Ridecamp: Re: [RC] small feet

IMO, how much weight those small feet will have to carry makes a big
difference.  Just simple physics and arithmetic of pressure per square inch.

There are a lot of fractures and assorted lamenesses that come though CSU
and I can think off the top of my head of at least five or six cases in the
past year or two in which a nice horse with a serious but fixable fracture
was euthanized because of small feet, even when the fracture wasn't anywhere
near the foot itself.  Big horses, usually 1200-1400 lb quarter horses with
big bodies and itty bitty "halter" feet.  In all cases, it wasn't the
fracture that directly killed the horse---it was the long term stall rest
and bearing most of the weight on the opposite non-injured leg that was the
kiss of death---there was just no way to bear that kind of weight on so
small an area and not have the opposite foot founder regardless of
management.  There were a few cases where the owners insisted on trying and
every time, the effort wasn't a successful one.

So I guess my question would be, what other factors exist that will increase
the downward pressure on those small feet?  A larger rider, upright
pasterns, planning on trotting a lot of downhills?  It all adds up, but
forewarned is forearmed in compensating.

Good luck.

Susan G



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