Posted by Sue on May 25, 2003 at 14:42:54:
I have a 15.2hh gelding with very healthy feet. I feel a bit bad having seen some other people's problems, but there is something wrong with the way my farrier has changed the shape of his feet and the way he walks.
When he came to us his feet were large but he had a normal heel alignment. He has quite sloping pasterns and my farrier now has him with a nicely shaped foot but his heels are quite under-run. He says this is due to the pasterns, but the horse wasn't always like this.
Also he is clumsy and incoordinate when walking on hard ground. I watched him carefully today and its as if he places the point of the frog area down first and the toe does not seem to quite touch the ground.
Is there something wrong with the breakover point?
I'd be really glad to have my horse placing his foot down as if it were not absolutely huge and belonging to someone else, he reminds me of a very flat footed person.
Incidentally when he is ridden he has the most stunning paces but we have had peculiar reluctance to work at times and he's sometimes sore in the sacroileac area.
None of this is anything I've experienced in over 40 years and I've never seen such clumsy feet on a horse. I keep looking at all sorts of pictures and other horses but have yet to spot it.
My farrier says it's all to do with his conformation but he doesn't have any real defects. I don't want to offend the farrier but I have been comparing photos from the past and I really think he's caused this problem.
Your suggestions welcome.