contracted heals

[ctlngrdr]

I'm helping a friend find a horse to purchase . Trainer is also shopping with us. Look at a really nice horse today, 4yr old paint geld, nice mover great manners and training. I liked the horse except that front feet had very contracted heals. I advised not buy the horse. $ 7500 .Trainer says hes ridden plenty of horses with contracted heels that are sound.
Paint with contracted heels am i over reacting? What are the odds that a horse with this can be sound long term? I explained it to them that the chances of navicular and pain are much greater with these feet.
Jeff

[bumfoot SHOER]

I'm helping a friend find a horse to purchase . Trainer is also shopping with us. Look at a really nice horse today, 4yr old paint geld, nice mover great manners and training. I liked the horse except that front feet had very contracted heals. I advised not buy the horse. $ 7500 .Trainer says hes ridden plenty of horses with contracted heels that are sound.
Paint with contracted heels am i over reacting? What are the odds that a horse with this can be sound long term? I explained it to them that the chances of navicular and pain are much greater with these feet.
Jeff
it depends have xrays done befor you buy so that you know what you are getting but under run heals can be fixed and you should not have trouble.

[Bradley-1stChoice]

I'm helping a friend find a horse to purchase . . . I liked the horse except that front feet had very contracted heals. . . .
Jeff


it depends have xrays done befor you buy so that you know what you are getting but under run heals can be fixed and you should not have trouble.

Apples and Oranges.

Or better yet, as there are both heels
Delicious apples and Macintosh apples.

contracted heals and under run heals are not the same thing.

[bumfoot SHOER]

Apples and Oranges.

Or better yet, as there are both heels
Delicious apples and Macintosh apples.

contracted heals and under run heals are not the same thing.
ok so i did not read the post right sorry.but thank you .

[calshoer]

If I were considering buying him and he is clinically sound, then Xrays would be in order to see whats inside before totally dismissing him.

Often contracted heels are just from poor shoeing or trimming practices and can be remedied.
They are usually a symptom of poor hoof balance and incorrect shoeing , not a direct cause of lameness in themselves. However the same things that cause the contracted heels can eventually cause lameness if not corrected.

At only 4 years old there is still a lot of time to correct poor hoof form. If Xrays showed the coffin bones and joints are healthy and the horse is sound, I would buy him.
However if the contracted heels are due to significant club feet, and/or the coffin bones are showing changes ,then I would probably pass.
Just my opinion.

[ctlngrdr]

Thank you patty for very direct and informational answer .
Jeff