Sonny Pistilli has been shoeing horses since 1967. As you’d expect, he’s seen a lot of clubfooted horses during that time. But for the last couple of years, he’s been dealing with a horse that presents the biggest clubfoot challenge he’s ever faced.

It all started when one of his oldest clients got in touch with him from Europe. He and a young female rider were looking at a big German warmblood, a Trakehner breed. The horse had good bloodlines and what was more, they could get him at a good price. He had some conformational issues. He was “a little upright.” But the sellers were saying with the help of a good farrier, the horse could be a top competitor. He was already showing at Dressage Level 4.

“I asked him to tell me how upright he was, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being as bad as it could be,” recalls Pistilli. “He told me maybe a 3.5. I said I could deal with 3.5.”

He pauses and then chuckles.

“He never mentioned we were talking about all four feet.”

Upright Everywhere

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