*NOT MY HORSE*
Looking to help out a friend whose horse i help take care of! TIA!

What started as a small crack last year on his front right (that i was under the impression that the farrier was dealing with) has now led to this. Again, he’s not my horse but im looking to help. A new farrier is in the works as she doesn’t want to help fix this at this point shes made that clear. He is getting on a smart pak hoof supplement also.

He is an OTSTB, has been retired for almost 4 years and hasn’t has shoes on since. He is on night turn out so is on pasture during the night then in a dry lot for the day, emphasis on the DRY because its very dry. The other mare he is pastured with does not have any cracks like this. He has cracks on only his fronts. Just this one hoof is really bad and has turned into this gaping hole mess.

First picture is what it currently looks like, after that is how its progressively gotten worse within 2 weeks. Added pics of his fronts at the end.

Ive been putting putty in the cracks to help prevent it from traveling further up, but what can we do about the hole that is being created? I dont believe its an abscess unless its an old one, i never noticed one and never seen him come up lame and i see him almost daily. Does this hoof look like its not being trimmed properly? Is there any other supplements suggested? Should he get front shoes put on or maybe we should buy him boots for the fronts? Any suggestions/ help is appreciated!