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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
 
Location: Sweet Home Alabama | So my Asof filly is bit pigeon toed on her front end. My farrier told me to change her diet. She's been getting Renew Gold twice daily, a pad of alfalfa in the a.m. and then coastal hay in the evening. I've only raised a handful of babies and never had an issue with conformation growth or whatever. I thought this type of thing would be a genetic cause, but could it be her feed? What's yalls experience with it? |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Never heard of feed causing a horse to be pigeon toed.  |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | She's nearly or at the age I won't try and correct one. And I don't see that being a diet that would cause her to grow fast and toe in. I don't feed much alfalfa myself but too much protein can get one to grow up a bit. Is this a sudden thing or did you just buy her and start to notice it? I bought my show horse off of pictures as a long yearling (Nov). In his pictures he was freshly trimmed and appeared straight. The pictures were never exactly what I would say good angles, but I bought him anyways. As he grew out it was obvious that he toed out from about the ankle out. Knees are pretty straight. I just trim him as he stands and no one-vet or farrier, sees us having any issues with him being a jumper eventually. I also have a runty Juluy yearling that was maybe a twin that toes out. He was straight when born but when he finally started to grow he toed out. We controled what we could but it started with his knees. So from his knee down he toes out. He'll stay sound just fine left like that vs trying to tweek his ankles back under him.
Edited by wyoming barrel racer 2016-11-18 1:25 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
Location: Sweet Home Alabama | I'm her breeder. It's a recent thing. I skipped having her trimmed last time the farrier was out and when I pulled her out of the stall this time, he was like "Who is this? She's pigeon toed." I was like wow she kinda is, I hadn't even noticed. She had gotten kinda long and was toeing in but after he trimmed her she looked wayyyy better but still not perfectly straight. I mean, it's hardly noticeable and I highly doubt it will hinder her. What I'm worried about though is the future. I don't want to do anything to make it worse. I've never heard of feed causing this either so I googled it and sure enough I found an article that claims that one on lush pastures and alfalfa and high protein diets can grow quicker. Idk if that's true so I thought I'd ask you all. My farrier is top notch though and has been in the game a long time and he's seen a lot. He is super knowledgeable and I have nothing but trust and respect for him. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Ashton94 - 2016-11-17 10:04 PM
I'm her breeder. It's a recent thing. I skipped having her trimmed last time the farrier was out and when I pulled her out of the stall this time, he was like "Who is this? She's pigeon toed." I was like wow she kinda is, I hadn't even noticed. She had gotten kinda long and was toeing in but after he trimmed her she looked wayyyy better but still not perfectly straight. I mean, it's hardly noticeable and I highly doubt it will hinder her. What I'm worried about though is the future. I don't want to do anything to make it worse. I've never heard of feed causing this either so I googled it and sure enough I found an article that claims that one on lush pastures and alfalfa and high protein diets can grow quicker. Idk if that's true so I thought I'd ask you all. My farrier is top notch though and has been in the game a long time and he's seen a lot. He is super knowledgeable and I have nothing but trust and respect for him.
Yes feed can cause them to grow too fast and cause conformation issues.
I bought a weanling last year, it was malnourished, when I got it home, I put her on good quality grass hay, and even that caused her to grow too fast, we trimmed her religiously every 3/4 weeks.
Now as a yearling she is straight.
I would be prudent on trimming regularly. Horses are not designed to go 6/8 weeks between trims especially if they are stalled and not wearing the feet down naturally |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
Location: Sweet Home Alabama | I normally do have her trimmed every 4-6 weeks but I was low on money so I skipped the 2 yearlings last time. She is only stalled about 2 hours daily (unless it's super cold but it hasn't gotten below 40° yet here in AL). Her yearling sister did fine skipping the last trimming; she wasn't even that long. But I think you're right. She's gonna need to be trimmed regularly. I'm thinking I'll cut back on her alfalfa and see if that makes a difference. |
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