Re: CMK, club foot etc
Rebecca Hackworth (bechack@cnsii.com)
Wed, 8 Jan 1997 08:51:21 -0800
>Yes it is true, RTMuffin is club footed, but before you all go out and
>start conditioning club-footed Dobbin, you should ask Terry Westlake
>about managing that problem. Terry is a first-class farrier as well as
>an owner of Muffin. He works his ******fanny off keeping that foot just
>right, and for every success story out there I know of quite a few that
>never made it. The severity of the deformity is the most significant
>factor of who will be successfull, but if you have a choice pick a
>horse without it. Club footed horses tend to develope arthritis in and
>below the ankle joint on the affected foot. And Joyce, Thank you for
>your comment that you would not breed your mare. Club feet whether
>slight or severe are HIGHLY heritable.
According to my farrier, the way to correct an inherrited club is to take
the good foot and set it as high as possible. Leave the bars alone. Set
the club as low as possible to match the good foot. Clean out the bars on
the club. Best when the horse is barefoot. Can be done with shoes. Worked
well with my horse, who was not severe, but now can't tell the difference.
Becky Hackworth