I wish I could access photos/ videos on an iPad. My filly had both hind legs WAY over to the left and so low in the pasterns. The video of her walking is painful. Apparently you can’t see YouTube on iPads, either.
It’s amazing what they can grow out of, as a lot of people told me in here. Just time works well for many, and some of them need a bit more support.
I’m kinda pleased someone has bought up Rejuvenaide. This product is not available here in NZ but I have heard many on this board recommend it time and again. I wondered what was in it that would have such a phenomenal impact on a foal’s development. Having read the ingredients I too wonder what makes the product work?
I definately am not knocking it - quite the contrary! I had a very contracted foal this season and I would absolutely have used this if I could. I was so worried I would have used just about anything! I not a numpty when it comes to science and nutrition so I’d love to know the ins and outs of this product.
"With nursing foals the roadblock to getting nutrition into them is that their food source is the mare’s milk, and we have little influence on its content. Progressive Nutrition has solved this problem with Rejuvenaide. This product comes in 3 forms, that can be dosed to the foal daily–supplying essential nutrition. "
If your mare’s milk is not supplying the baby the added vitamins and minerals it needs to grow properly and correct the deviations, this is why one would choose a Chelated mineral drench.
If you (BDTD) choose not to use it, hey that is your right. I am not willing to choose to not use it , in the event the use of the product will help my foal with potentially serious leg deviations. The alternative of doing nothing just to save a few bucks is a chance I am unwilling to take, on a foal that I have so much invested in.
It’s not what’s in it, but the ratios of what’s in it that are so important - specifically the Ca:Ph ration - which in addition for that to work “properly” needs Cu and Vitamin A available. Not all pastures and ergo, local hay and ergo again, the dam’s milk have the correct ratio of stuff.
You can build a wall out of 2x4s or you can build one out of 1x8s. The mass is the same, but the proportions aren’t… you just have to decide what you want your wall to look like.
I had a colt with pretty bad valgus - talked to a surgeon who said WAIT until he’s 3 months old, don’t rush into stripping. We had restricted turnout - I handwalked the mare a couple of times a day just to get her out - she always has post-partum edema, and needs to move, poor girl. That colt straightened up beautifully - it did take a couple of months, but he is perfect now. The old advice was periostal stripping asap - the newer vets tell us to give nature some time to correct it on her own. It is not uncommon - especially in big foals who are all bent inside Mom.
Had one windswept filly who also straightened up on her own (also a big baby) - that one took quite a while, but she was ultimately perfect too.
Lax/flaccid fetlocks - that is pretty common. If necessary, put on just to make sure the foal doesn’t rub his foot raw, and otherwise, time usually fixes that issue. EtA - not support bandages, just something to save baby from wear on his pastern - it does happen, especially on hard or rocky ground, something to be aware of!
my colt last year was born very lax behind-he was literally walking on the back of his fetlocks. never slowed him down though-we called him ‘elf feet’. We put therapeutic shoes on him that had long heel extensions. after about 4-5 weeks he was able to have the shoes removed and was 100% by 8 weeks, placing high in his first HB show at 9 weeks.
I would consult your vet and farrier about some hind shoes for him with the heel extension. usually they can tape them on-which we did at first, but my guy ripped them off. so we epoxied them on for the last 3 weeks. they would be replaced every 1-2 weeks slowly pulling back the heel extension as his tendons tightened up.
Limit turnout until the tendons start to tighten and then only limited turnout in a small area. We would definitely have this foal on Foal Aide. The foal does sound like it is dysmature so you have to let TIME bring the foal up to where it should be.
Bandaging is only used for contracted tendons.
I had a colt in 2011 that wasn’t as serious as this it seems, but similar in that he was born at a “normal” time but came out looking premature and under developed. He spent his first several months in a large stall (took out the wall between two stalls to make a double). Only came out when dam was being ultrasounded or bred, so minimal. We also did corrective shoeing (shoe glued on) on his front that was the worst and it worked amazingly. You’d never know he was born crooked now. should say didn’t start shoeing until about 1.5 months
That doesn’t help diet wise, but might be something to look into with your vet/farrier with regards to getting the foal straight in the least invasive way possible.
I had a very windswept foal as my first-ever homebred. He’s fox hunting now.
I felt sorry for his mother having to be in her stall after all of those months carrying him. So, I turned her out in a flat paddock and let her graze, meanwhile I let the foal play for his prescribed 5 minutes then caught him, put the lead shank on his tiny halter and the rope around his body and followed him around wherever he wanted to go - at a walk. I stayed out with them as long as I had available each day - a couple of hours sometimes.
Not only are we bonded very closely, but I taught him to neckrein (really). I also would place my hand on his tiny back like a saddle and use my other hand to touch where my legs would be, switching sides often. I sincerely believe this early learning was an advantage when I started riding him.
I did have a very capable farrier and vet helping monitor his progress throughout. After a month or so I was able to let him loose, but it probably took 2-3 months before he really straightened up.
Good luck!
