# Funny looking front leg?



## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

My mare is a 5 YO TB and when she was younger she had funny looking knees. She has pretty much grown out of it and looks almost normal. my only concern is that if i try and do anything to strenuous it with damage her. I have been doing light work almost every day for about two months and i havn't seen any lameness or soreness anywhere she just looks funny.


I was wondering should i get a scan by the vets just to see what i should and shouldn't be doing with her? (BTW its the off fore that im concerned about)


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Can you provide some conformation photographs please i.e. of her standing square with photographs from the front and sides


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

^ Agreed, those pics would be nice. If there is any doubt though I would definately get a vet out to give you a final opinion.


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

Yeah I'll get some up tomorrow
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I look at that off front in both photos and I want to see her legs from the front, set up square, camera at knee level. I want a photo of her facing to the right set up square as well. 

From the photos you have here I see back at the knee (severely) in the top photo and the entire off leg rotated counter clockwise with the elbow out in photo number 2. Very interested in seeing the photos I mentioned.


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

Sorry guys this is the only one i could get so far because when i took the side on photo it looked as though it worked but then there were pink and green lines all through her legs....... figures..... i can get another tomorrow when i go see her.

hope this one helps though


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

For whatever reason, it appears as if the right front leg is rotated to the outside at the elbow and through the radius to the knee. It appears that the connection between the radius and the carpus (knee) has flattened and bone spurs have formed as part of remodeling. 

The rotation may start at the elbow, or it may start higher up through the humerus and the scapula of the shoulder. 

In the moving photo facing on (2nd photo from the top) you can see the rotation of the leg and how her toe points in. 

A photo from the front, like the last one you posted, that is zoomed out a bit more showing the chest and all the way to the feet would be good.. and having her stand on a flat hard surface, such as asphalt or concrete would also be good. 

A video of her walking toward the camera and then another walking away.. same with trotting as well as a side shot video would also be helpful.

All that being said, you really do need a vet to look at this and give you a proper diagnosis of the problem. I would think, just from the standpoint of basic physics, that a horse with this much rotation would have real trouble if jumped or used hard.. 

..That being said, some of the crooked horses out there in the US on the track that were big winners included horses like Exterminator, John Henry and Seabiscuit. 

Get a vet to look at this. IMO there are not corrective measures you can take to fix this. 

This is a horse that I would have an Equine vet come and look at. She is not lame now l


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

She isn't lame and hasn't been at all because of that leg but I think if I do try jumping it will damage her. O am aware that there is probably minimal things I can do with her but with all the work I have done with her lately and there is no show of soreness.

She did get looked at two years ago as a three year old and the vet said that there was no real problem but I can get a video from the side

She is very wide at the chest an the royston does start at the shoulder I have noticed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

This is the link for the video of her trotting on the side..... im unable to get the rest of what you requested for the time being....Im sorry the quality is bad i only had my phone available for use


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

auTBrider said:


> She isn't lame and hasn't been at all because of that leg but I think if I do try jumping it will damage her. O am aware that there is probably minimal things I can do with her but with all the work I have done with her lately and there is no show of soreness.
> 
> She did get looked at two years ago as a three year old and the vet said that there was no real problem but I can get a video from the side
> 
> ...


 

Haha i mean rotation does start at the shoulder i believe


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Is it me or does she look like she is slightly limping on her right front?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Whew, she's pretty severely bowlegged on her right front. I'm glad that you have decided not to jump her, but I doubt she'll have a very long riding career anyway.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news like that but she's putting some very serious strain on that joint with every single stride she takes.

And, yes, I do see some movement problems with that right front. I can't quite pinpoint if it's an actual limp or whether it's just a funky movement due to the leg but....it will probably be a limp in a relatively short amount of time.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

It almost looks as of her right front leg is shorter then her left front which is causing a bit of short stridedness in the video. I couldn't imagine that's comfy for her
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

smrobs said:


> Whew, she's pretty severely bowlegged on her right front. I'm glad that you have decided not to jump her, but I doubt she'll have a very long riding career anyway.
> 
> I hate to be the bearer of bad news like that but she's putting some very serious strain on that joint with every single stride she takes.
> 
> And, yes, I do see some movement problems with that right front. I can't quite pinpoint if it's an actual limp or whether it's just a funky movement due to the leg but....it will probably be a limp in a relatively short amount of time.


 

Yeah i agree about the jumping and short riding life, but so far there has been no limping in the leg and its been a few months of constant, light ridden work. she hasn't come up sore or anything at all after any of these days.... and she does move quicker going that way but it's not limping....It is a very akward action she has, if i could get a vid from the front of her trot i would. but i will say it does look funny.


The situation is that i did not buy her... this horse was bred to be a reacehorse but because of the leg was not even started. she was given to me after i found out about them planning to dog her.

In actual fact, since being started in english discipline this quickened motion on this side has slowed down alot... i think she used to go quicker in fear of hurting it, but i have seen a big improvement and she now goes almost the same as she would going the other way

Even so i will try and get a vet to look at her, and i will not be jumping her.

Thanks guys for all your opinions  mine were pretty much the same i just wanted confirmation of my worries.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

In looking at the video and at the horse I keep thinking she may have suffered from osteochondrosis. This is a disease of the growth plates at the har bone end. It comes from genetics and/or foal growing to fast and being too fat. 

If you get a vet to look at her, please let us what you find out. This sort of thing is not common and a good learning situation. 

She seems a real nice horse in every other way.. except for that leg. She is short strided on that side but I think the lameness is mechanical at this point.


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

Elana said:


> In looking at the video and at the horse I keep thinking she may have suffered from osteochondrosis. This is a disease of the growth plates at the har bone end. It comes from genetics and/or foal growing to fast and being too
> 
> If you get a vet to look at her, please let us what you find out. This sort of thing is not common and a good learning situation.
> 
> She seems a real nice horse in every other way.. except for that leg. She is short strided on that side but I think the lameness is mechanical at this point.


Yeah I'll let you all know. Thanks 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## TheLastUnicorn (Jun 11, 2010)

Might try a chiropractor too. 

I know sometimes crooked people are just out of alignment... I don't think it would solve all of this mare's problems, but might help her be more comfortable.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I doubt that the rotation starts from the shoulder - the forearm looks straight enough and I am certain the deviation comes from the knee but hard to tell without seeing pictures of her standing square, weigh evenly distributed and the photographer taking the shot on the same level as her knees.


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## sierrams1123 (Jul 8, 2011)

smrobs said:


> Whew, she's pretty severely bowlegged on her right front. I'm glad that you have decided not to jump her, but I doubt she'll have a very long riding career anyway.
> 
> I hate to be the bearer of bad news like that but she's putting some very serious strain on that joint with every single stride she takes.
> 
> And, yes, I do see some movement problems with that right front. I can't quite pinpoint if it's an actual limp or whether it's just a funky movement due to the leg but....it will probably be a limp in a relatively short amount of time.


agreed


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