# Newborns down on their pasterns- rubbery back legs



## eagles ring farm (Mar 21, 2013)

We have had a foal now and then born with weak pasterns . down on their back legs never experienced in the front legs.... yet anyway

Even though they straighten up fine after some time with exercise

does anyone have any idea or thoughts what might cause this is it a lack of vitamins for mom

Id love to hear your thoughts on this. In our case all our broodmares are always on the same diet.

Any thoughts on why this happens?


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## dutchhollow (Mar 22, 2013)

Well, in goats it is caused by selenium/E deficiency. Usually a shot or an oral supplement gets them right pretty quick.


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## wildoak (Mar 22, 2013)

I've had a few as well, and we are not in a selenium deficient area. It has generally been early foals or very small ones who just don't have any strength yet, in our case. I have one mare in particular who always foaled around 310 days, beautiful, tiny foals who took awhile to come up on their pasterns.

Jan


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## Jean_B (Mar 22, 2013)

Lots of possible causes that MAY have nothing to do with feed quality (but should always check the nutrient levels of your hay and local soil conditions that will impact on that - if in doubt - can take hay and/or soil samples to your county extension agent for testing). Long-legged baby in a smaller mare so is wrapped up a little tighter while in utero. Spindly fine-boned baby that just needs time to "unfold". etc. Just give the youngster lots of time to get plenty of free-choice exercise following mom around in large paddock. It won't take long and they will straighten out. I had one mare that always had foals that had babies that looked like German Shepherds when first born and within a week they were absolutely straight.


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## drmatthewtaylor (Mar 22, 2013)

I had a boss that believed 'If someone called us out, then something is wrong. Always give a shot.', so we would give a compounded beta-carotene injection. Most would improve in 2-4 weeks. On my own that would experience this I give nothing and... most would improve in 2-4 weeks.

When we breed for finer bones and longer pasterns (that produce better motion), then we will tend to get more of this.

***If toes point toward the sky and they are walking on their heal bulbs, then they need mechanical support before they wear a hole in their heal bulb otherwise an infection can become life threatening.***

Dr. Taylor


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## Marty (Mar 22, 2013)

I've had that happen too.This foal was down on himself super bad. We had good food and hay but lacked selenium and minerals. A vet told me he would need special shoes and braces. Say what? So instead I followed advice from a very wise lady who used to be a forum member who told me to put out a 50 pound salt block and trace mineral block and free choice minerals where he could get to them easily, then rasp the foal's toes once a week. He got on those mineral fast and was up on those feet in 3 weeks.


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## rabbitsfizz (Mar 22, 2013)

I have had front legs so bent at birth that you would think they would _never_ come right. The Vet that came to my panic call (It was not my mare....) was the founder of the practice, retired and standing in for a Vet on holiday- he just, in the nicest possible way, laughed at me and told me I should know better! The filly was nine weeks premature, and in every other way she was fine, and I had been there at the birth. I was sure she needed box rest and splints and.... The Vet told me to turn her out and to leave her alone and he promised me that, by the time she ought to have been born, she would be spot on and, of course, he was 100% correct! That was 20 years ago, I do not panic these days, not easily anyway. I would not have accepted bendy pasterns on my Arabs, however, and if I had a mare throw a foal consecutively like this I think I would pull her from the herd, if it was a one off, or even a first foal, I should give her another go to see, but if it happened again she would be gone I am afraid. You could not get more slender than the legs on my Arab foals, so I do not think that should be taken as an excuse for bad conformation....


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## Jacki (Mar 22, 2013)

Our experience has been similiar to what Dr. Taylor stated...do nothing and it usually improves on it's own.

Best of luck with your baby, enjoy!

Jacki Loomis


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## wildoak (Mar 22, 2013)

We have only had to intervene on one filly, aside from just frequent rasping. We taped on some popsicle stick runners to the bottom of her feet - just to keep her from rocking back. She wore them for less than a week and stood up pretty well, although she was a little weak in her pasterns for a couple of months.. She was also a super refined, smalled boned little filly.

Jan


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## eagles ring farm (Mar 23, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your responses our filly has come up pretty good since she was born

we are in a low selenium area when I looked up a map

I was just wondering why it happens occasionally in case it was something we were lacking

in their feed

She is due to have her feet done again next week. She was just done a week or so ago.

But we like to do foals more often and our farrier lives near us so that makes it easy.

She is very refined and tiny so it sounds as though that adds to it

We have our 2nd due any day Lotus is at 338 days a little longer than we are used to


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## fourluckyhorseshoes (Mar 23, 2013)

Hey--

Have you tried this stuff? I know the used to give a decent bottle sized sample for free which people claim that it helps with some leg issues early in life.

http://www.prognutrition.com/rejuvenaideplus.html


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## eagles ring farm (Mar 23, 2013)

I do actually have some rejuvenaide I sent for a free sample about 5-6 yrs ago

I used it on 1 foal then and it really seemed to work but I was hesitant to use it after all that time

I called the company and they said as long as no mold I could use it just shake good

but I didn't feel comfortable using it and the smallest they have available is 32 oz which is way too much and $63

and I figured she would be fine on her own which she was


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## chandab (Mar 23, 2013)

eagles ring farm said:


> I do actually have some rejuvenaide I sent for a free sample about 5-6 yrs ago
> 
> I used it on 1 foal then and it really seemed to work but I was hesitant to use it after all that time
> 
> ...


It doesn't work quite as well as the liquid, but they have a paste too (that's not exactly right, but evidently the liquid is more effective, or its a slightly different formula - the paste is just called Revuenaide, and the liquid is Rejuvenaide+). I think its available from Heartland Vet Supply. Yep, just checked HVS carries both the liquid and the paste. The paste is under $15 plus shipping, and a 30cc tube would have several doses for a mini foal at only 2cc/100#.


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