Q:My trainer says that my 1 1/2-year-old Thoroughbred colt is forging, but only at the trot. Is there something that can be done to correct this problem (i.e., specific exercises)? Is this common in young horses?

Carol

A:My first thought would be to make sure, through the trainer, that this colt is in fact "forging." The term means that the toe of the hind foot hits the bottom (weight-bearing surface) of the front foot on the same side. This happens as the hind leg advances forward just as the front foot is leaving the ground. A similar gait abnormality is called "over-reaching;" the difference is that in over-reaching the hind foot contacts the front foot sooner, striking the heel bulb region of the front foot. The likelihood of injury to the horse is much greater with an over-reaching situation, and the basic problem in both cases is an apparent lack of limb motion synchrony.

I don’t know how common this problem is, but in my experience it’s reasonably common in young Thoroughbreds. I’m not singling out this breed, but I’ve seen a greater incidence of forging in longer-legged individuals. Most of the cases I’ve seen resolved as the horses matured and/or continued their training. Young horses have a reasonably accelerated growth curve, and often it takes time to reach the more mechanically ideal situation