My equestrian instructor has a middle thirties Arabian gelding with a club foot. He was a dressage horse for a very long time, then retired to lessons, and finally retired completely because he was starting to stumble a little, and I think he went down with a rider once. I don't think he ever had any surgeries, just a really good farrier who was able to shape the hoof to functional use. I have no idea how bad the club foot was at first though.
He is allowed to wander around sometimes, and he likes to go into the arena when someone is training dressage and follow the horse the correct distance, and does all of the w/t/c and lead changes one does when practicing dressage while holding his body nice and collected.
I don't have any advice but thank you so much for taking him!! *hug*. He'll be a great pet, and hopefully he won't be too expensive!! People who don't understand clearly just think of horses as working animals and not deserving of a good life without something to offer.
lol, I'm hoping he won't be too expensive either! But he is a good boy. I've only had him a few days, but he's a quick learner (which is both good and bad, lol). The only thing is that he is pushy, so I'm telling the girls who will be handling him to turn him out to not let him push them around, to make him wait before they open gates to let him in the field or to stop and wait a few moments before leading him into his stall (especially if there's food in there!). I've already noticed a change in his attitude now that's gotten good quality food and love. They're always worth it!
We had a carriage horse with a club foot. She worked for close to a decade. With a decent farrier she was sound for many years. Her's was pretty darn bad too without corrective trimming/shoeing.
The pull on bell boots are pretty easy to deal with unless he's extremely touchy about his feet being messed with. If you can't get him to pick his feet up very easily you could always put the rubber kind that velcro on temporarily. I wouldn't advise those long term because they fall apart pretty quickly, but if you need to use them while he's figuring out how to have his feet handled it might be a good solution.
I bought the rubber ones with the double velcro lock because that's what we have in the tack store on the farm and they were cheap (like $8). The first time I put them on, he was antsy about it and then was cute being extra careful with how he picked up his feet and sticking his legs out in front of him and twisting his head to the side so he could see what was on. He got them off for his trimming yesterday and then I put them back on, he just stood still and took them on like he's been doing it for years. Once these go, I think I'll go for the pull ons.
The farrier said it was one of the worst cases he's seen but has hopes for him. He said within a few trims we'll have him to where he's got one of his other club foot cases who actually jumps and competes. So, we'll see what happens. *fingers crossed*
My pony mare has a club foot, she needs corrective trimming but when she is in tone the vet has cleared her for light work, trail riding, etc.
We had a TB ex-broodmare who did race and she had a club foot, trimmed correctly and she could jump, was excellent and lovely in frame for dressage, and after we sold her went on to work the trillium circuit with a rider from the barn we boarded at.
Oh wow! I got a highly recommended farrier out yesterday and he's got hopes for my boy since he's only two. He basically said after a few trimmings, if he can't be ridden, it probably won't be because of the club foot but possibly something related to it (if his knee is blown from the club or the tendon won't stretch properly). Like I said, since he's only two and still growing, the farrier thinks he still might grow out of it. I've got another veterinarian coming out to do his vaccines on Tuesday so I can get a second opinion. Same veterinary practice, just another one of the vets in the group who has more experience and graduated from a different university, so I expect he's seen some different cases. We'll see!
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He is allowed to wander around sometimes, and he likes to go into the arena when someone is training dressage and follow the horse the correct distance, and does all of the w/t/c and lead changes one does when practicing dressage while holding his body nice and collected.
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The pull on bell boots are pretty easy to deal with unless he's extremely touchy about his feet being messed with. If you can't get him to pick his feet up very easily you could always put the rubber kind that velcro on temporarily. I wouldn't advise those long term because they fall apart pretty quickly, but if you need to use them while he's figuring out how to have his feet handled it might be a good solution.
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The farrier said it was one of the worst cases he's seen but has hopes for him. He said within a few trims we'll have him to where he's got one of his other club foot cases who actually jumps and competes. So, we'll see what happens. *fingers crossed*
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We had a TB ex-broodmare who did race and she had a club foot, trimmed correctly and she could jump, was excellent and lovely in frame for dressage, and after we sold her went on to work the trillium circuit with a rider from the barn we boarded at.
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