Paddling or Winging?

[Mamare]

Can anyone please explain this to me? I have a lovely, correct 2 y/o that is paddling or winging at the trot. Is this permanent? Part of a growth stage? Her trot is lovely from the side, but when she is coming towards you....oh my..... I really hadn't noticed this at all when she was younger.

[bloomingtonfarm]

Your horse must be toe in or toe out. This condition is coming from a conformation problems. A toe out baby usualy get straight as he matures and develop his chest.

[JB]

Paddling is when the toes swing out (and some portion of the leg, obviously) and winging is when it swings in. Backwards of what you might assume.

If this is developing, then you need to have a serious talk with your farrier/trimmer because most likely it's something he's causing or allowing.

[Dressage_Diva333]

I agree with JB.

Although, I don't think that horses have to toe in or out to paddle or wing. I've seen perfectly straight legged horses winging, and I've seen crooked legged horses moving essentially straight (as in not paddling, though you could tell they weren't landing flat..).

Definately it shouldn't be developing, get a different farrier.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Two more thoughts. I've seen it a lot on horses that toe-in. However, my mare does it on her injured leg and not on her other.

Some farriers get overzealous to trim a baby that toes-out a bit "straight" and then when they grow into their wider chest (which often would have straightened out the toe-out) they begin to toe-in. My farrier admitted that when he first started trimming he did this to one of his colts before he knew better. Could this be what is happening?

[Mamare]

Now that I really take a good look, that foot does slightly toe in. I hadn't really noticed it before and the farriers have never mentioned it. I wonder if it does have something to do with the way she is being trimmed.

[patch work farm]

If it is a confirmation fault, I have always been told that toeing in is better (they are less apt to interfere). I can tell you that I had one of my mares in training last year (a 7 year old), a video was sent off to someone who wrote back and said, "I don't want a horse that wings!"...I was stumped since she didn't when she left. When I brought her home, her feet were a mess-it took my farrier three visits to correct what had been done but he got her back to normal-she does not wing anymore. Farriers can make a huge difference!

[Canterbury Court]

You also have to look at where the paddling is originating. If it comes from the knee the horse will probably continue to have some degree of it. If it comes from the shoulder it is a stage the horse will go through until it develops the strength it needs to carry the movement the horse has from the shoulder. I once saw a yearling Werther filly. She was offered for sale by a breeder who NEVER sells any mares. She was 6000DM ($3000), out of one of the best mare lines around, and paddled like a Mixmaster. I turned her down. 2 years later she was the European Champion Mare. Should have looked at the shoulder not just the feet.