Parts of the Horse's Hoof: Interactive Hoof Anatomy
Learn the 14 parts on the bottom of a horse's hoof, from the white line to the seat of corn. Tap any label to see what it does and what to check, then test yourself on the blank diagram.
- Explore Tap any label to see what the part does, what healthy looks like and what goes wrong.
- Label it Put all 14 names on the blank lines, then check your answers.
- Find it Locate 10 parts on the diagram from their name alone.
Label the parts of the horse's hoof
The bottom (solar) view of the hoof, with the toe at the top and the heels at the bottom.
- Toe
- Quarter
- Heel
- Pigmented Wall
- Unpigmented Wall
- White Line
- Sole
- Frog
- Bar
- Seat of Corn
- Lateral Sulcus
- Buttress of Heels
- Bulbs
- Central Sulcus
Toe
Also called: Front of the hoof. The front third of the hoof wall, around the point of the frog. Takes the most wear and is where the hoof rolls over (breaks over) as it leaves the ground. The wall is thickest here.
What to look for: A toe that grows too long delays breakover and puts extra strain on the tendons at the back of the leg. Problems: Long toe with low heels, toe cracks and flares.
Quarter
Also called: Sides of the hoof. The sides of the hoof wall, between the toe and the heel. Carries weight and flexes a little as the hoof lands. The wall is thinner here than at the toe.
What to look for: The inside quarter is usually a little steeper than the outside one. Compare both sides when the foot is picked up. Problems: Quarter cracks, often linked to hoof imbalance, and flares.
Heel
Also called: Back of the hoof. The back of the hoof, from the end of the wall to the bulbs. Spreads as the hoof lands and takes weight, part of the shock-absorbing back half of the foot.
What to look for: Heels should be wide and give the leg a solid base. Heels that run forward or squeeze together are common faults. Problems: Underrun, contracted or sheared heels.
Pigmented Wall
Also called: Outer wall. The outer, dark layer of the hoof wall. It is the part you see when the horse is standing. Protects the hoof and carries weight together with the inner wall.
What to look for: Colour is only pigment. Research finds dark and white horn equally strong, so a white foot is not a weak foot. Problems: Cracks, chips and flares when the hoof is left too long between trims.
Unpigmented Wall
Also called: Inner wall, water line. The pale inner layer of the wall, between the pigmented wall and the white line. The main supporting layer where the wall meets the ground. It gets thicker toward the ground surface.
What to look for: Every hoof has it, even a fully dark one. On the bottom of the foot it shows as a pale band inside the dark wall. Problems: Separation and flaring when the wall is stretched away from the sole.
White Line
Also called: White zone. The thin yellowish line where the wall joins the sole. Seals the joint between wall and sole. It is the key landmark for farriers: everything inside it is living, sensitive tissue.
What to look for: It should be tight and narrow all the way round. Shoe nails are placed just outside it. Problems: White line disease, a stretched white line after laminitis, and abscesses that track up from it.
Sole
Also called: Solar surface. The bottom of the hoof between the white line and the frog. Protects the coffin bone and the sensitive tissue above it.
What to look for: A healthy sole is firm and slightly cupped. Flat or thin soles bruise easily on hard or stony ground. Problems: Sole bruises and hoof abscesses.
Frog
Also called: Cuneus. The V-shaped wedge in the middle of the sole, point toward the toe, widening into the heel bulbs. Absorbs shock and gives grip. It is softer and more rubbery than the rest of the hoof because it holds more water.
What to look for: A healthy frog is firm and rubbery with no black, soft or smelly areas, and sits roughly level with the sole. Problems: Thrush, a bacterial infection that eats into the frog and its grooves.
Bar
Also called: Bars of the hoof. The wall folds inward at each heel and runs forward along the side of the frog, ending about halfway along it. Strengthens the heel and carries weight.
What to look for: Bars should be firm and straight. Overgrown bars can fold over onto the sole. Problems: Overgrown or folded bars can bruise the sole and the seat of corn.
Seat of Corn
Also called: Angle of the sole at the heel. The patch of sole in the angle between the wall and the bar at each heel. A landmark farriers use to judge heel height when trimming.
What to look for: Clean and the same colour as the rest of the sole, with no red or purple staining. Problems: Corns: bruises in this angle, often linked to shoes left on too long or fitted too short at the heel.
Lateral Sulcus
Also called: Collateral groove. The grooves on either side of the frog, between the frog and the bars and sole. Give grip as they pack with dirt. Their depth roughly follows the thickness of the sole.
What to look for: Grooves should be clean, smooth and of even depth. Grooves that get much deeper at the heel can point to underrun heels. Problems: Thrush packs into these grooves first. Clean them every time you pick out the foot.
Central Sulcus
Also called: Central groove of the frog. The groove down the middle of the frog, running back up between the heel bulbs. Lets the frog flex and spread as the hoof lands.
What to look for: A healthy central groove is shallow and wide enough to fit a fingertip. Problems: A deep, narrow crack here traps dirt and air-starved bacteria, the classic spot for deep thrush.
Buttress of Heels
Also called: Heel buttress. The strong corner at each heel where the wall turns inward to become the bar. Carries weight at the heel and is the first part to touch the ground in a heel-first landing.
What to look for: Farriers trim the heels back to the buttress. Both buttresses should sit level. Problems: On underrun heels the buttresses creep forward and the heel loses support.
Bulbs
Also called: Heel bulbs. The two soft, rounded bulbs at the very back of the foot, above the heels. Cover the digital cushion, the shock absorber inside the back of the foot.
What to look for: Bulbs should be even and should not touch the ground. A deep crease between them often goes with a deep central sulcus. Problems: Overreach cuts and heel bulb wounds, and thrush at the top of the central groove.
