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How bad is my horses club foot?

6K views 42 replies 21 participants last post by  smrobs 
#1 ·
Ok guys. I need to know how bad my horses club foot is. I just got her from auction and I think it's pretty bad. I know her feet need done. The earliest my farrier can get out here is Friday! ;(
 

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#5 · (Edited)
Here you go, I think I got them straightened out for you.

Actually, while the foot is pretty clubby (I couldn't venture a guess on what grade it might be as the pictures aren't great and I don't know a ton about grading clubs), it's actually the overall crookedness in that leg from top to bottom and the bulging knee on that leg that concern me.

Did you just get this horse? What are your plans for it?

EDITED TO ADD: Looking closer, there are some really major issues going on with this horse's legs, specifically the right. I think, if this horse is new and you're not quite sure what his history our soundness level is, I'd have a vet do a full workup on that leg to find out the extent of all the issues. Not only is that knee just downright ugly, but that pastern is lumpy and crooked too. I don't know whether the club caused the leg crookedness or the leg crookedness caused the club or if that poor horse just got whipped with the "poor conformation" stick as an embryo, but he's got major issues going on...along with severely overgrown feet, but you've already started to remedy that by having a farrier scheduled.
 

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#14 ·
it's actually the overall crookedness in that leg from top to bottom and the bulging knee on that leg that concern me.
Thats the first thing I noticed over the clubbed feet. Poor mare must have gone through some pretty bad wreck or was born with an already crooked leg. I bet THAT IS the reason she ended up in auction. I would have someone come take a look at that leg before you start training her or riding her, poor animal.
 
#6 ·
I really have no plans for her right now. She is 2 years old. I got her about a week ago. She has other issues aside from this one. I got her for $35 at an auction. The kill buyer was the only one who bid on her. And he didn't want her for more than $30. ;( I mainly got her to keep her from being shipped for meat. ;(
 
#10 ·
Having had a horse with a major club, I'm gonna give you a +4 grade on this one. The pastern is real upright and that is one boxy looking hoof. I'm going to say she's always going to be very short strided on the right side, which may not necessarily affect her ridability. If she's got other issues as severe as that foot, she may never be ridable, but just because she's got a pretty severe club doesn't mean she's useless.

Here's a couple of pics of my Odie, she was as bad or worse than this one and she was the most sure footed horse I've ever had the pleasure to ride. She was very game to try anything and a ton of fun to be around. She didn't have any other issues but the club. Never took a lame step.







I rode her all over those mountains in the background. She was catty too, we did team penning for fun once in a while.
 
#11 ·
Wow, that's really bad.

While I can appreciate your desire to save her from the meat man, she'll likely never be good for anything other than a companion...and only then if she is able to function without pain. Only a vet could tell you how her legs will deteriorate over time, and they will.
 
#12 ·
I may be looking into seeking a rescue for her. She has MAJOR issues. I didn't even look at her before I bought her (yes I know dumba$$ I am!) I didn't see her papers before I bought her. She is INBRED OUT THE ****. She has the club foot, an umbilical hernia, bad teeth... And she's just a brat. Lol. When I got her she would attack you out of fear and bite and kick. That was only a week ago. And now I can groom her and pet her.. But she still has her bouts of being a butthead. ;(
 
#17 ·
Wait until your farrier sees her and trims her, and then wait a few more days and post pics again. Her feet are so bad that I suspect they're REALLY screwing up her joints right now. I know some horses with pretty severe club feet that do quite well in 4-h, that might be a good outlet for her, as a project for a senior 4-h'er. If she can't be ridden, but is sound when NOT under saddle, is it possible she can be taught to drive and used lightly by someone who doesn't really want to ride anyway? Give her a little time, and attention from a good farrier for a few trimmings, and then check back. :)
 
#18 ·
I will. When she lifts her club foot (right front) it is so crooked. Like it doesn't go straight back like a regular horse. It goes probably a 60degree angle behind her left knee. Like when you look at the pics of her two front knees her foot goes past the left knee like this /
 
#22 ·
I see ringbone and/or sidebone and a wonky knee. But I really commend you for giving her a chance in life.

Do I dare ask what breed she is? Maybe she WAS an orphan and that explains the lack of respect and perhaps the wonky conformation. She may have had major leg problems at birth and they tried to save her. :-(
 
#23 ·
I wondered if I saw sidebone or ringbone too, but I'm not real familiar with it so didn't want to say and stick a label on her and be wrong. Poor girl! Don't tear up her papers, she's got them and that might make a difference to someone. I wouldn't have gone to the expense of registering her as a foal but since they did, give her her birthright.
 
#24 ·
Oh no. They didn't do anything with this mare. She is APHA. And severly inbred. They knew what they were doing and when she came out the bad egg they got rid of her. I'm pretty sure thats how it happened. Te guy laughed at me when I called him to get a bill of sale for her. He was like your so stupid. When "line breeding" or "close breeding" you take the chances of getting a bad foal. For instance if you in bred 4 times and got 4 different foals.... One would be a superior specimen a great animal... Two of them would come out average horses and one would come out with all the flaws of the inbreeding and everything. ;( I guess I got the flawed one. But I will continue to do what I can for her!
 
#27 ·
I'm so curious now...what's her registered name?

I'm morbidly fascinated and want to look her up on allbreedpedigree and see all this inbreeding myself.
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#29 ·
poor baby. that one leg has problems in the pastern joint itself, looks like she has the ocd
disease they get in their knees, beside being severely back at the knee.
At least you got her from the killer . I know you want to save her, but she will probably just be an expensive pet all her life. Good luck finding someone to adopt her and not try to use her.
This is why I am against heavy line breeding , besides the obvious physical , there could be internal deformities and mental issues .
You should also consider euthanasia as an option , as sad as it is, but it would be better than a life of pain if someone got her and tried to use her .
 
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