RC: joint growth on babies

[DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]

A friend who is housesitting for a guy with too many horses is concerned 
about the fetlock joints on one of his babies (about 2-3 months old).  They 
appear to be more knobby than the other colt's who is about two weeks 
younger.  This is a recent change.  I have also noticed it in some baby 
horses, including my own filly.  I worried about it at the time, but she 
didn't seem sore and I didn't have another baby to compare to, so I figured 
it was a part of the growth pattern.   It kind of looks like the joint itself 
as gotten taller.  

She is also worried about the guys' feeding "program" as he feeds all his 
horses  (22 of them--2 stallions, 2 babies, a yearling, 4 2-yr olds, a three 
year old and a bunch of broodmares and one gelding) straight alfalfa hay year 
around with no grain.  This year he has pasture, and several mares and all 
the young horses are on pasture about 8-12 hours a day.  Most of his young 
horses are club-footed or toe out.  My firend has her eye on one baby, and 
has been feeding the babies NORTHWEST SUPPLEMENT (a local brand) which is 
supposed to be a vitamin/mineral supplement balanced for the NW, at her own 
cost.  

Don't even get me started on the ethics of this guy, who is a TOTAL IDIOT as 
far as raising horses, and cuts costs by trimming feet a couple times a year, 
worming and shots once a year and feeding moldy hay to the older horses 
because he doesn't think it will hurt them much.  I begged my friend not to 
house sit for him, and now she just has to make the best of it for the next 
8-9 months.  

Any comments from the breeders out there?  thanks, guys.  jeri