High / Low Hooves on very left-handed 3yr Old

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Hello!

I have a just-about-to-turn 3yr old (2019) KWPN, who has fairly uneven feet…

His front are particularly uneven, with the left being ‘low’ and right ‘high’ and upright.

He will always eat grass with the left leg forward and right leg back, including hay in the stable.

Has no lameness etc.

I have read that it is likely his posture causing the foot issues, and if possible would like to work on correcting this as well as working with a farrier at trims to make gentle, slow corrections.

My question is for some suggestions of ways to improve his posture and dexterity to encourage him to use the right side more which would hopefully balance out his feet? Given quite how one sided he is I don’t think treating his feet alone will resolve the issue.

Bearing in mind that he has only just turned three so he is not ridden and only does groundwork, no lunging etc..

I have attached some pics of him, some last summer some more recent.


Thanks in advance!


[Images removed as user's request]

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My advice would be not to try and make them a pair you have to trim them as individual hooves trying to change them too much would cause more problems.

I have an Arab that has always had one front hoof that is more upright than the other one it also impacts his body higher up, as he has always had uneven shoulders that mirror the hooves, I have spoken to vets and physios over the years about it and they have said its very hard to correct it and that some horses are just uneven and favour one side.

I have used certain exercises to help but it's never been corrected and I'm sure I read an article about it that claims that this kind of pattern happens when the horse is in the womb.

It's not really affected his way of going that drastically other than he struggled with straightness a bit more than an average horse would, but with the right riding and training he was capable of doing the same as any other horse really.

I still managed to show him successfully under saddle his 18 now and doesn't really have much wrong with him really I still ride him regularly.

I would get a very good physio on board and see if you can improve on what you have got but in my experience you won't fully correct it.

I can't seem to see the pictures it would be nice to have a look, I would be quite happy to show you some pictures of my horse if your interested ?

 

[TPO]

Have a look at the Dr Kerry Ridgway videos on YouTube about this subject.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Have a look at the Dr Kerry Ridgway videos on YouTube about this subject.

I will have a look as well thanks ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I just watched a few and the acupressure point for the shoulder is really interesting as Arabi does get tight through the girth area so I definitely try that one thank you.

 

[bluehorse]

Definitely getting a good physio involved at this early stage may help avoid issues further down the line. I have one like this, we suspect he has other issues higher up the leg which haven’t been identified, but a good physio has been a game changer in terms of helping him with his range of movement in his right fore which is his upright hoof.

 

[sbloom]

There is so much good stuff around to address asymmetry - the more we can reduce compensatory movement patterns the better, and the more the feet will fix themselves. I've started to follow this page https://www.facebook.com/wildmagicllc, and have a ton of ground work resources I recommend to customers.

A good bodyworker and trimmer/farrier are of course important.

 

[Hallo2012]

good physio as above and feeding hay from a chest height net in the stable can encourage them to stand square for that portion of the day (as you obviously cannot alter how he stands and eats in the field!)

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I can see the pictures now they are not drastically different, my farrier shoes him wide on the upright one to try and encourage the foot to spread out a bit.

His actually just recovered from a pedal bone fracture on his flat foot and the fracture was on the side of the toe which is quite uncommon apparently.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Thanks for your replies! I will get him looked at by physio and continue my groundwork!

He lives out 24/7 in the summer but when he comes in I will try the net! He is also fed from a door bucket but that’s because he kicks his food everywhere…

 

[Goldenstar]

I would get him on a water treadmill regularly.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

I would get him on a water treadmill regularly.

What would be the benefit of this?

 

[Goldenstar]

There is nothing more effective for making horses straight than walking on a treadmill .
I was a sceptic until I saw it in action .If this horse has a long standing one sided issue I would get a good physio to assess him them get him off to the treadmill then use the physio to monitor the changes .

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

There is nothing more effective for making horses straight than walking on a treadmill .
I was a sceptic until I saw it in action .If this horse has a long standing one sided issue I would get a good physio to assess him them get him off to the treadmill then use the physio to monitor the changes .

interesting!
There is one about an hour and a half away from me. How often is it usually done and how long for?
appreciate your advice!

 

[Goldenstar]

I take mine twice a week for six weeks or so depending on what we are using it for .
For rehab of lameness issues I think they need to three times a week or stay on site it depends what’s needed .
We have a mature hunter he’s a high mileage horse and he had a lack of straightness and a much larger flatter front foot than his better looking one .
He was not lame had only tiny asymmetric muscle either side on the wither under the saddle .
When you rode him you could feel him step out onto the flatter foot .
On treadmill you could see him struggle the first time to walk straight the difference was amazing in three sessions he was a different horse .
He hunted a full season stopped losing the shoe all the time which was a big issue before and back to being how he was as a ten yo .
I will definitely take him again in August / September to set him up for the season .
I only took him the first time because I has a space on the lorry .

 

[TPO]

Be VERY careful with the treadmill and the qualifications and capabilities of the people who operate it and exercise the horse.

If the root cause isn't addressed then putting a compromising horse into a water treadmill just strengthens the compensations (and can create new ones).

It can be a good tool but people often underestimate just how strenuous it is for the horse.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Be VERY careful with the treadmill and the qualifications and capabilities of the people who operate it and exercise the horse.

If the root cause isn't addressed then putting a compromising horse into a water treadmill just strengthens the compensations (and can create new ones).

It can be a good tool but people often underestimate just how strenuous it is for the horse.

Very good point - I shall be arranging a vet physio to look over him in the coming weeks and can reassess once he has some feedback! In the meantime I will just continue with forward stretches and groundwork.

