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  Discussion on Club Foot, poor angels or straight pasterns?
Author Message
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 4:58 pm:

My filly has always seemed a little straight up and down to me. However, she has one foot that seems a little clubby to me now (left fore). I have noticed that this is the foot that she puts back when she is eating. She's been eating off the ground for the last month as our barn dries out. I read somewhere that this can be an issue if they keep using one foot out front and the other in the back, and the one that is clubby to me, is the one she puts back.

Generally, she seems to be putting more hoof onto the heels, and is wearing at the toe. I'm going to post some pictures. I'm not real happy with them, so I may go take some more.

She is sound and moves well on pavement. She does have an exaggerated trot which they want with the Friesians. So she picks up her feet and puts them down more vertically when she moves out.

She was imported and she did clear her vet check with my vet. She has had a ring on all 4 feet that it is almost grown out. I haven't seen any indication of laminitis, and I do have a foundered mare, so I'm acutely aware what this looks like, and is why I'm noticing the angles in her feet.

I have taken a little off the heels with a rasp to be closer with the frog, so she doesn't look as boxy to me as she was. My pasture has a lot of decomposed granite, and for the most part, I just use a rasp on my other horses to clean them up, but generally, they wear their feet down naturally.

Left Fore is Near
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 5:02 pm:

I know the hair makes this harder to review. Also, I meant Angles not Angels in most post.

I forgot to mention that she is almost 2 years old, about 23 months.

Here are some more shots.Left Fore is Near2
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 5:06 pm:

In this picture the left fore is on the opposite side.Left fore is Far
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 5:10 pm:

In this shot the clubbier foot is on the right. If you look at the ring that is growing out, you can see that the foot on the right has worn more of the toe off. Left Fore is on the Right
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 5:14 pm:

She had about 1/8" more heel before I rasped this foot. Didn't touch the sole or toe. Left Fore Bottom
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 5:33 pm:

Oh, and I found my hoof angle measuring thing. The hoof that looks less clubby is 52 degrees. The clubby foot is 58 degrees. And I'm measuring this AFTER I took off some heel, so it could have been higher.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 6:47 pm:

The foot does not look 58 degrees to me but unfortunately your shots are obliqued and this in combination of all the hair and not being able to see much of the leg makes assessment difficult. Retake them from the absolute lateral side with the horse standing square. Squat down and telephoto in so that the foot, pastern, ankle, and some of the cannon. Just try to get one foot at a time, though if the other is just in the shot that is OK.
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 7:13 pm:

O.K. It's raining, so when I can get a clear, dry shot I will.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:48 am:

Feet look very short but hair makes it hard to tell.

Imogen
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 12:01 am:

I got the horse at the end of January, and she hasn't been trimmed since then except for me just taking a little off the heel.

My husband helped me and I measured again, and they are both at about 52 degrees.

Remember, she is not quite 2 yet, so she hasn't really grown into her adult self/feet.

I think the hair is distorting the look of the feet.

She may be a little steeper than my other horses, but I think she is o.k. I'm going to keep an eye on them.
Member:
Lsweeney

Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 12:10 am:

Interesting article on angles that I found:

https://www.horseshoes.com/advice/propangl/tprphfan.htm
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 6:33 am:

Henry's article is a good review of the subject but I disagree with his conclusions. For our ideas on proper hoof angles see, Care for Horses » Hoof Care » Care of the Hoof: an Overview. I still would like to see those good lateral shots Laurie.
DrO
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