Club Foot at What age?

[Kaydence]

I thought I knew the answer to this but now I am doubting myself. Can a foal be born with club foot or does it develop later. What is the latest age club foot can develop. If an injury causes an angle to permanently be raised, is it still "club foot" or is it defined differently? Does it matter?

What is the most common age range for club foot to develop?

Thanks,

Cheri

[George Geist]

Hello Kaydence,
It is pretty well known that this is a hereditary problem. The best way to stop it is by not letting the stallion walk up to the mare. The age it develops can vary but I would say you should see it pretty clearly by the time they are a yearling.

The thing which really drives me batty about this is why for some reason it is always (9times out of 10) the off forefoot. Perhaps if there are some veterinarians out there who can give an explanation for this?

I have also heard, (never having been there I cant say for sure to the truthfulness of it) that in the southern hemisphere it afflicts the near forefoot. Maybe some of our friends in the southern hemisphere can attest to that or the falsehood of it whatever the case may be.
George

[calshoer]

Even though it is usually heriditary, at least in unilateral cases (one foot only) there are different ages at which it appears.
"Congenital" club feet means they were there at birth, usually in conjunction with contracted flexor tendons.
More club feet are "acquired" and show up later, anywhere from a few weeks after birth to about a year.

Sometimes an older horse can acquire a club foot if from some injury or foot pain issue that causes a lack of use. I call a club foot that is acquired after an injury a club foot. I don't know what anyone else might call them.

Most acquired club feet (not from injury) show up at anywhere from 6 to about 14 months and in only one foot.
Generally bilateral (both feet) club feet are thought to be nutritional in origin, but it can possibly also be inherited, or at least the tendency toward it.
Patty

[Derin Foor]

It is pretty well known that this is a hereditary problem. The best way to stop it is by not letting the stallion walk up to the mare. George

reminds me of a client I had several years ago who presented me with a conformational 'train wreck' of a 4 year old mare ....... after trimming her, her legs were still crooked...imagine that :eek:

dissatisfied that I didnt 'fix' the mare, the owner inquired what could be done to straighten her out.......I told her if we could go back about 5 years and not introduce the mare to the stallion, we might have a fighting chance

I don't shoe for her anymore :D

Derin

[Jaye Perry]

........

Sometimes an older horse can acquire a club foot if from some injury or foot pain issue that causes a lack of use. I call a club foot that is acquired after an injury a club foot. I don't know what anyone else might call them.

Most acquired club feet (not from injury) show up at anywhere from 6 to about 14 months and in only one foot.
Generally bilateral (both feet) club feet are thought to be nutritional in origin, but it can possibly also be inherited, or at least the tendency toward it.
Patty


Aquired in certain ways- shoeing is one. Here's an 8 yr old with contralateral clubs... RF and LH.... Pics of feet

[Jaye Perry]

Aquired in certain ways- shoeing is one. Here's an 8 yr old with contralateral clubs... RF and LH.... Pics of feet


X-Rays of RF and LF

[Richard K]

Hello Kaydence,

I have also heard, (never having been there I cant say for sure to the truthfulness of it) that in the southern hemisphere it afflicts the near forefoot. Maybe some of our friends in the southern hemisphere can attest to that or the falsehood of it whatever the case may be.
George

I'd love to hear definitions from all of you about club feet (what exactly defines a club foot?)...and which one shows up as club. It's sort of an interesting conversation point. It seems that a horse tends to graze with a chosen foot forward always.

[George Geist]

Loosely defined, generally anything with a natural angle steeper than 60' is defined as a clubfoot. Sometimes they can go as high as 90' and I've even seen them knuckle over forwards.
George

[Dave Purves]

I'd love to hear definitions from all of you about club feet (what exactly defines a club foot?)...and which one shows up as club. It's sort of an interesting conversation point. It seems that a horse tends to graze with a chosen foot forward always.


Is that grazing stance the cause, or effect of the upright foot? My contention is that 99.9% of the time it is the effect. It's simply easier to graze that way when they have an upright foot. Some believe that it's the cause, but when you watch a horse Graze, they are always moving, even if they end up with that same foot back out front, the will only be there for a few moments and then back on the move, it would take years, and years of doing this to result in an upright foot conformation. And if it was the result of grazing, why do the tendons not drop extensively? Why is the fetlock not dragging the ground, if you add that much of a wedge to a normal foot, you will see the fetlock drop considerably, why is this not the case with most upright foof conformations?

Good question
Dave

[Mattfarrier]

Hey,
I read the following article some years ago and it struck a chord. You guys have probably discussed it at length at some point before i arrived but i thought it might help anyway. It would certainly explain why people ( me included) have noted that a more upright foot is often the O/F.

www.horseshoes.com/advice/egray1/eqnasmdx.htm

Please give me your thoughts on this, because i have been known to preach it at times to clients.

Matt :)