All,
The vet was here today and he agreed that it was contracted tendons, his suggestion for treatment of the contracted tendons was to splint both front legs.
Here's how: first we wrapped them in a thick padding (it reminded me of quilt batting about 1/2" thick, wrapped twice) and taped it tightly. Then we made a splint by cutting a piece of 2" PVC pipe in 1/3 lengthwise - so that the piece we ended up with was about 2" wide, and 10 or so inches long (we measured the calf's leg from the tip of it's hoof to just below it's "knee" joint) and had a gentle curve to it, we sanded off all the rough and square edges. We rounded one end of the splint (to match the shape of it's hoof) and taped that on the TOP of his leg so that the rounded end lined up with the tip of it's hoof. (Only one splint per leg to my surprise). Then we taped that tightly over the padding to the calves leg and taped the tip of it's hoof right to the end of the splint to support it and keep it straight. He was wobbly when we were done, but was standing on his splinted straight legs! Vet said to give it a week and take them off and check them to see if he keeps them straight on his own. If he still knuckles over he said to put the splints back on for another week and try again. I'm completely optimistic that this will work. Thanks all for the advice!