Hoof bars are a continuation of the wall of the hoof, and provide structure and support for the heel. If you pick up the horse’s foot and look at the sole, you will see a triangular shape at the back known as the “frog”. On either side of the frog, the wall of the hoof bends round and becomes the bars, visible as a ridge of horn extending roughly half-way along the frog. If the bars become cracked or damaged due to injury, it may result in lameness as the bars bear a lot of the foot’s weight. Specialist shoes may be needed to address the problem; these should only be fitted by experts.
4 Never attempt to trim a horse's foot yourself unless you are an expert, as you can damage its balance and cause muscle strain and other injuries.
Consult a farrier. If the cracking is severe, he may need to use glue, clips or to fit heart bar shoes while it heals. These are shoes that are completely enclosed and not the normal "U" shape. The heel of the shoe has a triangular support for the heel, which helps support the foot while the bar heals. Alternatively, you may need to fit a protective hoof boot until the crack has knitted together.