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Re: [RC] Club feet-vet/farrier advice requested? - heidiPlease Reply to: Sheila Larsen Sheila_Larsen@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== How about a vet or farrier weighing in on this? It was my understanding that a true club foot was actually from a problem with the coffin bone. I believe, but don't know for certain, that improper trimming or high-low syndrome can change the angle of the coffin bone so it is no longer parallel to the bottom of the foot. Obviously, not good. I had x-rays taken to confirm what was going on. I know there are horses out there that are high-low/club footed that are competing. Maybe my question is more academic than practical? I tried looking it up quickly on the internet but didn't have time to fully research it. You are right that there is a difference between actual "club feet" and having high-low syndrome. (Although high-low syndrome, left totally unchecked, can sometimes lead to a club foot...) Although there may be familial tendencies, the main cause of high-low syndrome seems to be confinement. Feral horses brought in from the range with decent feet will frequently develop high-low syndrome in captivity if not given regular farrier care, and my experience with it in various other breeds is similar. Club feet CAN develop due to contracted tendons, but having a horse living in a small space where they tend to repeatedly follow the same patterns, turning the same way, etc. seems to be the #1 cause. Most cases of high-low syndrome can actually be corrected by a good farrier that understands what to do. All horses are one-sided to some extent, and those that are more one-sided than others are more difficult to correct. The notion that it comes from grazing, or from short necks and long legs, is bunk. Many horses with high-low syndrome have competed successfully--those with mild cases often correct entirely, and those with moderate cases that don't entirely correct (ie one foot continues to grow differently than the other, even with proper trimming) can still often be managed so that they are brought even at each trimming/shoeing so that they can still have a fairly even way of going. Horses that are actually and truly club-footed have changes to the coffin bone, and generally are not sound, or at least not sound enough to ride. Many farriers call horses with high-low syndrome "club footed" but it isn't very accurate to lump all horses together that simply have feet that don't match. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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