Foot help - Pigeon Toe - Barefoot.

[SmartieBean09]

I really don't know where to start...If anyone could help/offer some advice id be so grateful!

So my horse went lame back in June, I posted a thread

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/lami-abscess-muscular.790914/#post-14361153

She is now more or less sound although a bit short on her near side. She has had 2 sessions with the Chiropractor and the vet has cleared her for ridden work at walk for now. However, all eyes have been on the fact the she has developed a slight pigeon toe. This was picked up during her vetting just over a year ago but it was very slight and vet said that it didn't bother her at all and should be fine. However, since her lameness it does appear to have become worse. I think there has been improvement since the Chiro has been though. She does have arthritis in her hock and so this could be a factor contributing to her pigeon toe.

My question is, Im thinking of removing her shoes completely until we have sorted out her body and then take things from there (ideally remaining barefoot if possible). She is currently only shod in front and has regular shoes with side clips.

Does anyone have a barefoot horse that is slightly pigeon toed? Hope do they cope? Are there any specific dietary changes you made? She is currently on TopSpec AntiLam and Topchop Zero. She hasn't had Laminitis but is a very, very good doer!

Thank you for getting this far! Any help is very much gratefully received.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Not sure if this is helpful but I took my lads shoes off at the start of the covid lockdown. He has always been slightly turned in on his front left and his hooves flare to the inside (it's something I'm working on through proper schooling) I've noticed he 'appears' less pigeon-toed now. He is certainly more sure footed with shoes off.

I'm happy to be corrected by other posters. I was prepared to put shoes back on if his balance got worse but it hasn't. Physio and farrier are happy with him. I can't say the improvement was only from taking shoes off, it could have been the schooling.

 

[SmartieBean09]

Not sure if this is helpful but I took my lads shoes off at the start of the covid lockdown. He has always been slightly turned in on his front left and his hooves flare to the inside (it's something I'm working on through proper schooling) I've noticed he 'appears' less pigeon-toed now. He is certainly more sure footed with shoes off.

I'm happy to be corrected by other posters. I was prepared to put shoes back on if his balance got worse but it hasn't. Physio and farrier are happy with him. I can't say the improvement was only from taking shoes off, it could have been the schooling.

Thank you, I appreciate that. You’ve actually also touched on a other concern of mine too. Vet suggested support on the shoe to the outside of the hoof but without really looking at her foot how can we be sure that this is where the support needs to be? My mares pigeon toe is also her near for and I’m hoping that taking her barefoot, she will grow her own support just where she needs it.
Thank you O&L

 

[shortstuff99]

If your horse is pigeon toed then they should be barefoot. Forcing the hoof to be straight using shoes makes them lame. When you allow the foot to naturally grow to the shape required then the leg will land straight and balanced. My mare is massively pigeon toed and dishes quite badly, she schools advanced dressage movements and (touch wood) it has never caused her an issue in her 12 years of life! But her front feet look 'wonky', if I was to make them look straight and balanced I'm a 100% sure she would be lame.

If your horse has lost fitness/strength then the dishing/pigeon toe will be worse, as she gains strength again it might go back to what it was before.

I am not a farrier however, so I would also discuss with them and the vet too.

 

[dorsetladette]

my lad is pigeon toed on both front feet. It wasn't really noticeable at his viewing. He was shod all round. I bought him home and took his shoes off. It became apparent at this point just how turned in he was (think nervous kid on his first day of school.) 8 years on we have had many different farriers all try different 'tricks of the trade' to straighten him out, but if you hold his leg up and let his foot hang, you can see his leg is perfectly straight its just his foot that isn't. My current farrier is working with the error rather than trying to fix it. And I would say he is sounder and more confident than I have ever seen him. He is in shoes at the moment as I am hacking on stoney forestry tracks and he struggles with it barefoot. But the shoes are very well balanced for him and his wonky feet.

My long ramble (which I'm sure people will pick holes in) is to say that a good conversation with a good experienced farrier is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Orangehorse]

Mine was too, cleverly disguised by the farrier. Took the shoes off (for a number of reasons) and went barefoot and the pigeon toe gradually disappeared. He has shoes on again now, but still no pigeon toe.

Farriers try to correct it, which can result in stresses and strains, which was what happened to mine. Barefoot, he grew the foot he needed to support his slightly wonky leg above.

 

[Regandal]

My horse is pigeon toed, barefoot and manages fine. I reckon it’s slowly improved as his feet have strengthened.

 

[milliepops]

If your horse has lost fitness/strength then the dishing/pigeon toe will be worse, as she gains strength again it might go back to what it was before.

one of mine goes toe-in when she is unfit. the fitter she gets, the straighter she becomes. So I'd echo this as a possibility ^

(mine is shod but the shoes go on to suit the foot, not to deliberately straighten her , she does that herself )