the affected limb it overloads the others. Thus, the forces that modulate growth( both of growth plates and soft tissues) become distorted and the growth of limbs not affected by the injury end up becoming notably and rapidly deviated.
Control and Diagnosis Controls and diagnosis go hand in hand. There are many deviations that are obvious to the breeder, as for example: a knee bent inward; a retraction and a bent knee. The greater the angle the easier to detect. There are other defects that require acute observation in order to be diagnosed because of what we mentioned before about the distinctive features of each foal and its environment. Examples of these are: an offset and a bow leg. The slighter the angle of these, the more difficult it is for the breeder to detect. The time / age factor intervenes together with the“ plasticity” of foals during growth. Those that at one moment are well and whose lines appear cor- rect, could change in fifteen days. Therefore, one cannot be at ease until those growth plates stop working. The solution to this is very simple: one must accompany that growth with regular examinations in order to detect individuals that are abnormal, and treat them. The first months after birth they must be examined more regularly; later on, less. But the key to success is to examine the foals rigorously, meticulously, regularly and in an orderly manner. And one must start on the very day they are born. The following is an observation plan for foals that makes it possible to keep alignment and its changes under control: at birth; at 15 days old; a month old; month and a half, and after that, every 20 to 30 days until the foal is one year old. Thus, the most severe defects shall be discovered and treated in time, before outstanding angulations cause irreversible trauma or bones become molded in response to that defect. Then, defects that show medium to slight angles and which occur along the way may be treated before the growth plates are no longer functional. With this observation plan there will be no surprises, and any alignment defect that occurs shall be observed in time for treatment to be applied. But mind you, not from the truck! Foals must be caught, tethered and observed as described above( Figure 11). That is to say, it is a clinical diagnosis of a patient which, I may add, is already a horse.
Figure 11
NOTE: Although this last comment may sound ridiculous, many breeders don’ t think so. There is a belief that a foal is“ something” that is“ to be left around somewhere” until at the age of two it turns into a horse. This could be valid for certain aspects of breeding, but regarding alignment conformation it is very bad. Almost all alignments of an adult horse are formed before they are 5 to 6 months old.
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