Pigeon Toed horses.....

SatansLittleHelper

SatansLittleHelper

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 December 2011
Messages
5,789
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Anyone here have any experience of these..?? I have fallen in love with a 20 maonth old sports horse/irish cob type filly who is approx 15-15.2hh now. She has pigeon toes, not terrible, but noticeable. Just wondered what people think about this, do they have long term problems, could she ever be anything useful..?? Any advice/input/ideas most welcome :D
 
As she is still young you might be able to get corrective farriery to help (or just good trimming, correct nutrition etc). If they aren't too bad I wouldn't be too worried. When I got my horse he had pigeon toes in front, and also dished quite badly, but he doesn't anymore. I think a combination of good foot care, correct work and putting muscle on him got rid of these (he was quite poor when I got him). He is currently working at ele/medium level dressage and events at BE90 level.

Contrastingly I know someone who bought a cob mare with more pronouncing pigeon toes, one of her legs in worse than the other and despite months of corrective farriery it hasn't really made much difference, she can't cope with heavy work and they have decided to sell her as a gentle hack as this is about all she can cope with. SO I think it depends on the severity.
 
I would imagine she could have some problems if anyone ever tried to 'correct' her feet with shoeing or inappropriate trimming. If kept barefoot & her feet are allowed to do their thing, then I'd guess she'll be fine. Just mho, of course ;).
 
I had a lovely PBA with quite a noticeable pigeon toe. She was worked well and I did most things with her. Never had a lame day in her life and she is now 18 years old and still in medium work. I hacked out every day, mainly roads and lots of trotting and canter work (to calm down the arab part of her!), I used to hack out for a couple of hours every day/afternoons cantering along the beach etc. We competed in dressage, showjumping and cross country locally as well as sponsored rides and some low level endurance. Would have hunted too had it not blown her pretty little head. Yours is still young so it may straighten up by itself.

With my mare I was of the opinion if it ain't broke then don't fix it! I am sure that with correction she then would have started to have problems, as a couple of horses I have known have.
 
My ISH is very slightly pigeon-toed... doesn't affect him but he has got a few small splints on one of his legs which I suspect were formed from the strain on his legs at a young age but they don't cause him any problems either. If it isn't severe then it wouldn't put me off tbh.
 
My haffy is very slightly pigeon toed, I got him as a rising 7yr old & he is now 13. Touch would it hasn't caused any problems, but to be honest most people don't even notice it as it's so slight

Here is a pic not a great one, so not sure if you will notice it

169.jpg
 
Thanks so much for all of the replies. Im getting her off the lady Im buying my ID x Sports Horse youngster from and I fell in love klast time I was at her yard. She is allowing me to have her ridiculously cheap and I really feel she has some potential. I have no intentions of "correcting" the problem, mine are all barefoot anyway so will just keep them trimmed well.:)

Oh and that little Haffy is GORGEOUS...!!!!! :D
 
My 19 year old mare is very pigeon toed. She has never had a days lameness with her front legs. She has showjumped to 1.30m, done jumpcross, dressage, showing and lots of hacking. She is still going strong. However I wouldn't buy another as I am now more into showing so it is not correct. If I wanted just an allrounder then it wouldn't bother me at all. x
 
Thanks for that....jumping is my thing so maybe she will be ok for that..?? To be honest I didnt go to the yard with the intentions of "aquiring" anymore horses lol :o so I dont have any hard and fast plans for her so I guess I wont be too disappointed however she turns out but it would be lovely if she did have some potential :)
 
I personally wouldn't for anything highler level than riding club/local level.
Correct confo is there for a reason....not just for showing.


But that's just me.
 
I only trimmed one a few.week's ago.with slight pigeon toe. Hold leg up in front and dangle from knee. Look down leg. If leg is.straight then pigeon toe is a hoof issues prob mainly due to .poor trimming. Good trimming and diet could correct this in time. If leg wonkey then is a joint issue in leg and may b more of an issue.x
 
In the old horse books it says that pigeon toe is a 'good fault' and that such horses are safe in deep going. It wouldn't put me off for a hack, hunter etc. My current filly has one very bad pigeon toe though, which does worry me- but I liked the rest of her enough to take a chance!
 
