Instructions
Move your horse to an area that provides dry footing. A stall or a paddock free from moisture works well. Keeping the area dry is the difficult part, since a horse urinates and spills water when drinking from a bucket. Clean the stall a couple of times a day and provide clean shavings.
Soak the horse's cracked heel in a solution of water and salt to remove the scabs. Add a cup of salt to two gallons of warm water and allow the horses hoof to soak about five minutes or until the scabs become soft.
Remove the hoof from the water and dry it with a clean towel. Use a soft brush to remove the scabs on the heel.
Apply an antiseptic ointment--developed for cracked horse heels--to the cracked heel to prevent bacteria from entering it. Petroleum jelly also works well to protect the area from further cracking.
Allow the cracked heel time to heal by keeping your horse in a dry stall or paddock. Allow it to exercise during the day after the dew is dry. Repeat the cleaning process for a couple of days until your horse shows no sensitivity in the heel area.
How to Heal a Cracked Horse Heel
Even with every ounce of prevention possible, a horse develops cracked heels or greasy heels in damp weather conditions. A cracked heel causes inflammation and pain, making it difficult for a horse to walk. One major contributing factor is moisture followed by extreme heat. Since a horse is not designed to be stalled for 24 hours a day, keeping the feet completely dry is impossible. However, there are methods to help a horse's cracked heel heal faster.