1 month old foal down on his heels..

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Calekio

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My coloured colt was born very down on his heels, farrier came out to him at 2.5 weeks old and trimmed his feet, he did say he'd never seen feet so long on one so young before.. to just keep running the rasp over him every few weeks, its been 3 weeks and although someone said to me he'd come up a bit, he still looks very down to me.

Last year i had a filly like this.. and she ended up with the farrier gluing on metal shoes to her feet and having to stay in a small field as they were very expensive for her to keep losing! I don't want to (nor can i really afford to this year!) to this with him..

I remember last year though someone said about using duck tape and tongue depressors... he is not as bad as she was last year.. but i want to stop him getting that bad... any advice?
 
UPDATE: Seen photos and thats not bad at all! Trim his heals down a little and take some toe off and he'll start to balance right out. I was visualing something way different.
 
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There is a product used by farriers that is very much like acrylic nails on women.It is put on the hoof to build it up then sanded and shaped just like a hoof.It stays on and put the foot in the right angle and position.It eventually grows out just like the hoof.we used it very successfully many years ago.Farriers often use it in big horses for quarter cracks.I think Jeffers may sell it.IMO much better than metal shoes for this issue.Good luck.
 
This is not necessarily a genetic condition as it is a nutritional condition and I have seen horses over the years that may have had one foal like this, but never again, or before either for that matter. (Not saying it cant be bad legs from breeding but I have seen a lot of these be simply a nutritional thing)

I purchased a mare a few years ago, arrived a bit on the thin side. She was carrying a foal that when born, was SO down on it's heels- all four. Had never had one like that, that bad. At a month old, finally had the vet out to take a look... she said keep trimming and lots of excercise where he could run. It took about 4 months but he finally came up where he was supposed to be, and at 6 months, did very well at his first show!

Dont give up and keep after it. But I would have your vet take a look if it's not improving any and see about your feeding program and what could help out here.
 
I will take some pictures tomorrow.

Although the 2 foals are from same now gelded stallion, they from different mares... his mum ended up foaling quite over weight from moving yards... as a result he is a lot bigger than her normal foals and got stuck on the way out... nothing but legs! So i think this could be nutritional as mum is over weight (still! Hard to work out best way to try and slim her down, whilst she is feeding a foal... at the moment i've just cut down the feed and she is just on grass...)

Foal lives out currently while weather is nice, although i remember trying to get last years foal to do more exercise (we tried walking mum round the field.. for foal to stay in the middle with her friends! lol)

I'm just worried about not catching it in time... as i think with last years foal if we'd of caught her in time with his feet... we may have been able to avoid all of the glue on shoes part!

Pictures i do have are of him at about 1 week old - Before seeing the farrier.. to give idea..

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This was him at a few hours old..

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What do you think... anything to worry about? (will post after farrier photos tomorrow)
 
I would not worry- just have the farrier keep trimming as needed. Hopefully you have a good farrier. We have had experience with such a situation and it should resolve itself. I personally would not necessarily do the heel extensions- can cause bruising of the heel. Frequent trims should help.
 
You need to be sure your pregnant mares are getting enough selenium as this is sometimes the cause of foals being born rocked back or wind swept. The best way to know is test your hay or pasture or get a good feed. You dont however want to go overboard and have too much selenium either so its a fine line.

The foal pictured is not that bad and with regular trimming should come up on its own
 
Ive seen numerous foals like that. All with just keeping up on the trimming they all were just fine with time.

It always seems to happen to foals whos dams are either skinny or over weight.
 
His heals are too long. Many big horse farriers will trim a Mini like it is a big horse and are very incorrect in doing that. A big horse foot is trimed based upon its weight (weight of the horse) a Mini, especially a Mini foal has no weight and can not wear down its heals, so they grow long and often fold under themselves.

I had a colt this year that was like this, had a Mini farrier take care of his feet and right away he was no longer down on his pastures and has not been since. My own farrier had been doing the feet wrong.
 
Oh he is not that bad!!!! NO worries! He will come up just fine. The one I had was walking really on the back of his ankles on all four! Not kidding either.
 
He isn't as bad as I was imagining....... Just keep rasping his toes......

Also, you should find out from your vet if you are in a low selenium region. If so, did your foal get a selenium/E shot when he was born?
 
Thanks for the tip. Still have yet to get recent photos..

How would i know if we were in a low selenium region? Am seeing vet next week so i can discuss it with her further then..
 
Don't worry, he's ok. I think its a selinium deficiency or mineral deficiency too. I've had two like that.

We rasp the toe square, then straight across about once a week. Be sure to keep free choice minerals out there. Have the baby be outside to run as much as possible. He will pop up on them just fine in about 3 weeks or sooner.
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