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Causes
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The main cause of a clubbed foot is genetics. The second most common cause is a disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints known as OCD (osteochondrosis-developmental disease). Other causes include diet, ephiphysitis (a problem that occurs at the growth plates of young horses), lameness and contracted tendons.
Diagnosis
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Horses lead with the good foot. A prominent coronary band and an upright angle to the hoof are some of the early signs. Eventually, the dorsal wall of the hoof develops a dished look and the wall will grow remarkably long.
Effects
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Effects of a club foot in horses include horses that stand with the club foot back and the normal foot out in front while grazing. The horse leads with the normal foot most of the time and tends to stumble on the club side. Injury to the coffin bone is likely because the hoof wall does not expand when it touches the ground, causing a loss of flexibility in the soft tissue around the coffin joint (the joint directly above the hoof where the distal phalanx and second phalanx articulate).
Degree of Severity
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There are varying degrees of a club foot. With upright hoof the toe has an angle with the ground of 60 degrees or more. In the case of a badly clubbed foot a 90-degree angle is formed by the horn at the toe and the ground.
Treatment
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Proper hoof trimming can be effective. Early detection of a club foot is key to proper, effective treatment. If treated aggressively, the horse can go on to an active athletic career. Proper hoof trimming can improve the outcome for those cases. For severe cases, surgery may be required if the horse is lame. A composite material added to the toe will provide protection from further digression.
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Club Foot in Horses
A club foot is "a flexural deformity of the coffin joint resulting in a raised heel," according to the "UC Davis Book of Horses." This condition is usually discovered in horses when they are 4 to 6 months old.