WHILST the seasons won’t be rushed and the mare’s gestation takes its allotted time, there seems to be constant pressure on the stud manager to deliver more each year. The annual Bloodstock sales dictate what stage of development each foal should be at, although they are not all born on the same day and growth varies form foal to foal.

It is rare to see poor stock at a thoroughbred stud, rather glowing examples of fine physique and health nurtured by just ‘the right feed’ and professional management. Despite all this attention being lavished, it is a fine balancing act to avoid over doing it; you’ll seldom see a poor doer with ‘ballerina syndrome’. The foal could be compared to a glasshouse plant, rapidly growing but vulnerable to subtle environmental changes.

Flexural and angular limb:

Many perfectly normal foals will arrive and experienced hands will give them a few days to find their feet, which they will do without any external intervention. It is when limb deviation or abnormal flexural posture is prolonged without improvement, that the veterinary surgeon and farrier are required to intervene.

Flaccid flexor tendons:

A foal born with flaccid flexors, toes in the air and pasterns low to the ground, which does not improve within a week, can be treated with a heel extension cast to the hoof to facilitate more correct posture, whilst the physique of the limb gains strength.

There are a variety of materials and methods available to achieve this; some may use a shoe glued on with the appropriate extension, others may prefer adhesive, plastic casting or aluminium. Whatever method is used, factors to consider are ease of use and application, and effectiveness with minimal negative influence on the rapidly developing foot. If not resolved in one treatment over two to three weeks, two will restore the majority. Dependent upon age; the younger foal will require more frequent attention due to the need to allow the foot to grow expansively without undue constraint and distortion.

Acquired Flexural Deformity:

A foal may present a tendon/muscle contracture which untreated would lead to a club foot or worse knuckling over at the toe rendering the limb crippled. Physiotherapy and a muscle relaxant drug administered by the vet such as Oxytetracycline may be effective prior to farriery intervention, particularly in the very young foal. As the foal is rapidly developing the first sign of AFD may be that it appears ‘footsore’ and the hoof is broken at the toe. For an effective result the feed management of the mare and foal are crucial for recovery along with hoof trimming and a protective toe extension. Experience has shown that treating this as a purely mechanical problem is both naive and ineffective. Each case will vary in severity but a typical case will benefit from the following:

• Reduced grazing and hard feed for mare and foal.
• Hoof protective toe extension to reinstate correct hoof pastern alignment on the effected limb.
• Foal to spend the majority of time on a hard surface to ensure mechanical benefit from the extension.
• Muscle relaxant drugs as prescribed by the veterinary surgeon.
• Regular farriery treatment – trimming of the heels and extension adjustment/replacement at two to three weeks.

‘A foal may present a tendon/ muscle contracture which untreated would lead to a club foot or worse knuckling over at the toe rendering the limb crippled’

Provided the condition in the foal is recognised early enough and these guidelines are implemented, the need for surgical intervention is avoided as is the potential of a compromised limb. The prognosis is usually good with such cases, unlike the overlooked or mismanaged ones which are likely to suffer lasting conformational deformity, typically a club foot and often back at the knee.

Un-correctable conformation:

There are conformational scenarios that the farrier cannot correct. It’s worth mentioning rotational deviation of the whole or part of the limb may be evident. For example a foal may have particularly outward rotation of the front limb; this will become less pronounced as it develops due to the chest development and musculature. Attempting to rotate the limb by ‘corrective farriery’ and a medial extension would be likely to only create ALD, a mature horse still with lateral rotation but appearing ‘pigeon toed’. Similarly an offset knee conformation is not correctable but ongoing discerning farriery may limit its negative effect.

Yearling Sales:

The month leading up to the sales is likely to be the first time the yearling is plated. Why do we plate? Sometimes it is just the preference of the stud or logical reasons are to avoid the yearling from becoming footsore whilst getting fit prior to and at the sales, and being able to show it off at its best. Light plates are fitted with six slim plate nails. Whether plating for the sales or the track, plates should not be fitted short or tight but flow to the outline of the foot. The farrier can excel here at the art of both balancing and creating an aesthetically pleasing set of feet, which can significantly influence the sale price.

Flat Racing:

Two year olds that go into training obviously are put to the test much sooner; their limbs, feet and whole physique are still very much developing and so more vulnerable than the mature equine. This is not to say that it is detrimental for the colt or filly but certainly can be if close attention is not paid to any strain or injury not least in the limbs and feet. Quarter cracks are not uncommon; these burst from the coronet when galloping and will bleed.

The hoof cannot expand rapidly enough in relation to the force it is subject to particularly where there is hoof imbalance or conformation which concentrates the force into a specific area; e.g. a pigeon toed (toe in) conformation usually predisposes the lateral heel quarter to greater impact. This is not exclusive to youngsters but being immature will have lower tolerance. This highlights the importance of nurturing good limb conformation. National Hunt Steeple Chasers have more time before going into training so are not subject to current developmental weaknesses but rather, are the product of hopefully careful breeding and nurture.
Whether racing on the flat or over the sticks it’s like formula one, costly, finely tuned and takes some getting there.