Be proactive with club-footed adolescents and treat cases before permanent changes occur. | Photo: Courtesy Stephen E. O'Grady

Recognizing and treating hoof conditions, such as club feet, in adolescent horses helps them succeed in their intended discipline and, ultimately, prevent lifelong foot complications. This was the take-home message Craig Lesser, DVM, CF, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, in Lexington, Kentucky, delivered at the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in San Francisco, California.

Club feet can be noticeable in foals within a few days of life, but they can also develop later on. In cases involving adolescent horses, a variety—and usually multiple—factors contribute to club foot development, such as contracted tendons, pain associated with rapid growth, and a disproportionate rate of tendon and bone growth, among others.

Veterinarians and farriers grade club feet on a four-point scale based on their severity (1 being mild and 4 being