Conformation - coon footed?

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millyspaniel

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My TB turned 4 in july this year, we had the farrier out to shoe her last week and i asked about her feet as i think her pasterns look too sloped. Been reading up on it here and see that she maybe coon footed - but am not too sure if the angle is that extreme. The farrier seemed pretty confident that it should improve with age but i cant help worrying about it. He didnt mention that she is/could be coon footed -
Does anyone else have any experience/pictures of thier horses with this problem?
 
I have posted some links and a few pics of my mares legs, apologies for the mud!!
theres a link below,
http://www.horseinfo.com/info/faqs/faqconformQ6.html
Basically i just want to know how severe it is/looks compared to the site above. She is only 4 and i was hoping for a long and happy riding life with her
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- she is completley 100% sound.
pics of mares legs, (please dont be too harsh!)
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she is standing on a sorta hill upwards so thats why the angle in the whole leg looks funny - but the pastern angle is similar to how it is positioned when she is standing square.

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I have no experience whatsoever on this subject. I know you said your farrier didn't make much fuss, but I imagine he is the cheapest professional to be able to diagnose something like that, without paying out for a vet. What about if another farrier (if any) at your yard has a look?? xx
 
It wasnt my usual farrier last time, he was away so his apprentice/newly qualified farrier came out, will also be pointing it out to my usual farrier aswell.
Just wondered if anyone had any ideas from the pics?
 
It's quite hard to make a definite decision as she is standing at an angle. I think the only way is to take another photo with her standing on a level concrete surface and then it might be possible to see if she is coon footed - although I had never heard the expression before this post!

From these pics I wouldn't throw my hands up in horror at her pasterns though - they look perhaps a little longer than average but not hugely so. Don't panic - wait to see your more experienced farrier and have a chat. He might suggest trying different shoes or he might just say wait and see.

I would have hoped that if he had thought there was a huge problem, he would have already mentioned it and suggested ways to help correct it.
 
ah right, I guess that is a good thing in a sense, with him only being an apprentice, at least he hasn't tried to diagnose something, perhaps get it wrong and worry you. When's your farrier next out? I did have a look, but admittedly, I couldn't make my mind up! Haven't got a true eye for conformation issues unless it is blatantly obvious like pigeon toe etc.... A TB at our yard has similar looking legs, but ALOT worse, he is dramatically down on his pastern, so much so he was constantly lame from it having effects on his tendons. I wonder if it has anything to do with breeding? I know some breeds are known for shorter cannon bones etc... I wonder if it is in the breeding?? I guess as well, it is tough to judge on photos, seeing something in 'real life' can look alot different. I imagine an experienced showing judge would be able to put you right straight away xx
 
Thanks for your responses, much appreciated. She is sound but i have been reading (perhaps a bit too much) into it and panicking! will have a word with my farrier when he comes out next, the newly trained one did say that she had great feet for a tb and to carry on what am doing diet wise.
So thats reasuring
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I actually stared at your photos for a while wondering what you were on about
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I know of several horses (SJers at my yard) with less than ideal hoof/pastern axis and they do absolutely fine. If your farrier isn't concerned and he says it can be corrected with time, I'd be inclined not to worry.
 
I think i am looking into it too much, shes just everything i want in a horse in every way and i just dont want her long pasterns or any other conformation fault be the cause of lameness in the future.
 
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