Posted by Lil Trimboli on September 08, 2003 at 18:34:15:
I have been reading a lot about club feet and that many owners choose to have check ligament surgery. I have a 3 yr old arab with a club lft front. He passed his pre purchase with that vet commenting on a "slight toe in conformation and uneven wear" which didn't concern him too much. The club foot DX became apparent over the course of 4-5 months as we tried to balance him and put him in shoes. The shoe went on and the heels started growing up.
My farrier recommended a vet who specialises in equine podiatry who performed a lameness evaluation. She is now recommending the check ligament surgery, given the degree (stg II), the fact that his hoof tissues are still very healthy and there is no degeneration of bone or joint. She is optimistic that this procedure will enable him to have many useful years.
So to my questions: What are the successes and pitfalls of electing to do this procedure? Can it actually cure a lame horse or am I expecting too much? This is an otherwise very athletic gelding which I had hoped to train for entry level endurance (25 maybe 50 milers). But when I told her I would be happy if he was just sound enough to enjoy our mountain trails and she replied that she thought he could still possibly participate in endurance. How realistic is that?