rescue horse case-- re feeding and MESSED UP legs

I'm new to this forum, and really I joined just to get some help on this one case. I work at a youth facility, where they have a couple backyard horses and want to start teaching the kids proper handling techniques. This kid was given a horse and wants to do 4H with him, but I took one look at the legs and and thought NO WAY.

Has anyone seen anything like this?? Is this a result of poor breeding, a birth defect, or what? The people who gave this horse to the kid (how nice of them, unloading the poor guy on an unsuspecting family) told them it could be fixed with some shoeing. HA.

Also, he is pretty dang skinny. I don't think the picture does it justice.


Any tips on refeeding or anything? I've never dealt with anything like this.

MP

Personally I think nothing can be done with those hoofs to improve them dramatically (I will be VERY glad if I'm wrong though! I'm not a professional farrier). They look just SICK. Does he move OK or obviously lame?

I'd take an advise from -really- good farrier.

As for putting weight beet pulp/pellets mush 3 times a day do the wonder. :)

WOW!!! He is pretty skinny but there is no fix for his legs. He has got dropped fetlocks on both legs. It could have been cause by poor breeding, injury, or it could be this disease (I can't think of it right now, I am really tired) that gets progressively worse. You can google fetlock or flexerial joint deformities and you will find a lot about it. It is something like DLDS or something. Corrective shoeing could alleviate some of the pain if he is feeling any but there is not much that can be done other than try to keep him as comfortable as possible for as long as you can. Poor guy. :'''( I hurt for him.

Wow... that's pretty bad! I have a friend who has a horse that has some screwd up legs but not THAT bad. It could be anything, but personally, I think he was born with it. You said the kid wants to do 4-H with him? Well, I do 4-H and if he's wanting to do like showing or riding, he can't with that horses legs... its also, like you said, really skinney, but I had two recsue horses that were in worse shape than that, and they pulled through with some montered feeding and special grain. In my oppion, that horse will probley never be able to be fixed, and the most he will ever be able to do is be pastured. With some seirous surgrey he might be fixed, but I don't really no, I would deffintaly call a vet.

It might also be a side affect from founder because I had another friend whos horse foundered in one of its hooves, and that's basically what it looked like...

He's got buttress feet.
That's the worst case I've ever seen, personally. Especially with two feet. Poor guy. :( In some cases, it can be corrected with proper shoeing. To some extent, anyway. I don't think it'll ever be perfect again after it gets that bad. He needs a farrier desperately.

I would definitely get him on a supplement like Red Cell or something. Beet pulp is also good for fattening them up.

I forgot to tell you he needs to be completely rested. ^^' It's caused by small fractures due to strain or trauma, or new bone formation and soft tissue swelling at the point where the tendon meets the coffin bone. I would get the vet out ASAP.

Thanks for the responses. I doubt the kid's parents are willing at all to pay for vet/farrier bills on a permanently lame horse. It sickens me that people get into horses unprepared to take care of them at all times.

Buttress foot.... I've googled a bit on the topic. It seems like it's usually caused by severe injury or trauma. It seems unlikely he'd have it identical in both feet if this were the case.

My first thought was he was born with it. Is this not the case?

I'll try to get my own vet to come out and take a look, see what he says. I'm happy to let the horse stay on the facility and just be a pasture ornament for the rest of his life. At least then I can ensure no one will ever try to ride him or make him work.

My bet is DSDL ... hay hay and more hay with a good vitamin/mineral supplement or ration balancer backing it

Wow poor horse!

I think the best treatment is try to fix them best you can, and make him happy then I'd maybe use him as a therapist horse. He could be a horse that helps kids, not to ride but with personal problems. I'd look into it and see if there's a facility or something that would take him.
Once the horse is sold or perhaps surrendered to the place I'd help the parents and this kid find the right kind of horse, and maybe inform them of things they should look for when buying a horse.
The people that owned him likely sold him for money... its so sad!
I would never in my right mind sell him at an auction sale, he would for sure go for meat.. don't want that!
Its hard to say what happened to him without knowing any backround. My guess is its a birth defect since its so bad! How old is he?
As for feed, definitely put him on beat pulp and stall rest. You don't want his legs swelling. I'd get the vet out and see what their opinion is at the least.

Good luck! Update us please..