Simplified for study. Real hooves vary in shape, and the bars, frog and sole change with trimming, footing and season.
Toe, quarter and heel: what each region does
The wall is one piece, but each region does a different job and fails in its own way.
| Region | What it does | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Toe | Thickest wall. The hoof breaks over here as it leaves the ground. | A long toe, toe cracks and flares. |
| Quarter | Thinner wall that flexes as the hoof lands. The inside is usually steeper. | Quarter cracks and flares, often from imbalance. |
| Heel | Spreads as the hoof lands and gives the leg its base of support. | Underrun, contracted or sheared heels, corns at the seat of corn. |
The wall from the outside in: Pigmented wall, Unpigmented wall, White line, Sole.
How to check a hoof, part by part
Picking out the feet every day is the easiest way to learn this anatomy and to catch problems early.
1. Pick up and look
Hold the foot with the sole facing you. Find the frog first: its point aims at the toe and its back widens into the heel bulbs. Every other part is easy to place once you have the frog.
2. Clean the grooves
Run the hoof pick from heel to toe down each lateral sulcus, working away from you, then flick out the dirt. Never dig hard into the frog itself.
3. Check the frog and sole
Look in the central sulcus and smell the foot. Then check the sole for red marks, soft spots or anything stuck in it. A black, crumbly frog with a bad smell is thrush.
4. Follow the white line
Trace the white line from heel to heel. It should be tight and even, with no gaps, grit or black streaks. Check the seat of corn and the bulbs on the way round.
Where hoof problems start
Most hoof problems begin in one part of the foot. Knowing the part helps you describe what you see to your farrier or vet.
Thrush
Lateral Sulcus. Where: Frog, lateral and central sulci. Signs: Black, soft, crumbly frog with a strong smell. Deep cases make the horse sore at the back of the foot. Read more
White line disease
White Line. Where: White line and the inner wall. Signs: A widening white line packed with chalky, crumbly horn, and hollow-sounding wall above it. Read more
Abscess
Sole. Where: Sole or white line, sometimes bursting out at the coronet or heel bulbs. Signs: Sudden, severe lameness, a strong digital pulse and heat in the foot. Read more
Corns
Seat of Corn. Where: Seat of corn, at the angle of wall and bar. Signs: Red or purple staining in the angle and soreness at the heel, often in shod horses.
Quarter cracks
Quarter. Where: Quarter of the hoof wall. Signs: A vertical crack in the side of the wall that may bleed or cause lameness if it reaches sensitive tissue. Read more
Underrun heels
Buttress of Heels. Where: Heels and the buttress of heels. Signs: Heels that slope forward under the foot, often with a long toe and deep grooves at the heel. Read more
Sudden lameness, heat in the foot or a strong digital pulse? Call your vet or farrier the same day. Do not dig into the sole or white line yourself: anything inside the white line is sensitive tissue, and a deep hole can let infection in.
Hoof triage toolkit · First aid and vitals
More hoof tools and guides
Hoof Triage Toolkit
Quick triage, a supplies checklist and a hoof growth timeline for injuries.
Hoof Knife Sharpening Coach
Keep the knife you use on the sole and frog sharp and safe.
Horse Leg Tendons and Ligaments
Label the tendons and ligaments that run down to the hoof.
Thrush: an evidence-based deep dive
What causes thrush in the frog and sulci, and what actually works.
What is breakover?
How the toe and heel shape the moment the hoof leaves the ground.
Bar shoes: common designs and uses
When farriers use bar shoes to support the heels and frog.
Studying for your farrier certification?
Hoof anatomy is the base of every farrier exam. Keep going with our CF and CJF study flashcards.
Horse hoof anatomy: common questions
What are the parts of the bottom of a horse's hoof?
From the outside in: the pigmented wall, the unpigmented wall, the white line and the sole. In the middle sits the frog, with a lateral sulcus on each side and the central sulcus down its middle. At the back are the bars, the seat of corn, the buttress of each heel and the heel bulbs. The wall is divided into the toe, quarters and heels.
What is the white line on a horse's hoof?
The white line is the thin yellowish line where the hoof wall joins the sole. Farriers use it as their main landmark: everything inside it is living, sensitive tissue, so shoe nails are placed just outside it. A white line that widens or fills with crumbly horn can mean white line disease or a stretched wall.
What does the frog of a horse's hoof do?
The frog is the rubbery V-shaped wedge in the middle of the sole. It absorbs shock and gives grip, and it is softer than the rest of the hoof because it holds more water. A healthy frog is firm, with no black, soft or smelly areas.
Are white hooves weaker than black hooves?
No. Studies have found no difference in strength, hardness or water content between pigmented and unpigmented horn. Every hoof also has an unpigmented inner wall. Cracks and bruises are simply easier to see on white feet.
What is the seat of corn?
The seat of corn is the patch of sole in the angle between the wall and the bar at each heel. Bruises here are called corns. They are often linked to shoes left on too long or shoes fitted too short at the heel.
What are the bars of a horse's hoof?
The bars are where the wall folds inward at each heel and runs forward along the side of the frog. They strengthen the heel and carry weight. Overgrown bars can fold over onto the sole and cause bruising.
What is the difference between the toe, quarter and heel?
They are the three regions of the hoof wall. The toe is the front and has the thickest wall. The quarters are the sides, where the wall is thinner and cracks often start. The heels are the back of the hoof, which spread as the foot lands.
How does the label quiz work?
Choose Label it, tap a name in the word bank, then tap the blank line it belongs on. On a computer you can also drag names onto the lines. Press Check to see your score out of 14. Find it gives you 10 parts to locate on the diagram. Your best scores are saved on this device only.
For education only. This diagram is simplified and does not replace an examination by your farrier or veterinarian.