In most cases, procedures such as "screws and Wires" will improve the soundness potential of a horse. Keeping horses sound is a good thing and there is way too much concern and mis information about these procedures. If a horse is knock knee'd (valgus), uneven pressure is put on the knee increasing the possibility of knee injury during training and racing. Reducing this is in the best intersts of the horse and the horse owner. Angular issues such as this in my experience are more uterine enviroment oriented than genetically oriented. Just look at Curlin. He had this very same procedure. With his size and talent, he would have had soundness issues if left unchanged. The rest is history.

ECONOMICS IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE THOROUGHBRED BREEDING INDUSTRY.

I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT SURGICAL CORRECTION HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE A MONETARY PROFITABLE DECISION FOR BREEDERS. IT IS THE COST FACTOR OF SURGERY, IN RELATION TO PROFITS THAT IS THE CAUSE FOR FEWER SURGICAL "CORRECTIONS".

I MYSELF HAVE ALWAYS QUESTIONED  THE CREATION OF "PRISTINE CONFORMATION" IN THE ELIMINATION OF MINOR PHYSICAL FLAWS. I KNOW OF NO STUDIES THAT SHOW ANY POSITIVE RESULTS ON THE RACE TRACK OF THESE "NIP & TUCK" BEAUTY CONTEST WINNERS.

THE END FACTOR OF THE WEANLING, YEARLING, & TWO YEAR OLD SALES IS THE TRACK, THE RACE. THIS IS LOST OR IGNORED BY THE MANY HANDS THAT ARE HELD OUT FOR PROFIT THAT LAY BETWEEN THE BREEDER AND THE RACE HORSE OWNER WHO ARE BOTH LEFT WITH THE LEAST PROFIT, THE HIGHER EXPENSE, BUT WHO ARE BOTH THERE FOR THE LOVE OF THE THOROUGHBRED AND THE RACE. IT IS THESE HANDS WHO    CREATED THE NEED FOR THE UNNATURAL SURGERY, AND THE ABNORMAL SPEED PREPS FOR TWO YEAR OLDS, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY.          

A few not so "pretty" horses come to mind.... Seabiscut for one and of course, the Great John Henry.

I'm pleased to hear this, thanks!!

Most breeder's also know that foals with crooked legs can be corrected by simple confinement if it is done at a young enough age.  This is far superior to surgical correction because the CLS (Crooked leg syndrome) is allowed to correct itself naturally and it doesn't damage the joint as surgery can.

I have no problem running a horse that has had a slightly crooked leg as a foal corrected by confinment.  But I would be very wary of running one that has had the conformation correction surgery...

they are like life, you can't always judge a book by its cover...Real Quiet is a good example...

It seems like they could've just skipped the corrective surgery by breeding sound, strong correct mares to SOUND, strong correct stallions in the first place ... instead of your Big Browns and Red Bullets ;). I know horses can and will throw clunkers, but that's beside the point.

I don't have a problem with corrective surgeries as long as it is disclosed in the repository. Buyers have the right to know. I also think major surgeries such as colic surgeries where there has been a resection should be disclosed. A horse missing part of its intestinal tract may need slightly different management and the buyer should know that. The same goes for throat surgeries, since that can affect performance.

I have no problem with surgical correction as long as it is disclosed to the buyer and is permanently entered on the horse's registration papers so all future buyers down the road also know. As well, if used later for breeding, it should be noted in the breeding contract so the owner of both the stallion and the mare know before the actual breeding takes place that there was a defect that was surgically corrected. But ensuring that these rules are followed could be the problem!