 

[sbloom]

Be VERY careful with the treadmill and the qualifications and capabilities of the people who operate it and exercise the horse.

If the root cause isn't addressed then putting a compromising horse into a water treadmill just strengthens the compensations (and can create new ones).

It can be a good tool but people often underestimate just how strenuous it is for the horse.

Agreed. I think we have yet to fully understand how they work, and good, proven, ground work is free and can be carried on for the rest of the horse's life. I see vet "rehabbed" horses that have done things like water treadmills that still have underlying issues and that have to go back to scratch with groundwork, if they're lucky.

 

[ycbm]

I have known one horse, and it's very rare I think, where the cannon bones were different lengths and the knees were at different heights. There's just something about your photos that would make me want to check that, but it's probably just camera angles.

Re. water treadmills, there's been at least one forum member whose horse came back worse than he went. My reflection is he went to strengthen a vague one side weakness and came back needing a trip to a specialist vet.
.

 

[Andalucian]

There is a reason that the boxy foot is boxy, it is the passive weight bearing limb, but why?
Anything in that limb from the foot up to the shoulder could be the reason, I'd start with a thorough investigation and veterinary physio treatment. Then I would get an expert trim to lower the excessively long heels steadily and regularly. They are unlikely to ever be a perfect pair, but they will be much closer matched eventually.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

There is a reason that the boxy foot is boxy, it is the passive weight bearing limb, but why?
Anything in that limb from the foot up to the shoulder could be the reason, I'd start with a thorough investigation and veterinary physio treatment. Then I would get an expert trim to lower the excessively long heels steadily and regularly. They are unlikely to ever be a perfect pair, but they will be much closer matched eventually.

Thanks for your reply!

He does have a tiny dent in his shoulder on that side so an old injury could be the issue! Vet physio booked and will investigate further if he feels necessary!

 

[TPO]

There is a reason that the boxy foot is boxy, it is the passive weight bearing limb, but why?
Anything in that limb from the foot up to the shoulder could be the reason, I'd start with a thorough investigation and veterinary physio treatment. Then I would get an expert trim to lower the excessively long heels steadily and regularly. They are unlikely to ever be a perfect pair, but they will be much closer matched eventually.

Also worth a look at the opposite hind

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Image of said dent!

[Images removed as user's request]

 

[Andalucian]

Get a Vet Physio onto this, I've worked with many like this, you're looking to get the timing of the trot even on both legs, physio and correct foot balance can really sort this. Sooner the better.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Get a Vet Physio onto this, I've worked with many like this, you're looking to get the timing of the trot even on both legs, physio and correct foot balance can really sort this. Sooner the better.

I would say that his hind hooves also turn outwards - is this something that would ideally be corrected, or left to suit the horse? Looking back at earlier photographs it seems to have 'gotten worse' in the last few months, however he is continually growing and changing shape as he is only just about to turn three this month.

 

[TPO]

I would say that his hind hooves also turn outwards - is this something that would ideally be corrected, or left to suit the horse? Looking back at earlier photographs it seems to have 'gotten worse' in the last few months, however he is continually growing and changing shape as he is only just about to turn three this month.

Honestly it's such a vast subject thst you are really better getting a good qualified person out to see the horse in the flesh.

Some things need fixed, some things can be altered and some things should be left. Impossible to determine from a static photograph.

If, for example, a horse has an injury to its off side then it *could* compensate for this by loading near side and/or off hind.
Those compensations *could* lead to others and so it spirals.

I've seen horses that were close behind straighten up with consistent(ly good) ground work exercises, in hand work alongside bodywork/physio of some description. I've also seen a horse with close behind confirmation widen after getting a "release" of the abdominal muscles using red light lasers iirc. Not something that I have first hand experience of but it certainly worked for an exracer I watched be treated.

Then there's hoof balance, impact of farrier/shoes if shod and arena surfaces, saddle fit, rider balance etc. Although the latter aren't applicable in your case

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Just wondering if anyone has an idea of rough cost to have four feet X-rayed? TIA

 

[Hackback]

I also have an Arab with odd front feet. Both turn out slightly and one is more upright than the other. He also has one shoulder larger than the other (skeletal not muscular) and always grazes with his right foot in front with quite a wide stance as his legs are long.

He has some mild arthritic changes in the 'good' front pastern - farrier said he would expect it to be that one as it will naturally load the good foot, but forelimb wise he is remarkably sound at 16 considering his conformation. He does have some niggling hind limb lameness thing going on at the moment though.

An EP I had in the early days told me his conformation could have been caused by how he lay in the womb, or by an early injury, or just by the way he grazes always loading one foot. It could be a chicken/egg combination.

Good luck sorting yours out, he is a very handsome chap.

 

[Highmileagecob]

From my experience with my cob, standing with one foot forward indicated heel pain on that foot. He too was not lame, but the sole of his foot showed that he was loading his toe when he moved, and not his heel area. There was mild thrush that needed a scrub with iodine, and my farrier just said 'oh, it's conformation, he'll always move like that.' I changed farriers. New farrier trimmed him a couple of times (he's barefoot) then on one trim shaved a raggy area off his frog and found a big abscess cavity under the frog. She took the top off the frog and cleaned the cavity and I started booting him with gel pads to get the frog working again. It probably took around twelve months to come right, but it did, and he developed a good heel buttress and gradually started placing and weighting the foot properly. Good luck, I hope you solve it, he looks a lovely type.

 

[ycbm]

Just wondering if anyone has an idea of rough cost to have four feet X-rayed? TIA

I would expect to pay £4-500. I was charged over£400 for neck and back 2 years ago.
.