PROPER FOOT CARE OF YOUNG EQUINES
By Donald Canfield , Farrier Shakopee , Minnesota
In many cases , the period of time when the most can be done for a horse ' s legs is the time when they are most neglected . The young horse is left to his mother for the first six months and then put out to pasture to grow old enough to be ridden . It is during this time that the most can be done toward developing straight stance and motion .
A new born foal is nothing but joints and legs , but very quickly the mother is hard put to keep up when the foal frisks in the pasture .
It is at this time that thoughts should turn toward leg development . Careful inspection should be made to determine what can be done to straighten the legs of the new-born .
Observation of the foal from in front-behind will give the idea of how the legs turn . A look from the side will show calf or buck knees and sickle or camped hocks . Trimming can correct a good share of these faults . The conformation of each horse is different to some degree and must be treated as individuals . Also , we must treat each foot separately .
Toed out conditions usually are brought about by excessive wear on the inside of the hoof and can be corrected to a degree by levelling the foot . If the condition is so great that level feet will not compensate enough , the outside of the foot can be lowered . This shortening of the outside of the hoof will help to eliminate splay foot and cow hocks .
Toed in conditions can be corrected by lowering the inside of the hoof helping to eliminate pigeon toes and bowed hocks .
Calf-kneed and buck-kneed foals can be helped to a certain extent by corrective trimming , especially at an early age . Calf knees can be relieved by shortening the toes and leaving the heels intact , creating a higher hoof angle that helps to throw the knee joint forward into alignment with the leg . Buck-knees is by far the lesser of the two evils and will perhaps straighten with a few months growth . However , the heels can be shortened , if desired .
Correction should be done in small steps , especially if it is an extreme condition . Slight but constant pressure can exert a corrective force that will counteract irregularities of conformation . Although the tissues are very pliable in a young foal , a very forcible alteration will create consequences worse than the original defect .
A colt with well formed limbs only requires that his feet should be kept proportionate , but a foal with poor conformation requires that the feet be trimmed to counteract the defect . Trimming of the feet affects the legs in a great degree up to the first joints , and in a lesser amount to the bones above so that the position of the knees and hocks can be changed by trimming the hoof .
Regardless of the necessity of correction , foals ' feet should be trimmed periodically , even if for no other reason than training . If foals have their feet handled frequently , the training will pay big dividends in the future when they are strong enough for resistance .
It is important to be very patient when trimming young foals . Hold your temper and handle the foal kindly , but don ' t let him get away with much . The habits he forms now will be his usual actions when older , so make them good ones .
The horse ' s hoof is largely what we make it . Attentive trimming at a young age extends the active usefulness of the animal . Give every youngster an added advantage by keeping his feet in tip-top condition , because there is truth in the old saying " no foot , no horse ."
Since the potential value of a foal is determined by soundness and conformation , get the most competent horseshoer available for hoof care . A poor horseshoer can do such injury and damage in one visit that the savings on the initial cost are out of proportion to what they appear . Quality is your best economy , the best shoer is by far the cheapest in the long run .
January , 1968
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