# How bad are his legs/feet?



## shellybean (Dec 28, 2012)

I was aware he was toed out when I got him and honestly it doesn't seem to effect him at all...he doesn't wing out when trotting and is actually very smooth. I just got his feet done today so I was finally able to take a picture! They looked horrible before because he was over due for a trim, and they look better than I imagined them looking...How badly toed out is he? 


Untitled by adayinmylife9, on Flickr


Untitled by adayinmylife9, on Flickr


Untitled by adayinmylife9, on Flickr


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

This horse would wing in during movement. The only problem he would ever have is having his heels hit.

I do not believe he is terribly toed out, but it definitely is noticeable.

I wouldn't be worried. I did horse judging for 2 years in 4H, and. Have seen horses with their knees nearly touching.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Use him anyway. He is rotated out and unless he is unsound, he is useable. Would I spend hours jumping him? No. would I run him a lot as fast as he could go? No. I would not with any horse. 

If he interferes, use bell boots (if it he interferes low) or use splint boots if he interferes up high.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Instead of purely being toed out, I think his legs actually rotate out slightly. Like his knees are rotated out as well, not just his hooves. I don't think it's a biggie. 

It seems like I read an article by Dr. Deb Bennett one time talking about this phenomenon, but I can't remember how it went.


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## shellybean (Dec 28, 2012)

KylieHuitema said:


> This horse would wing in during movement. The only problem he would ever have is having his heels hit.
> 
> I do not believe he is terribly toed out, but it definitely is noticeable.
> 
> I wouldn't be worried. I did horse judging for 2 years in 4H, and. Have seen horses with their knees nearly touching.


He does ocassionally hit his heels when he is lagging behind me and walking extremely slow...but I do have splint boots and bell boots for him just incase he decides to over step while working and hurt himself  

I do not notice him winging out...unless I'm not seeing it or am imagining what it would look like differently? He was also due for a trim and he is moving even better now that his feet are done. Here's a video of him trotting one of the first times I lunged him. Sorry it is so dark...








Elana said:


> Use him anyway. He is rotated out and unless he is unsound, he is useable. Would I spend hours jumping him? No. would I run him a lot as fast as he could go? No. I would not with any horse.
> 
> If he interferes, use bell boots (if it he interferes low) or use splint boots if he interferes up high.


According to his previous, and only owner, he has never been lame a day in his life! He is going to be a pleasure horse and do a bit of everything, as long as it doesn't hurt him. I don't plan on working him extremely hard...I already bought him a pair of splint and bell boots just to be safe.




trailhorserider said:


> Instead of purely being toed out, I think his legs actually rotate out slightly. Like his knees are rotated out as well, not just his hooves. I don't think it's a biggie.
> 
> It seems like I read an article by Dr. Deb Bennett one time talking about this phenomenon, but I can't remember how it went.


I noticed that as well. I have been trying to read up about it and haven't been able to find much information.


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## Sherian (Aug 28, 2012)

terrible if you wanted to show on the line, not so terrible for life as a pleasure horse. Buy him some boots if he physically interferes, be fairly religous in his farrier work so the loading on the joints etc stays consistent to the pattern his legs have developed too, and don't try to "fix" his conformation - that will change the loading on his joints to a pattern unnatural to him. He is cute and looks like a good sort, I've seen much crookeder working probably a lot harder for many years and do just fine.


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## SeeyaLater (Jan 12, 2013)

Pleasure horse sound, I'd bet. I saw a horse like this at our barn and he was good as gold. Just keep the good farrier....


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## shellybean (Dec 28, 2012)

Do you think he'd be able to do light jumping? Nothing big or very frequent, just an occasional small x? I don't plan on showing him or anything, just something to do for fun. He's going to be a pleasure horse, but I thought it'd be fun if he could do a little bit of everything. I just don't want to ask him to do it if it will hurt his legs...its not the end of the world if he cant, I didn't buy him specifically for jumping  

I'm not going to be riding him under saddle for a while yet because he still has to gain some weight and muscle, although he is looking a lot better. And of course it would be even longer before I even think about about jumping him...not until we get our flat work down! Once he sheds out his winter fuzz I will post a couple pictures and ask your opinion on his conformation...I'm dying to see what he looks like all filled out with a short sleek coat, I'm drooling over here! lol


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

With how turned out he is, be prepared to deal with ringbone early in life.
We had a horse with very similar conformation, he was bred to be a jumper and used as one until he was 5 (only jumped around 2') and developed lameness and the beginnings of ringbone. He was retired as a pleasure horse, then those owners decided he was too lame, then we got him for a time and retired him completely to a very light, walking trail ride only, forever, home.
I would not advise jumping, even over small jumps. It will simply be too hard on his front end.

Good luck!


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