Clubfoot on the increase

Why is Clubfoot on the increase?

It has become noticeable to me that cases of clubfoot in young horses are on the increase. Why? It is my belief that people are keeping young horses far too many hours a day stabled and when let out to graze they are on increasingly smaller paddocks and more often than not, without other foals to play with. Of course some cases will be hereditary but I truly believe that most of the cases I come across could be solved by ensuring that the foal gets enough daily exercise.  I have noticed that paddocks are becoming increasingly smaller, probably due to the increased cost of hay and the increased number of horses. I believe that this is the underlying problem. If a foal does not get enough exercise and the mare is being fed high energy foods, due to the lack of grass/grazing time this will cause the muscle of the limb that is mostly at rest to atrophy, causing club-foot.

low grade clubfoot

Clubfoot is the common name for an upright foot that has a foot axis of more than 65 degrees. The foot is dished in the toe and high in the heel. Deep flexor tendon appears contracted when the foot is manipulated.  It may have hereditary (prevalent in certain breeds of show horses), nutritional, traumatic or behavioural origins. Acquired deformities are usually due to over-nutrition or trauma to the limb causing the foot to be rested in turn causing the muscle to atrophy.

Clubfoot is a permanent deformity once it develops and yet, even though it has become a hereditary problem, it is often ignored due to other positive characteristics.

The deep digital flexor tendon is always involved, the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx (coffin bone) will develop osteitis and the tip of the bone may become seriously remodelled. At this stage the horse is rarely free from pain. The foot will resemble that of a foundered horse and may be more susceptible to laminitis.

Many Club-footed horses after surgical or non-surgical treatment have gone on to have successful athletic careers. A club-footed horse must be regularly treated by a skilled farrier to trim the heels back and dress the foot at the toe. Rarely will the hoof be trimmed forward of the point of frog.

I cannot advise on particular cases, but I can advise that foals be trimmed from a very early age. Your farrier will notice a difference in the growth of the feet and can trim accordingly. As the owner, it is then your responsibility to make sure that the feet are trimmed regularly and that the foal gets enough exercise each day. Doing this we can reduce greatly the chance that your foal will develop a clubfoot and increase the pleasure you will both have in the future.