Posted 2015-03-10 10:26 AM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 787 Location: NE Pa-Gods Country
i would check her background....club feet can develop from injury to tendons...overfeeding as a baby can cause one leg to grow faster hence one will grow more heel to compensate. i have to keep ALL my foals on 10-12% ...plus good hay.
Posted 2015-03-10 10:52 AM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
Champ
Posts: 19623 Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm
My question is, is it really a club foot or is it one foot is normal and the other has an underslung heel. I have seen 100's of horses in my life and only a handful really had a club foot.
Posted 2015-03-10 12:09 PM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
Expert
Posts: 1898
OregonBR - 2015-03-10 10:52 AM
My question is, is it really a club foot or is it one foot is normal and the other has an underslung heel. I have seen 100's of horses in my life and only a handful really had a club foot.
I agree. There really aren't that many horses with a true clubbed foot but a large number with variances in hoof angle. Whether it is truly a club or not I would still be very concerned with the likely hood that she may pass her hoof angles to her off spring. I have seen several broodies with stood up feet/or foot that passed their bad feet on.
Posted 2015-03-10 12:47 PM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
I Am a Snake Killer
Posts: 1927 Location: Golden Gulf Coast of Texas
Sometimes you can't tell for sure unless you X-ray to get true angle of the coffin bone. You may not think its a club foot due to the way it's been trimmed or shod but in actuality it is club. I wouldn't have one but that's not to say I haven't seen a lot going down the road and a lot of high dollar studs with club feet. They take a lot of maintenance .
Posted 2015-03-10 4:26 PM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
You get what you give
Posts: 13030 Location: Texas
it can be genetic, it can be from management like specifically said.
No horse has identical feet and one will always be more upright or more low than the other, even if it is super mild.
I have seen true club feet and I have also seen underslung heels. I think radiographs and a good trained eye and differentiate which foot is normal and which foot is abnormal.
I mean obviously if an underslung foot the normal foot will be more upright and it does not make that one clubbed.. however, I have seen my fair share of true club feet so I guess I can say I've seen both sides of it.
Posted 2015-03-10 5:06 PM Subject: RE: Club Foot- Is that heditary?
Champ
Posts: 19623 Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm
I just want to make one more comment. I've never seen a foal born with a club foot. I have seen them be contracted in the tendons. They will end up with upright feet from the tendon pulling constantly upward. But this condition can be caused by growing too fast or imbalance of calcium/phosphorus. Horses with a propencity for growing too fast make it genetically caused. But if you know this about your breeding stock you can reduce the feed values and just make sure they are getting the right balance of minerals. A shot of Tetracycline in the first few days after birth will help. Then DON'T push these horses by feeding too much rich feed to make them grow.
Club Foot- Is that heditary?