My lovely 16 yr old , half blind, stock horse has one leg that is pigeon toed and turned in quite a bit.

Not sure if he was born with it or whether its something that has developed with time. We think its could possibly be as a result of constantly turning his body to the same side to check everything out with his one good eye. The farmer we got him from joked that it was from scurrying around their very narrow, winding hill tracks - going round corners all the time. They had a circular route which was easier to navigate one way only, so I guess if he was constantly cornering to one side this could have caused it. Who knows, but we have added it to his list of super powers :D

We don't compete but he is a fantastic hack/stock horse. Loves to round up sheep. Very nimble, and corners like a dream!
 
I bought a 4 yr old arab who was pigeon toed on one side. Her sire was an international endurance horse, & he was exactly the same conformation. He competed in (& got high placings) in 100 mile race rides at 19 years old, had won several major 100 mile races in his younger days, had raced & retired sound (still alive now in late 20's). My girl went advanced level in endurance, acieved premium status with her breed society due to her endurance record, raced, had an exceptional movement (often commented on how expressive & lovely her paces were) but had to retire aged 9 due to a tendon injury resulting from a kick to a leg. So impressed with mum, bred from her. Daughter slightly toe in one side (not as much as mum), but again has fab movement. Just backed, excited about competing her in the future.

None of them have had any issues from the pigeon toe, sound as anything, done a lot of hard miles at speed & still sound. Will say though I've always had great farrier.
 
HeavyHorseHugger said:
Thanks for that....jumping is my thing so maybe she will be ok for that..?? To be honest I didnt go to the yard with the intentions of "aquiring" anymore horses lol :o so I dont have any hard and fast plans for her so I guess I wont be too disappointed however she turns out but it would be lovely if she did have some potential :)
Click to expand...

My pigeon toed Shire X TB mare has been happy to jump 1.40m, she's done BE to Novice, she's been to the RC Nationals in dressage, SJ and Horse Trials. Whether she'll be a good jumper depends on lots more than whether she's got pigeon toes - they've got to want to do it, and my mare just adored her jumping.
 
HeavyHorseHugger said:
Thanks so much for all of the replies. Im getting her off the lady Im buying my ID x Sports Horse youngster from and I fell in love klast time I was at her yard. She is allowing me to have her ridiculously cheap and I really feel she has some potential. I have no intentions of "correcting" the problem, mine are all barefoot anyway so will just keep them trimmed well.:)
Click to expand...

You are 100% right not to try and 'correct' it. That way leads arthritis.

Pigeon toes not a problem if the hoof is allowed to adapt to the conformation naturally - but that goes for the trimming as well. Sympathetic trimming is needed. The horse will have a much better idea of what their hooves should look like. Might be worthwhile to be careful with trimming at first and see how her hooves develop herself.
 
I would really look at how the joints are. I have see young horses looking slightly pigeon toed or dishing but you can see its because they are growing and weak and I have seen them straighten up as they develop muscle. I would buy a horse that looked like it would largely grow out of it but not one that had the joint issues.

Corrective shoeiing is an interesting concept. My youngster is still growing and I know the growth plates above his knee are still going as pointed out by my vet. I chose to have him shod by a remedial farrier so that I could be sure the foot is kept im balance as left unchecked he could have gone pigeon toed. I have seen a couple of good youngsters struggle whe the farrier has shod them "normally" over a period of time without checking the foot is always balanced. Completely paranoid now about this but mine seems to be staying straight and still growing!
 
Do the parents/siblings show any sign of it? Horses can do all sorts of funky things with their legs as they grow, some of them matter and need sorting and with some you just need to keep the faith and wait for them to grow into themselves.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top