ADVERTISEMENT
A horse with slightly asymmetrical feet is nothing out of the ordinary. But if one hoof differs dramatically from the other, you might be dealing with a club foot an abnormally upright hoof with long, contracted heels and a prominent or bulging coronary band. Because shortening of the musculotendinous unit (the deep digital flexor muscle and tendon) causes this syndrome, it is more accurate to describe a club foot as a “flexural deformity” of the coffin joint. And while a deformity might sound like a career-ending flaw, with proper management affected horses can lead very comfortable and even athletic lives.