Long Pasterns

fergiaj · 06-25-2008, 07:43 PM

I know I have another post in health section about him, but I wasn't sure if I should just add this onto it or create a new thread. Sorry!! Move it if necessary!

So I am currently horse shopping and I found a horse that I like but he has long pasterns (see pic below).

A lot of people say that this will be a problem in the future because I plan to jump (nothing huge, my max might be 3 ft). I've been trying to see if I can find any information about how to correct/ how to help if I do get it and what are the effects.

I looked at some of the old threads here and got some conflicting information. Some people said that they could see no difference no extra risk, and others said that it was a huge problem.

Interms of current shoeing his front feet are shod, but his back feet aren't. He went all winter without shoes because he wasn't really worked.

So if anyone could tell me if it would be possible to use corrective shoeing/ other options for it?

Thanks again!!!!

rageandglory · 06-26-2008, 03:04 AM

i don't see this horse as having overly long pasterns (longer, maybe, but not extreme) as much as he appears to be just a mite tied-in or over at the knee a bit. i accept that looking at a picture has its limitations.

three footers are not a huge tax on a horse IF started with minimal issues and properly trained, conditioned and ridden. i would be asking questions about this horse's work/health history (how many shows has he attended, how many riders competed him, is he a school horse or privately owned/competed), has he had any injuries/lameness issues in the past, what has been his career until now, that sort of thing (along with all the other standard questions, of course : ). if he has a decent history of being well kept and well treated, go for it if he gets the job done for you the way you like it. i have seen far worse conformation conditions at some pretty high levels but the greater the flaw, shorter is the career. truly long pasterns, straight hocks, odd hip angles, not so straight front legs.... these are things you do want to thoroughly evaluate before taking on a jumper career. they are not death sentences but WILL sooner than later, become a high maintenance issue for the horse. there are more suitable jobs out there for the genuinely "mal-built". this guy doesn't look all that extreme to me but again, pics do say a thousand words, and not all are always true : )
some crookedness can be improved with selective trimming/shoeing but i think over and/or tied in at the knee is what it is for the most part. if anything can correct it, i would think the condition would need to be addressed soon after birth to be effective, long-term. farrier and hoof folks here can be much more informative on that than me.

good on you for being conscientious in your search.

dotgotcalm · 06-26-2008, 05:21 AM

His pastern angles don't match and neither do the angles on his hooves. He's long toe/short heel up front. I suspect that what you have here is a shoeing issue not a conformation issue. Compare his back legs to his front and I think you'll see what I mean. His front feet are really bad. No heel at all there. This guy badly needs a new farrier!

If he IS really that sloped up front then, yes, jumping him is a bad idea. The most common problem I've seen from jumping horses with long pasterns is them developing ringbone.

fergiaj · 06-26-2008, 07:40 AM

So most people see this as more of a shoeing problem probably, than a conformational issue?

If it turns out to be a conformational issue, is it just something I should be careful with? Or should I avoid jumping him at all costs?

rageandglory · 06-26-2008, 08:00 AM

i agree with the hoof/trim impressions stated but personally don't know enough to comment or advise effectively on it. conformationally, i would like to see what he looks like after a few months under proper trimming. he might not be 3 foot material for the long term but hunterpacing selectively and/or lower level careers could be most suitable for him. if YOU want more, he might not be the one. very hard to say without actually looking at the horse in real life.

JBandRio · 06-26-2008, 08:10 AM

What has this horse been doing recently - what sort of work, if any? I don't see overly long pasterns. The picture isn't that great, so it may be that he's got some hoof balance issues which are making him appear longer than he really is. What concerns me is how he appears to be very, very tight and upright in his shoulders. That is not a normal look for a horse, and either he's got something very funky going on conformationally, or he's quite uncomfortable.

fergiaj · 06-26-2008, 08:20 AM

He hasn't been doing much in the past year or so. He was bought for a pony club horse for this ladies daughter, but the daughter stopped riding. He gets out a couple of times a month when she has time but not much else. He wasn't shod all winter, and now he just has front shoes on.

rageandglory · 06-26-2008, 08:29 AM

he DOES have an odd curve to his forearm....i trust JB's eye, from past experience : )

y'know, the more closely i look and actually study this pic, am i seeing a possible old bow front right? that front end doese not look strong or comfy as is.

fergiaj · 06-26-2008, 08:37 AM

Do you think these conformational flaws would be enough to not get him? I enjoyed riding him quite a bit so I guess it will be up to me to decide. I'm going out to try him again this evening. I'll try to get better pictures of his legs, and try to do a really thorough inspection before I ride.

Is there anything else to consider? Ahh!!! I have a feeling that this is going to be a really hard decision to make...

rageandglory · 06-26-2008, 09:19 AM

with the evident need for some corrective trimming, these corrections will take time if done properly so as not to sore the horse. meanwhile, what do you do with your self? it is hard to say how true his feet/leg will develop even with good trimming. all in all i would think that there might be better candidates out there that WILL/CAN perform at the level you are considering, and with less issue. he could turn into a fine pleasure ride but a career in competition, over fences, might not be his strong/long point.