I too had a windswept foal that looked fairly shocking at birth, but was “normal” within 4 weeks.
Where did the OP go?
Everyone has been amazing! Thank you all so much for your input 
I’ve been a worried mother hen.
Sorry for the late response 
I thought I would be emailed when someone responded…but I was not…
I re-posted her 2 week old pictures, mind these are when she looks her best before getting out to play around. I need to scrounge her newborn pictures if anyone needs reference, and I can get some pictures of her post turnout as well.
Another question I have is whether this mare is likely to throw another crooked foal?
This mare has one of the most amazing minds of any mare I’ve known and is truly loved at the breeding farm she is at for her excellent behavior and personality.
(Aside from personality she can jump the moon and has beautiful gates and conformation.)
I love the compliments (even on the baby’s good behavior and curiosity), but I would never want to risk leg issues?
Fixed Photo Link!
Actually, not only should they call, but they should speak with THE MAN himself!
Donald R Kapper, PAS
Director of Nutrition and Technical Services
Progressive Nutrition
Office: 888-239-3185
Website: www.ProgNutrition.com
Here is how pathetic mine looked when born:
(PSA- I was NOT the owner at the time of birth - I purchased her at 3 weeks old to get her out of a sketchy back yard breeder’s “care”)
Sound and straight as a yearling
And she is now just turned 6 - jumping, and being ridden 6 days a week.
The more experienced breeders can chime in here - but the mare that gave birth to my horse had two other “windswept” foals that I know of (for all I know ALL of her foals were windswept - but I have only seen pictures of two other foals, which were windswept like mine).
That said - this mare has produced horses that won at the track, so while they may have been born windswept, it would appear that they corrected in time, and well enough to run as two year olds.
Finally got to see the pics of your foal. Those legs are not HALF as bad as some of my foals! I really wouldn’t panic too much, foals are amazing things.
One of my warmbloods was so valgus her knees CROSSED OVER when she stood. She straightened without any assistance except limited turnout space and hoof trimming. She went on to be a multi-champion show horse winning her first supreme aged 10 months.
That same mare produced another foal that was quite dysmature and very lax behind, his toes pointing up and his fetlock on the ground. His heels and pasterns were loosly wrapped with softban fluffy stuff to protect from the hard ground. He was kept quietly in a small grassy area. He did not have heel extensions because his rate of improvement was incredible. He had no other assistance. He has won several champions as a foal, the first when he was only 3.5 months.
Another of mine was so contracted in both front limbs he stood on the front his fetlocks. He (and his poor sweet mother) were confined to a large covered yard for 2 months with no turnout. He was given oxytet, and a lot of splinting and wrapping, plus shoes with toe extensions. By 4 months there was nothing to see of this whole ordeal except a small pressure wound scab left from all the wrapping.
My vet also tells of a foal last year that was so terribly windswept behind it could barely walk. The vet hospital strapped aluminium rods to the worst leg! He had dreadful deep pressure wounds all down his white stockings. He is now a yearling with perfect hind legs and no sign of any scarring at all.
Foals are amazing!
fwiw -Having learned the hard way, for me I would always xray a windswept foal to make sure the cubodial bones are not soft. I had a dysmature foal who straighten up fine but the cubodial bone in the hocks were soft so he has a slight wedged one–he is still sound (and correctly conformed) all these years later, but i am sure it will eventually catch up with him and it was an avoidable event. It broke my heart a little.
Chesh–Now we can see pictures. That ain’t nothin’! Your baby is hardly crooked! I’m sure your vet was right about time and limited exercise will do the job.
From what I know, a lot of windswept foals are that way because they are so big, they get scrunched up inside. My mare is 15.3 and the fill was 125 lbs. I think if you keep that in mind, you don’t have so many issues.
Appsolute–I want! What a cutie. My filly still has your wonky spotted boy beat. She was way worse than that.
[QUOTE=Beentheredonethat;6975551]
Chesh–Now we can see pictures. That ain’t nothin’! Your baby is hardly crooked! I’m sure your vet was right about time and limited exercise will do the job.
From what I know, a lot of windswept foals are that way because they are so big, they get scrunched up inside. My mare is 15.3 and the fill was 125 lbs. I think if you keep that in mind, you don’t have so many issues.
Appsolute–I want! What a cutie. My filly still has your wonky spotted boy beat. She was way worse than that.[/QUOTE]
Yes, to the OP, your foal’s legs should end up just fine. Those are really not deviated all that badly, some are much worse at that age.
Thanks guys, you make me feel better. The mare in the stall next door with the worst attitude just had a perfect colt, and the breed managers seem so careful in the wording over my filly, and not wanting to turn her out for long that I keep worrying…
I will post pictures of her when she first came out and I think everyone might be surprised about how much better she is…
Appsolute- Beautiful Foal!..and actually my little lady looked like that when she first came out, I will post the pics once I get the camera back from my brother. My filly was even a little lower at first in the hind in…but awesome results!!
Thank you!
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