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Hoof Growth 
The amount of hoof growing down is constant

A few years ago I looked at my horses feet and went, O MY GOD.   Then I started researching.  A LOT.  In my travels I found a statement that horses grow extra foot on the side that bears weight.   Where you see those 'compression' lines, it's because the horse is growing hoof more quickly there.  That's what I read.

In case that statement is still floating around out there, I'd like to say I think that's not true.  

If somehow you were to dangle a horse's foot in the air long enough for it to grow hoof unopposed, that hoof would grow evenly.   This is because the bottom of the foot is unopposed and there is no force (no ground) pushing back up into the coronet band.   There is still growth occurring -- the cells at the coronet band are producing hoof wall, and that has to grow downward.  Without anything pushing back or wearing it off, it will grow even because there is nothing modifying its shape. 

In real life, we don't dangle horses feet in mid air.  They walk around on the ground, so usually there are other forces at work.  You have the weight of the horse pushing down and the presence of the ground pushing up. 

If the force pushing down is equal in the column and the column is 'square' / perpendicular to the ground and the ground is for all intents and purposes flat, then the force transmitted into the coronet band is even throughout the full ring of growth.  The result will, again, be an evenly grown hoof wall.

If, on the other hand, you put something underneath the dangling hoof, the side that is opposed is going to wrinkle up.  This is because the same amount of hoof is being grown down but there's nowhere for it to go.

In real life, when I've seen this, there is always a flare on the other side of the foot.  

This indicates to me that there is still the same amount of hoof being grown downwards, it is just going to different places.

Therefore, I disagree that there is more hoof being grown on the side with the wrinkles.  To my mind, there is more compression of the hoof on the side with the wrinkles.  It is 'running into the ground' more than the other side.

Books: Amazon Assoc. / Old Favs

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