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Re: [RC] Club Feet - Lynne GlazerWell, you can give your farrier this data point.Bought my colt at 6 months from dirt lot, pasture prior, to a boarding place for the next 6 years where he lived in a large long dirt pen (70 ft x 18 ft). Large year-round grass handgrazing area and a grass turnout. He *always* did the splits to graze, he had long legs that he quickly grew into, but didn't stop the habit until this year when he turned 7. He'd do the splits, same foot forward to eat spilled food from his feeder. He got his first set of shoes at 4, and was mostly shod through Jan of this year. Bare feet since March, I think, for sure. The results? His farrier was here today, 9 weeks since last trim, and we measured his feet. 4 1/2" wide and long, 3" toe. PERFECT, symmetrical feet. All that one foot forward stuff didn't affect him in the least. Changing farriers a year and a half ago helped all my horses. Ember who could only go 5 wks between trims has gone for a year and some of 18 weeks. We did 15 weeks today and 9 weeks for baby Twix. He does have a larger left shoulder but so do most horses. Not enough to affect saddle fit. No barefoot-religion stuff here, but if it ain't broke, I'm not gonna fix it (though we'll do shoes if/whenever it makes sense to do so). 3 hrs of partly rocky ride a few days ago and not one chip. And to blow another myth, he has diagonal white feet, no difference in hardness as often speculated. Lynne waiting for those Easy Boot Epics to be released and greatly enjoying reduced farrier bills! On Dec 16, 2004, at 11:16 AM, amyc wrote: My farrier has done some research into horses with club feet. He told me of several he knows including a national level reining horse, and a high level dressage horse. His theory is that many of them develop the club due to having short necks and always placing the same foot forward while grazing as a youngster. He thinks that is probably why so many Arabians have a front club foot - my mare does - because of their short necks and long legs. He also showed it affected their preferred lead, can't remember if it was for or against the clubbed foot. Anywhoooo, my mare has no problems with her foot, and it is very mildly clubbed. She is mostly a brood mare and trail horse, tho, we haven't done any consistently hard riding with her yet, so don't know how she would hold up. Don't fry me on this, now, I'm just repeating what my farrier told me he believes. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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