Farriers are often injected into the management protocol of club-footed horses with little to no history about the condition’s onset. Successful outcomes can be achieved through the understanding of basic anatomy and applying biomechanical principles to these cases. There are many factors, arguments and theories to describe the causes or reasons a horse may present with a club foot; these require their own article. This article seeks to describe the authors’ management of club feet in the aged horse regardless of how it was acquired.

Biomechanics can be defined as how internal and external forces interact with an animal’s musculoskeletal system, and how mechanical principles (such as leverage reduction) can be employed to gain mechanical advantage.

Understanding the basics of functional anatomy is key to utilizing biomechanics in managing club feet. The deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) is the main culprit, and the…