Legs & Feet
 

Horses legs correspond to the angulation of the hindquarters and forelegs under the horse's body. They can be of more or less good quality, and not necessarily identical on the four members. We speak of regular or irregular legs. As seen in the Type and conformation section  the balance will have an impact on the paces and the balance of the body, which can impact the possibility of practicing certain activities (driving or jumping for example). In the long term, bad balance can lead to the appearance of certain pathologies (osteoarthritis, tendonitis, etc.).

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Legs defects are detected when stopped at the square, in a natural position and not shown. Some can also be detected in motion : deviant limbs, degraded gait.

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On a foal it is possible to attempt a correction of the defects of legs or feet, it is necessary to involve a farrier/podiatrist who will rectify via a specific trimming the way in which the foot unfolds and is posed (shoe is very little used in the miniature horse : very expensive and unnecessary, except in extreme cases such as injury or disability). The arrival of an osteopath is also recommended, as part of the correction of a defect of legs its work is complementary, especially as a defect of legs can lead to lameness and/or compensation on other parts of the body.

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On an adult horse the correction of a defect of legs is difficult to correct, particularly on a miniature horse, the small size of the foot leaving little room for doing the correction of the trimming to the farrier/podiatrist. In addition, on an adult horse it must be assumed that the tendons and muscles have adapted to the defect(s) of leg(s) and the attempt at correction may turn out to be worse than the initial defect. Either way, calling on competent professionals is essential.

 

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Horse under him in front a/o behind - camped in front a/o behind

Horse at rest is presented square, in profile, and as its name indicates the shoulder and the point of the buttock must form a square with the forelegs and hindquarters.

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​ A horse is under him if :

• ​the forelimbs are placed naturally behind the vertical line point of the shoulder / front of the foot

• the hind legs are placed naturally in front of the vertical line point of the buttock / front of the foot

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A horse is camped if :

• the forelegs are placed naturally in front of the vertical line point of the shoulder / front of the foot

• the hind legs are placed naturally behind the vertical line point of the buttock / front of the foot

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Buck-kneed

The stationary horse is presented square, in profile. An anterior is called a brassicourt if the knee is in front of the vertical line point of the shoulder/front of the foot. ​

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Calf-Kneed

The stationary horse is presented square, in profile. An anterior is said to be hollow if the knee is behind the point of the shoulder/front of the foot vertical line.

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Splay-fooeted or pigeon-toed

The stationary horse is presented from the front for the study of the forelegs and from the back for the study of the hind legs. The axis of the foot is turned outwards or inwards, the deviation can also start from the knee.

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Pastern too straight or coon-footed

The horse at rest is presented square, in profile : the knee, the pastern and the front of the foot must form a vertical straight line. ​

 

The limb is short jointed if the front of the foot is behind the vertical knee/pastern line. It is long jointed if the front of the foot is in front of the vertical knee/pastern line.  

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Defects specific to hind legs

The horse at the square stop is presented from behind, we must observe a rectangle : the feet and the hocks must be on the same vertical line which join the point of the buttock on each side of the horse.

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• ​Base-narrow : the feet and the hocks are aligned but are placed on a vertical line tighter than the lines of the points of the buttocks.

• Base-wide : the feet and the hocks are aligned but are placed on a vertical line more open than the lines of the points of the buttocks.

• Cow-hocked : the feet and the tips of the buttocks are aligned on the same vertical line but the hocks are inside the verticals.

• Sickle-hocked : the feet and the tips of the buttocks are aligned on the same vertical line but the hocks are outside the verticals.