I just acquired a new client with a horse who she claims is "off" on his right hind. I have not shod this horse yet but will next week. Horse Background: 3 y/o western pleasure quarter horse in training. Small body with small 000 feet to go with it. Front right is toed-in a bit and makes horse land lateral side first. 100% sound on toed-in front foot. Currently is shod (by another farrier) in plain steel shoes. Right hind foot is normal looking and the horse lands nice and flat and has no visible leg deviations, injuries, etc. I guess my question is without having a vet perform a lameness evaluation what is something basic I could do to try and help this horse? I know the owner will eventually have him checked by a vet but not before I come out next week. I was thinking maybe just a wide web shoe with some extra fullering to widen it up a bit at the heels and perhaps some equi-pak. This horse moves out fine without a rider but I've been told the problems start when he is under saddle. Thank you for any input.
Since he moves fine without a rider, then the problem is probably not with his feet. Until you are able to pinpoint what it is about the saddle, saddle fit and/or rider, there is nothing you can do at the foot level to overcome the problem. ymmv.
The Western Pleasure horse is asked to move in some uncomfortable over collected (in my opinion) like ways. this may sound funny but he may need a chiropractor ...
off topic, a lot of my clients use a horse chiropractor. The other day I took a front leg forward and a healthy pop occurred. I looked at the lady and said, I won't charge you for that one, but I should.
Thanks all for the comments. I agree too, that the problem has most likely nothing to do with the actual foot itself. I refer people to an equine chiropractor all the time, I think it's a great thing. I was just wondering, as I stated above, if there was something not too fancy that MIGHT help this guy out a little. I guess recommending a vet check and or chiropractor would have the best chance of helping him.
I'd say there is nothing you can recommend(without offending someone) that will help the horse. When the chiro, etc doesn't work they will remember who recommended it, rather than looking at the way they are riding it.
No one now a days wants to admit they could be the problem , finding someone who says ," yeah I was the cause or my riding was wonky " is rare now a days .
A massage therapist told me she once saw a high level dressage horse being shod at a big show. When she asked why, the owner said he always seemed to go better right after shoeing and she was willing to pay the farrier to come do him at a big show. The therapist suggested that the stretching that was done while shoeing might have something to do with it, perhaps the owner could just learn to stretch the horse herself.
I actually see a lot of value in that mentality. I must stretch before intense workouts, warm up, stuff like that. My only irritation, which has nothing to do with the industry itself, is when lazy owners use it as an excuse for everything. When in reality their horse is just a poorly broke ass hat.
Well here's what happened. . . I apparently didn't understand the owner correctly as the horse wasn't moving right even without a rider. I watched him move a bit and said I felt the problem most likely wasn't associated with the foot. My theory was proved even more probable when I lifted his hind feet and he pulled his legs tight into his body for a few seconds before releasing them. After the horse relaxed his leg, he still couldn't extend it very far behind himself. I pulled his shoes, trimmed him and recommended a vet check. Horse goes to the vet later this week.