06-25-2008, 07:43 PM	#1
fergiaj Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Superior CA Posts: 145 Images: 17 Blog Entries: 7	Long Pasterns I know I have another post in health section about him, but I wasn't sure if I should just add this onto it or create a new thread. Sorry!! Move it if necessary! So I am currently horse shopping and I found a horse that I like but he has long pasterns (see pic below). A lot of people say that this will be a problem in the future because I plan to jump (nothing huge, my max might be 3 ft). I've been trying to see if I can find any information about how to correct/ how to help if I do get it and what are the effects. I looked at some of the old threads here and got some conflicting information. Some people said that they could see no difference no extra risk, and others said that it was a huge problem. Interms of current shoeing his front feet are shod, but his back feet aren't. He went all winter without shoes because he wasn't really worked. So if anyone could tell me if it would be possible to use corrective shoeing/ other options for it? Thanks again!!!!

06-26-2008, 08:10 AM	#6
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 22,344 Images: 138 Blog Entries: 12	What has this horse been doing recently - what sort of work, if any? I don't see overly long pasterns. The picture isn't that great, so it may be that he's got some hoof balance issues which are making him appear longer than he really is. What concerns me is how he appears to be very, very tight and upright in his shoulders. That is not a normal look for a horse, and either he's got something very funky going on conformationally, or he's quite uncomfortable. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

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06-26-2008, 03:04 AM	#2
rageandglory Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: the other seat in that handbasket Posts: 1,541	i don't see this horse as having overly long pasterns (longer, maybe, but not extreme) as much as he appears to be just a mite tied-in or over at the knee a bit. i accept that looking at a picture has its limitations. three footers are not a huge tax on a horse IF started with minimal issues and properly trained, conditioned and ridden. i would be asking questions about this horse's work/health history (how many shows has he attended, how many riders competed him, is he a school horse or privately owned/competed), has he had any injuries/lameness issues in the past, what has been his career until now, that sort of thing (along with all the other standard questions, of course : ). if he has a decent history of being well kept and well treated, go for it if he gets the job done for you the way you like it. i have seen far worse conformation conditions at some pretty high levels but the greater the flaw, shorter is the career. truly long pasterns, straight hocks, odd hip angles, not so straight front legs.... these are things you do want to thoroughly evaluate before taking on a jumper career. they are not death sentences but WILL sooner than later, become a high maintenance issue for the horse. there are more suitable jobs out there for the genuinely "mal-built". this guy doesn't look all that extreme to me but again, pics do say a thousand words, and not all are always true : ) some crookedness can be improved with selective trimming/shoeing but i think over and/or tied in at the knee is what it is for the most part. if anything can correct it, i would think the condition would need to be addressed soon after birth to be effective, long-term. farrier and hoof folks here can be much more informative on that than me. good on you for being conscientious in your search.

06-26-2008, 05:21 AM	#3
dotgotcalm Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 555 Images: 4	His pastern angles don't match and neither do the angles on his hooves. He's long toe/short heel up front. I suspect that what you have here is a shoeing issue not a conformation issue. Compare his back legs to his front and I think you'll see what I mean. His front feet are really bad. No heel at all there. This guy badly needs a new farrier! If he IS really that sloped up front then, yes, jumping him is a bad idea. The most common problem I've seen from jumping horses with long pasterns is them developing ringbone.

06-26-2008, 07:40 AM	#4
fergiaj Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Superior CA Posts: 145 Images: 17 Blog Entries: 7	So most people see this as more of a shoeing problem probably, than a conformational issue? If it turns out to be a conformational issue, is it just something I should be careful with? Or should I avoid jumping him at all costs?

06-26-2008, 08:00 AM	#5
rageandglory Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: the other seat in that handbasket Posts: 1,541	i agree with the hoof/trim impressions stated but personally don't know enough to comment or advise effectively on it. conformationally, i would like to see what he looks like after a few months under proper trimming. he might not be 3 foot material for the long term but hunterpacing selectively and/or lower level careers could be most suitable for him. if YOU want more, he might not be the one. very hard to say without actually looking at the horse in real life.

06-26-2008, 08:20 AM	#7
fergiaj Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Superior CA Posts: 145 Images: 17 Blog Entries: 7	He hasn't been doing much in the past year or so. He was bought for a pony club horse for this ladies daughter, but the daughter stopped riding. He gets out a couple of times a month when she has time but not much else. He wasn't shod all winter, and now he just has front shoes on.

06-26-2008, 08:29 AM	#8
rageandglory Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: the other seat in that handbasket Posts: 1,541	he DOES have an odd curve to his forearm....i trust JB's eye, from past experience : ) y'know, the more closely i look and actually study this pic, am i seeing a possible old bow front right? that front end doese not look strong or comfy as is.

06-26-2008, 08:37 AM	#9
fergiaj Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Superior CA Posts: 145 Images: 17 Blog Entries: 7	Do you think these conformational flaws would be enough to not get him? I enjoyed riding him quite a bit so I guess it will be up to me to decide. I'm going out to try him again this evening. I'll try to get better pictures of his legs, and try to do a really thorough inspection before I ride. Is there anything else to consider? Ahh!!! I have a feeling that this is going to be a really hard decision to make...

06-26-2008, 09:19 AM	#10
rageandglory Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: the other seat in that handbasket Posts: 1,541	with the evident need for some corrective trimming, these corrections will take time if done properly so as not to sore the horse. meanwhile, what do you do with your self? it is hard to say how true his feet/leg will develop even with good trimming. all in all i would think that there might be better candidates out there that WILL/CAN perform at the level you are considering, and with less issue. he could turn into a fine pleasure ride but a career in competition, over fences, might not be his strong/long point.