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Re: [RC] more cowhocked - desertrydr1My own personal observation with two young horses, one developed a clubfoot, and one has a little hi/low, is that the pain of the initial insult to the leg may cause them to leave that foot back because there is less strain on the affected tendons. Clubfoot is actually a result of a contracted tendon in that leg, I don't remember which one, maybe deep digital flexor? The tendons and bone can grow at different rates if the diet is not correctly balanced. The bone grows faster, the tendon can't keep up, so it becomes contracted in relation to the bone length. This causes pain, and causes the clubfoot because the horse is more comfortable with the heel off the ground. So the heel grows longer than an unaffected leg, without proper frog pressure, the frog contracts, Voila!IMHO, there may be a genetic factor which is exacerbated by improper nutrition. The above is based on observation and study of the literature. I posted yesterday about my Shagya filly who broke her neck as a baby, and always grazes with one leg as far back as her hind feet, and the other leg way out in front of her because her neck is shortened by the injury. She doesn't have a clubfoot. The two young horses that I observed both exhibited some lameness prior to developing the longer heel on one foot. Lots of horses of all breeds and types always graze with the same foot back becuase horses are creatures of habit, and they are also sided, like humans, preferring one side over the other for many activities. Not all those horses that always graze with the same foot back develop a clubfoot. Now that I've offered my own theories, I'd be really interested to see what some of our vet members have to say. jeri
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