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| anyone successfully run a horse with a club front foot? |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
 
Location: NE Texas | Yes, absolutely. And it was a pretty severe club foot and the rest of his feet were so sorry that you couldn't keep shoes on him. He was my farrier's worst nightmare but the best horse i've ever ridden and was a top of the 1D/rodeo horse for everyone who ever swung a leg over him.
Edited by Herbie 2014-12-12 4:03 PM
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
 
Location: Kansas | interesting....I've been wondering this |
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 Unknown Drip
Posts: 5624
Location: Back in MT BABY!!! | We had one years ago and if you kept up on her shoeing you could hardly tell. The shoer had to be really careful not to take to much off of that foot because it took so long to grow back but other than that it was fine. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| I have one right now in training for futurities next year. Extremely athletic horse and since his club foot isn't severe, I don't suspect he will have any issues. He has two maternal half brothers who have won over $600k on the track and both of them have a slight club as well. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Short Story: My friend had one years back that couldn't even walk when she got him from a kill buyer. She paid $50 for him. Ran in the 1D everytime after her farrier (Her father) got a hold of his feet. Gorgeous big and stocky Palomino gelding.
Long Version: He was such a hunk. We both really thought when she bought him that she overpaid for a horse that would have to die in a sling in his stall. He had a dislocated hip from being kicked while laying down in the sale pen. Took a whole year to get him back to health. Took her another 3-4 months to get him back in shape for barrels. The story at the sale barn was the horse could flat out run from the previous owner (who had died and left him in the care of her son.Her son was the one selling him...) . We didn't believe the son's story about his mother and the horse until the horse saw the pattern and got really excited. He was rusty but man that first time out of the gate was awesome! He ate the barrels up after she tuned on him. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1100
Location: Southeastern Idaho | I don't run barrels but breakaway on her, right front is clubbed. Regular shoeing/trimming keeps it looking nearly normal. So far so good, no soundness issues as of yet. Since she is 7 I am hoping this doesn't change. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 209
| Glad to hear so many success stories! When I was horse shopping, I vetted a 4yr old who was club footed, she was about a grade 3-4 according to the vet. We took X-Rays and the angle of her bones was awful and she had navicular lesions (attributed to the club foot). I liked the horse and sent the x-rays off to 3 other vets and they all advised against the purchase. Needless to say make sure to be thorough! I think a club footed horse can be great if they aren't severely club footed. Just remember no horse is perfect conformation wise! |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | It depends! I owned a horse that would make a smokin run one day but usually limped on that club foot for up to two weeks after competing!! I could not keep him sound! He could have won lots of money but he was rarely sound!!! If you have a really great farrier have him look at the horse before you purchase or compete on!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Yes, and she's a true club foot. Still going strong at 21 |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I have had several, have one now who is sound on the front end and has a bad stifle from a fall. Still sound in front. I have owned several, no problems.
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| The horse in my avatar has a club foot.
I can say his foot has improved a ton since I found the natural balance trimmer and has been shoeless for going on 3 years. I had a heck of a time for a couple years finding a farrier who didn't make the foot worse, and shoes obviously aggravated the issue.
He's never been lame on the foot, but it was getting pretty ugly for a while many years ago. My current farrier worked on it for many months to slowly bring it into the health it is in now.
He's not a barn burner, but is a very consistent 3Der. Beautiful pattern, just doesn't want to RUN. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Certainly!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| For sure. I have a good mare who is slightly club on her front right. She won me about $1200 back in October. My farrier just makes sure to properly take care of her. She's awesome :)
Good Luck! |
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 BHW's Lance Armstrong 
Posts: 11134
Location: Somewhere between S@%&# stirrer and Saint | I had a Raise your Glass mare that had a 99 SI and won $40,000. Yes just race them as best as u can |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | There are a lot of clubbed footed barrel horses from slight to Oh Wow! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Had one, never took a lame step! |
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| Thanks! The one i'm riding for a lady is, to me, almost an oh wow. He's coming 5. We have to shim his saddle pad b/c his withers on that side is not as developed. He's also the most unmotivated slug i've ever seen, which is a huge bummer b/c he's Frenchman's Guy bred. How do you help a young horse find his motivation to even trot! I feel like i'm riding a 30yr old mule!!! |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Here's my take on it. If you breed and raise babies and you get one born with a club foot, I feel like its your responsibility to correct it, either with farrier work or if its bad enough with surgery. I think if you can fix it, then do it.
For the horses that are now adults and club footed, many times they are fine, but I do know of several who over the years develop some issues in that foot. Many are fine for their entire careers and some it bothers. I think if you have a farrier who is good, they can manage it pretty well. We had a mare who was club footed and she never had an issue. she's about to be 19 and still running great. I have a friend who has a club footed 1D gelding, and in his teens its now becoming a problem. Not a big problem, but a problem enough to where they are radiographing before and after shoeings and injecting now.
Long story short, I think in the grand scheme of things it's definitely not the worst problem you can have, and many times its no big deal. I think if you find it early enough, fix it and be done with it. Would I turn down a prospect because of a club foot? Maybe... depends on how expensive of a prospect it is. Would I turn down a proven finished horse because of a club foot? Nope. |
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club foot