4 year old that’s toed out

[emilykerr747]

Hello!

I’m looking at advice on a 3 year old (turning 4) who’s turned out on a front hoof.

I looked at this horse today which I really liked. He’s very green and has just been backed but I have noticed that he’s turned out at the front on one hoof. He’s still very narrow at the front and I was wondering if there is any chance this could right itself as he ages?

He’s being vetted tomorrow so I will see what the vet says. I was hoping to bring him on to event and move up the levels but I’m unsure if this is likely to cause him any significant issues. Please see the photos attached!

I have discussed with a farrier who doesn’t think it will be an issue. What are your thoughts? Thank you!

 

[ycbm]

If the photo is accurately representing the issue, then that's a really severe twist and I don't think it will change at that age. I'm really sorry but I would not buy him at all, never mind for eventing.
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[ycbm]

Look at the shoe photo. You can see from the nail heads that the foot is landing harder on the left side than the right, because the heads are worn flat on the left and still proud on the right.
.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Agree with above and his front toes are quite long when was he last shod?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I think I'd have shown vet and farrier film of horse standing and also moving in a straight line before committing to any vetting.
Looking at the horse, is he also tied in at the elbows too? That's quite a severe turn on the lower legs, more so on the off fore.
In the photo from the front, it looks like 3 out of 4 hooves are turned out.

 

[Melody Grey]

Was going to say a more ‘square front-on’ photo would help, but if anything, it would look even worse.

Another who wouldn’t buy, especially for eventing. I appreciate he’ll muscle in time but wondering if he’s fundamentally conformationally poor to be hung together like that? I.e not good higher up.

Sorry OP, looks like many a poor OTTB I’ve taken a punt on for £500…some
Turned out ok, some not so much!! …and at least they had stood up to some work, this one is less tested.

 

[ycbm]

The twist also appears to originate below the knee, and if so no amount of widening the chest with work, which will happen, is going to straighten it is so.
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[emilykerr747]

Thanks everyone! I’ve posted a couple more photos to see!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Could you get them to take a photo with the rug off and level? It’s hard to see what’s going on in the chest with that photo but I’d suspect, as @ycbm said, it’s deviating lower down at the knee.

I have one (lame and only intended to be a hack if she comes sound) who was very base narrow but with intense barefoot rehab and physio has started to straighten. Albeit she’s still weird in front, and not sound. She will never event.

 

[Gloi]

A video of him walking towards and away from the camera would be interesting.
I had one toed out for quite a long time and he was really hard on his shoes , wearing one side razor thin in 3 weeks, I changed to boots eventually. He was never unsound because of it though. Given the choice I wouldn't buy a problem if I didn't have to.
The hoof looks quite contracted too, especially for a youngster.

 

[ycbm]

Thanks everyone! I’ve posted a couple more photos to see!

It's really bad, sorry, I wouldn't waste a vetting fee. It should certainly be noted on the certificate and if you insure it will likely be excluded on insurance.
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[Melody Grey]

Sorry OP, I think happy hacker might be a stretch for this one? Interesting that it’s shod on the front even though just recently broken/ I wonder if they’ve tried to shoe to improve the outlook?

I appreciate many would shoe a recently broken horse, so may not be the reason at all….though I wouldn’t.

ETA: shod all round- need glasses!

 

[Equi]

The time to correct it would have been 3 years ago, and if that didn’t work nothing would.

 

[emilykerr747]

Thank you everyone! This has been super helpful. I don’t think I’ll be going forward with the sale!

 

[Orangehorse]

Hard isn't it? I generally agree, but you never know.

A friend's Arab had a terrible twist on its front foot, I hadn't realised how bad it was until I watched them having a lesson one day.
"How is that sound?" I wondered?

That horse lived until 26, sound. It did all Pony Club things including eventing and jumping and showing, Arab racing and covered many hundreds of miles at endurance and just died one day in its field, having been ridden up until that time.
It did some jumping, but not a lot and the owner was (is) nothing but a puff of wind, so it wasn't carrying any weight.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Hard isn't it? I generally agree, but you never know.

A friend's Arab had a terrible twist on its front foot, I hadn't realised how bad it was until I watched them having a lesson one day.
"How is that sound?" I wondered?

That horse lived until 26, sound. It did all Pony Club things including eventing and jumping and showing, Arab racing and covered many hundreds of miles at endurance and just died one day in its field, having been ridden up until that time.
It did some jumping, but not a lot and the owner was (is) nothing but a puff of wind, so it wasn't carrying any weight.

One of my Arab's has a twist in his lower leg but it's not awful and his is toe in rather than out and it's more noticeable when you lift that leg up, his 19 his sound and ridden but not been without leg issues throughout his life it is basically a luck thing I think

 

[AmyMay]

Thank you everyone! This has been super helpful. I don’t think I’ll be going forward with the sale!

Wise decision.

 

[TheMule]

When they’re narrow they tend to toe in, which improves over time.
Steer well clear of this one!

 

[rabatsa]

I had one with something similar. She was a nightmare to keep sound enough to work. The farrier had to trim her every four weeks, take too much off and was lame, let grow too long was lame.

Mine however had been neglected in the hoof department for quite a while before I got her.

 

[dapple_grey]

I think I recognise the dealer’s yard in your photo. If it’s the same one, I spoke to them over the phone before seeing a different horse and was told it had a ‘toe out’. Suffice to say when I turned up to see it I walked away from the sale…

 

[ihatework]

Run away quickly

 

[TPO]

I think you've made a very good call OP in swerving this horse.

If you drop an imaginary plumb line straight down the horse's limb you'll see that the whole limb is rotated and knees face out. This puts extra strain on ligaments and tendons.

Don't knowingly buy a problem

 

[Fieldlife]

I think I recognise the dealer’s yard in your photo. If it’s the same one, I spoke to them over the phone before seeing a different horse and was told it had a ‘toe out’. Suffice to say when I turned up to see it I walked away from the sale…