. None of the
quarter crack is un-weighted.

The tools I use for this include the Dremel

(above) bits and fiberglass (left). The fi-
berglass is cut up and mixed with the
repair material. I generally use Equibond
brand of adhesive for all repairs

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 farrier how-to

Simple and fast hoof preparation is done with a rasp or

This is a sample, showing a hoof after removal of an old patch. Dremel tool. I prefer the Dremel, using a large ball-shaped
Trimming was actually able to remove some of the “hump” in burr to round all crack edges, removing wall from the back
the hairline, although not as much as one would like. of the crack.

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 farrier how-to

Using the step of your anvil, bend the patch to the contour of the hoof wall at the
heel. Drill 5/16-inch holes at either end to help maintain perches of the patch. This
is also the time to add drain holes along the center of the patch. I use a 1/8-inch
drill bit for these holes. Notice that these are bit sizes you probably already have
in your truck. Nothing complicated!

Patches are made from 1/8 to 1/16 inch

thick aluminum you can buy at any hard-
ware store. For $5, you can repair a dozen
cracks. The patch extends about an inch
beyond each edge of the crack.

Pads — Strips —
Bends —
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I generally start the patch about 3/4-inch below the hairline, depending on
the crack location. (Some of these pictures show patches that have been on
several months.)
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Deerfield, NH 03037
(603) 463-9454 - Fax (603) 463-9455
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 farrier how-to

This picture illustrates a patch with holes drilled along the

This is a patch without drain holes, fit tight to hoof. You can centerline. Note how the repair is “feathered” toward both
form drains each and every time you place the patch on the the front and rear of the crack. This will help prevent, if not
hoof wall. A 1/16-inch layer of glue will give you a nice space completely stop, new cracks from springing up along the
behind the patch to allow for cleaning and air flow. leading edges.

This is a patch with no drain. This type of patch is used once

the patch is half-grown out and it is applied above the old You can finish the repairs with the same tools. A hand-sand-
crack. This leaves no chance of trapping any materials which ing drum works well and so will a rasp. Again, note the tapers
might otherwise cause cracks. on both the front and back edges.

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