Requesting Advice on Gait Irregularity

[Robin Everett <robin_everett@yahoo.com>]

I'm soliciting some advice here.  Some of you know I've been shopping
for my first horse since about last November.  I've found a really nice
NSH.  He's 10, was campaigned for several years and has 300-350 miles
under his belt.  He was sold back to his breeder and basically has been
out to pasture and barefoot for the last year.  I had him shod so I
could try him out.  The vet (and my trainer) sees a slight gait
irregularity on the right front.  It is not even close to being a
lameness.  He vetted fine except for this irregularity.  Front ankle
X-rays are good - everything looks as it should for a horse that age. 
The vet noticed that the angles of his front feet are not equal.  She
suggested we have them evened up and see if the problem goes away.  I
talked to the farrier.  He explained that the horse, having been
barefoot for so long, and with the right front foot higher heeled than
the left (he doesn't like to say club footed), wore down the right foot
more and needs to grow more hoof.  He said if we try to raise the low
heel, we can crush the coffin bone,and if we try to lower the high
heel, we will cause stress on the DFT.  His plan is to gradually adjust
the feet over 3-4 shoeings.  This all sounds extremely logical and
reasonable to me, and I am inclined to buy the horse.  I do need to
make a decision this week.  Since this is my first horse, I would
appreciate any of you pointing out to me anything I am missing here.  I
will be talking to the vet and my trainer again.

Thanks in advance!
Robin

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