Re: RC: 7/1 re: Butler on Barefoot/Strasser/fads...

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Sun, 1 Jul 2001  8:57:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com> writes:

<< I have to disagree.  I've been watching one of our horses - now 5 years 
old, barefoot all his life and never trimmed - whose club foot is getting 
less and less clubby.  You'd have to look really closely to notice that 
there are different angles at this point, whereas it was obvious when he 
was 2.  That foot was never particularly contracted, however - maybe that 
makes a difference?  >>

Yes, what you are describing is not a club foot--it is just one where the bars haven't worn as they should, so there is too much heel growth.  I have youngsters that do that as well, and I'll think one day oh, my, that one needs remedial farrier work, but then a week later, some bar will have broken out and he will look entirely normal.  Some of these can get one-sided, though, and do need farrier work--but just one or two trims and they will grow normally.  True club footed horses have a distinct different shape to the whole foot.  And a lot of people confuse the two.

Heidi