Clubfoot causing lameness/stiffness?

[Chick_a_dee]

i noticed our 1/4 horse X Luna was lame today when we went down to worm her, it seemed to be her back feet at first but then i noticed her favouring her front...she couldn't rest, etc. i thought maybe colic, but no...normal poos, normal behaviour, active gut. founder? no lines, stance, etc. although i did notice her front left foot looked very heeley and tall, but her other one didn't. we had a thoroughbred mare in the past who had a clubfoot and was lame when we got her, ... we didn't notice our old horses lameness at the time (our old thoroughbred was named smoothie) because she was very underweight, Luna was underweight as well. i'm not certain Luna has a clubfoot, but her one foot looks tall and rounded like a clubfoot would, and she has a normal heel and shape on the other one. she didn't present as clubfooty at her last trimming but the pasture wasn't as good then, and she wasn't get as much nutrients from the pasture.

she also seems a bit lethargic but i think if the clubfoot is bothering her and making her lame than that would be much of a cause of her lethargy, plus she hasnt let me put fly spray on her (WE DiD iT TODAYYYY, FiNALLY SHE LET ME) and she's been bugged NON STOP (excuse the pun) by flies, skeeters, horse flies, etc. so her lethargy could be a lack of sleep as well.


any thoughts?

Essentially, my actual question is .. does a clubfoot if left untreated or unnoticed create a considerable amount of pain in the joints? thus rendering the horse lame/stiff.

 

[4hooves&featheredfriends]

Sounds like it is time to consult a good farrier for her hoof care. Club foot can be managed and horses can be sound depending upon the severity.

Not knowing the circumstances and the frequency of monitoring - a horse on pasture that is not ridden might go longer with human contact. I might suggest checking water source and what she is eating. Are vaccinations up to date?

Cushings presents often as a horse wanting to move weight onto their hind end, but you also see a change in the horse's coat, excessive urination/thirst; pot belly appearance and loss of appetite.

I would consult a vet if the lameness continues.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

4hooves&featheredfriends :

Sounds like it is time to consult a good farrier for her hoof care. Club foot can be managed and horses can be sound depending upon the severity.

Not knowing the circumstances and the frequency of monitoring - a horse on pasture that is not ridden might go longer with human contact. I might suggest checking water source and what she is eating. Are vaccinations up to date?

Cushings presents often as a horse wanting to move weight onto their hind end, but you also see a change in the horse's coat, excessive urination/thirst; pot belly appearance and loss of appetite.

I would consult a vet if the lameness continues.

luna is not on any grain and she acts normal otherwise. she doesn't seem to be able to balance on it and it is much more upright than the others, thats why i thought it could be the start of founder but its only the one foot and shes not on particularly rich pasture. she's been out grazing and everything but it seems like its hard for her to figure out where to put the leg.

we've had a horse with a clubfoot before and our farrier managed it but she had to have it trimmed between trimming the other 3 and her clubfoot didnt present itself until well after she had gained weight after we got her, luna is much the same.. she was rather thin when we got her so its possible with the new diet, better body etc that its just starting to show. i might not even have noticed it before.​

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Thanks 4hooves for the suggestion, etc. Luna is getting her foot looked at this weekend and she's out and about eating and such now so obviously the fly spray made a difference in her activeness.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes.

However at this point I think it is a big leap to decide it is a clubfoot; there are a number of other possibilities that also need looking into, by a vet or good farrier, which it sounds like you're doing.

For a horse with a foot or lameness issue, I'd for sure get a fly sheet and fly mask.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
Yes.

However at this point I think it is a big leap to decide it is a clubfoot; there are a number of other possibilities that also need looking into, by a vet or good farrier, which it sounds like you're doing.

For a horse with a foot or lameness issue, I'd for sure get a fly sheet and fly mask.

Good luck,

Pat

She has a flymask and she finally let me spray her down nice and good with flyspray today which made a massive difference, no more biting insects bothering her. The farrier is coming out tomorrow afternoon but after taking a closer look it does seem to look a lot like what our TB had, which was a clubfoot. The farrier will give us an opinion but after some research it turns out she has the "scissor stance" of a horse with a clubfoot, something I hadn't noticed much before but its clearly starting to affect her a lot.

I appreciate your response Pat

 

[luvarabhorses]

Try getting the Manna Pro Concentrate. It is high in permethrin and soaks into the skin which makes them taste icky to flys. One pint is about $12 and it makes 6 gallons, (I use 300mls per 2 gallons). I use a 2 gallon pump sprayer so I can spray them while they are eating and don't have to be really close.
Far as the club foot, you can really learn to trim horses yourself. I use a grinder on my horses and it is a piece of cake. I had my farrier show me how to do a basic trim and then bought a dvd about using a grinder when I got tired of filing (it is hard). Don't let farriers convince you it is brain surgery. Some horses with big problems need advanced farrier skills but most don't. With foundered horses or horses like Luna, I think it is better to just trim frequently.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We would love to have you visit us at

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:

I'm on there, under lupinfarm!

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I'm using Ultrashield which works like a charm...she just wouldn't let me spray her before but I think she's used to the smell of it now. She didn't seem to like the smell before.