What is Conformation?

Conformation of the horse is the result of bones relationships to other bones.

- Both Limbs bear weight equally

- Legs should be straight

- Limbs are parallel to each other

- A line from the shoulder, down the leg to the foot should bisect the limb

- Toes point straight forward 

How does a base narrow horse travel?

How can this affect the shoes?

- A base narrow horse "rope walks."

- As such, it can have medial interference.

- Tends to "cross step" while trailering, prone to pulling medial side of the shoe.

Narrow in Front

- The horse will tend to land on the lateral side of its foot

- The outside of the foot and leg are under constant tension

- Articular windpuffs of the fetlock

- lateral ringbone (pastern)

- Lateral sidebone (collateral cartilage)

- Interference with an unsteady rider

- Steps off shoes while being trailered, pulling medial clinches

- Shoe tight on the medial side, full on the lateral side

- Medial clinches should be short and tight

- Box the shoe well

- Advise them to use bell boots to prevent the horse from injury or stepping off shoes.

- Make sure the trim is flat

- Use a lateral balance shoe. 

- Slowly extend the shoe laterally until even wear is achieved.

- Use the least amount of correction possible.

- Small chest, legs are close together

- Legs are parallel, they do not form a 'v' shape

- Riding on uneven terrain

- An unsteady rider.

- Narrow chested horses

- American Saddlebreds

- Tennessee Walking Horses

-The distance at the feet are wider than the points of the shoulder.

- An "A" shape is formed.

- Horses with narrow chests

- American Saddlebred

- Tennessee Walkers

- The horse has a side to side ride as opposed to up and down.

- Articular windpuffs of the fetlock joint

- Medial ringbone

- Medial sidebone

The side of the hoof that is most heavily loaded will grow at a much slower rate.  The foot will tend to flare opposite the loaded side.

- Make sure the horse has a flat trim

- Shoe with a medial balance shoe, fitting full to the medial side

- Progressively increase the medial (within constraints of interference) until even wear is achieved

- Use as little correction as possible.

- It is usually in the fetlock, but may start higher in the leg

How can a toed in conformation develop?

Can a toed in conformation be corrected?

- It can be a congenital  condition, acquired during development as a foal.

- It may be partially corrected with a proper trim and therapeutic devices if discovered while the horse is 2 months or younger.

A toed in horse will "wing out" or "paddle"

- A toed in horse will have a medial toe flare, due to the loading on the lateral toe and quarter.

- Remove the medial toe flare

- More frequent shoe/trim schedule to control uneven growth

- Consider shoeing full to the lateral heel due to loading of the foot

- What should be done if a foal starts to toe out a few months after birth?

 - Can the condition be corrected?

- A veterinarian should be called in, and radiographs should be taken to see if the toed out condition is a result of medial fetlock movement.

- The farrier, working with the veterinarian, may be able to correct the ALD.

Where does breakover occur with a toed out foot?

How does the horse move?

- Breakover will occur on the medial toe.

- The horse will "wing in"

What part of the leg takes the most stress with a toed out horse?

Describe the stresses.

- The fetlock will bear the brunt of the stress with this condition.

- The lateral fetlock will have concussion (bone) problems

- The medial aspect of the fetlock will have soft tissue damage due to constant tension.

- The horse will tend to interfere

- Be cautious when fitting full to the medial side

- Use a broad toe shoe to assist with/direct breakover toward the center of the toe.

- Consider using a lighter shoe with mild cases

- A heavier shoe will accentuate winging in

The front limbs will be shaped like a "V" and the toes will be pointing towards each other.

- Articular windpuffs

- Lateral Ringbone

- Lateral sidebone

- Trim and shoe for a broad toe to assist in directing breakover

- Remove medial flares

- Fit full to the lateral heel

- Consider a lighter shoe for mild forms of the conformation to minimize the paddling.

Describe a Base Narrow, Toed-out conformation.

Is this conformation a concern?

- The limbs form a "V" and the toes point away from each other.

- This is one of the worst front limb conformations.

- These horses tend to break down.

- The horse will breakover on the medial toe

- The foot will wing in

- The foot will land/load on the lateral wall

- Interference is a major problem

- Lesions on the medial aspect of the cannon bone

- Fractures of the medial splint bone

- Occasional fracture of the medial sesamoid bone 

- A full fit to the medial side is needed to help the hoof balance

- Due to interference, it can be difficult to fit full to the medial side

- Mild forms can be helped with a lighter shoe.

Which joints have the most stress on a base wide, toed-out horse?

What are some common pathologies?

- The greatest stress is on the medial side of the limb

- Flexion stress on the medial collateral ligaments of the fetlock and pastern joints

- Medial sidebone

- Medial ringbone

How will a base wide toed-out horse move?

If the same horse base wide, toed-out horse has a narrow chest, what other issue may arise with movement?

- It will wing out, or paddle.

- It may have interference issues with a narrow chest.

- Similar issue to the base wide, toed-out conformation

- Stress on the medial fetlock and pastern

How does a base-wide, toed-In horse travel?

Where does the base-wide, toed-in horse breakover, and how does the foot load when it lands?

- It will wing out.

- It will break-over at the medial toe

- It will land on the medial wall

What are 'offset' knees?

What are some other names for this conformation?

- It is a congenital defect in which the cannon bone is offset laterally from the radius.

- Lines drawn down the center of the cannon bone and the radius do not meet.

- It is also called 'bench' knees or a lateral deviation of the metacarpal (cannon and splint) bones.

In a horse with open knees, how can the hoof be affected?

What are the shoeing considerations?

- The medial hoof wall can be very straight and weak.

- Shoe full to the medial wall, if possible

What are 'open' knees?

What is the general age range of horses in which this is found? and what pathology accompanies it?

- Open knees refers to large, irregular joint spaces in the carpus.

- Horses that are 1 to 3 years of age

- Often accompanied by epiphysitis

- The growth plate at the distal aspect of the radius

What is carpus varus?

What is this condition considered to be?

- It is a lateral deviation of the carpal bones from each other.

- It is also referred to as 'bow-legged.'

- It is an Angular Limb Deformity (ALD)

A horse has carpus varus, and is toed-in.

What is the difference between the aspects of the two conformational defects

- The carpus varus portion is an ALD.

- The toed-in portion is a rotational deviation.

Due to the loads placed upon the knees

- Compression/concussion issues with the medial aspect of the knee

- Soft tissue damage to the lateral aspect of the knee

How can carpus varus be resolved in a mature horse?

What are the shoeing and trimming considerations?

- It cannot be resolved in a mature horse.

- Due to foot loading, medial flares will develop.

- Remove medial flares

- Shoe full to the lateral side

What is carpus valgus?

What foot conformation usually accompanies this conformation?

- An inward deviation of the carpus joints/medial deviation of the carpal bones.

- Also known as 'knock-kneed.'

- The horse is usually toed-out.

- The carpus valgus aspect is an ALD.

- The toed out aspect is a rotational deviation.

What bone and tissue issues will the carpus valgus horse experience?

What can be done to resolve this conformation in an adult horse?

- Compression/concussion issues to the lateral knee

- Soft tissue damage to the medial knee

- Nothing can be done in an adult horse

- Due to loading of the medial wall, the horse will develop lateral flares.

- The horse will tend to wing-in

- Remove the lateral flare

- Shoe full to the medial side, taking into account the movement (winging in)