Treating Club Foot in Horses

Club foot in horses is characterized by a dish-like flare at the toe and a high heel that often does not touch the ground. While the causes of club foot are not completely understood, corrective trimming and shoeing will usually take care of mild cases. More severe cases will often respond to surgery.

  1. Background

    • According to The Farrier and Hoofcare Resource Center, club feet occur most often on Arabians, Morgans and Quarter Horses although the condition can occur in all breeds. And thehorse.com notes that club feet are usually found in young horses, normally those up to 6 months old. However, the problem sometimes does not manifest itself until the horse is an adult and performance becomes compromised.

    Club Foot in Young Horses

    • While commonly called club foot, the correct name for this condition is unilateral stump foot. In young horses it is often an inherited condition or the result of an unbalanced diet. An improved diet and corrective shoeing are usually effective. Splinting the affected leg is also an option.

    Club Foot in Mature Horses

    • When club foot occurs in older horses, injury or improper trimming is often the reason and the condition may become chronic. Owners often seek a diagnosis or treatment when the horse becomes lame or the foot looks extremely boxy. If the case is in the early stage, corrective trimming may solve the problem and a veterinarian may prescribe pain killers such as phenylbutazolidine .

    Shoeing Remedies

    • Since club foot usually occurs on just one foot--often the right forefoot--non-surgical treatment usually requires a farrier to make the toe and heel of the club foot hoof longer than the other front hoof. The farrier will remove the flare on the toe, then lower the heel so it has less than a 60-degree angle. If the farrier decides to shoe the horse, he will often put a pad on the affected hoof but not on the unaffected hoof. Eventually, the pad can be removed and the hoof shod without it. Still, treatment may take several months.

    Surgical Treatment

    • Surgery may be an option if other treatments fail.

      When the club foot is severe or non-surgical treatments fail, surgery is often prescribed.
      Cutting the check ligament and realigning the palmar angle have proved effective in most cases.The horse will usually need to be confined in a stall for at least 30 days following the surgery. Corrective shoeing before and after the surgery also is recommended.