Feet pointig out.

[Flowerofthefen]

Not my horse and more for my information than anything. If a horse stands square but has its back feet noticeably pointing outwards, what is this a sign of? Same horse often grazes with back right pointed out.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Cow hocks?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Cow hocks?

Hocks seem fairly straight . It just seems to be the feet that point out, but not all the time!!

 

[Quigleyandme]

I had a dales which habitually stood with one back hoof at an improbable 90 degree angle when he was relaxed.

 

[sbloom]

Could be anything, does the horse see a bodyworker regularly? Good farrier? Any signs of being unlevel?

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

The book “No Foot, No Horse” by Gail Williams and Martin Deacon talks about how people think that the hinds should be pointing straight, but that actually, when a horse moves faster they rotate the limbs out from the hip and the hocks are pushed outwards which turn the distal limb inward - if the feet were straight to begin, this would create turned in toes, whereas if they stand toe out, they will straighten during faster work. (Page 40).

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Yes horse has regular physio etc. A few things have previously flagged up such as under developed hind quarters. Yes I have noticed that horses back feet arnt completely straight but this is quite a significant turn out but as I say it's not all the time.

 

[Birker2020]

Maybe he has developed arthritis in his hocks and his conformation or stance has changed to lessen the pain? If he had underdeveloped hind quarters it might be that he is pulling himself along rather than pushing himself along.

 

[sbloom]

Yes horse has regular physio etc. A few things have previously flagged up such as under developed hind quarters. Yes I have noticed that horses back feet arnt completely straight but this is quite a significant turn out but as I say it's not all the time.

Maybe he has developed arthritis in his hocks and his conformation or stance has changed to lessen the pain? If he had underdeveloped hind quarters it might be that he is pulling himself along rather than pushing himself along.

Many, if not post, hind end issues may need things "fixing" in the hind end, but so often are limited by the front end - dropped thoracic sling especially. Try taking photos from front, rear, and both sides, stood square, whole body on level ground. So often once you start to look you really start to see issues - base narrow, much more croup high from offside for example. Once a horse is dropped in front, in the thoracic sling, then the topline and hindquarters will show further issues, and problems with hocks, suspensories, SI and even KS can develop over time through the horse moving in a compromised movement pattern.