# The Diagnosis is In: He Has Ringbone



## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

I'm like, devastated right now. My _perfect_ horse that I've had less than a month is now dead lame. After a bunch of flexion tests, trotting back and forth and $800 worth of x-rays, the vet has determined that he has ringbone. He recommended trying a daily regimen of low-dose bute before going to more drastic measures. This is breaking my heart. I don't know if I can afford what it's going to take to keep him sound.

If anyone has any experience with ringbone or has any advice, please share. :-(


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear this. You said in another thread that this same vet did the PPE, how did they not catch this only a month ago?

Did you get him from a private seller or a rescue?


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

I got him from a private seller. I truly believe that she did not know he had ringbone as she is 100% willing to take him back and refund the purchase price if I decide I can't afford to treat him.

As far as a PPE, at the time, he was showing no signs of lameness. I just had a basic exam done. No xrays or anything, so there really was no sign that something might be wrong. I don't understand how all of a sudden it's just BAM there.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Well that is a very nice seller. I don't know a whole lot about ringbone so I'm curious to this as well. I'm guessing since it was a basic exam no flexion tests were done at ppe? At least you have one of the best vets around for this issue.


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## loveduffy (Dec 22, 2011)

my first horse got ring bone the bute work for a long time he had it in both front feet I did not ride mine after he got it but it was great to hand walk he and play with before he was in to much pain and I let he go


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

I know there is a surgery that can cure it, but I'm guessing that's so far out of my price range there's no reason to even consider it. He said corrective shoeing to ease the breakover is usually pretty effective.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Well that is a very nice seller. I don't know a whole lot about ringbone so I'm curious to this as well. I'm guessing since it was a basic exam no flexion tests were done at ppe? At least you have one of the best vets around for this issue.


I honestly don't remember.  But yes, Dr. Sheely is awesome. I trust him to do whatever he can to help us out.


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## 4everiding (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm so sorry that you and your horse are going through this. The seller is being very generous and it shows that both you and the seller truly care for his well being.

I don't know too much about ringbone, but I've heard a Cetyl-M for horses has worked in cases or ringbone and severe arthritis. I also wonder if a farrier specializing in lameness issues could help.

Good luck to both of you!


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## 4everiding (Jul 3, 2012)

Sorry to post again, but you might find that surgery could be more affordable than you think. Around me, there's a vet school and it's a lot cheaper to get surgery done there than at a regular equine vet (they do a really good job). 

Personally, I would try to go for alternative treatments before surgery, but it's good to know that there may be something else that could help him


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Yes, don't forget about the Uof M. They have a very good equine program. I believe your vet should know more about it, ask them.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Oh, man I am so sorry


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Thanks, guys. And Poppy, I didn't even think of UofM. We're going to try the bute + a MSM/devilsclaw/etc. supplement for a week or 2 and if that doesn't help, we're going to consider other treatments. When I think about it, surgery would be my first choice over injections or shoes because that would cure it for a 1-time cost whereas the shoes would be $200 every 2 months for probably the rest of his life, and the same with the injections.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Definately contact the UofM they have some pretty new procedures they do.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Didn't Scamper the famous barrel horse have ringbone, got it surgically fixed and was back winning? I'll have to go look when I get home.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Mango - that's what I like to hear


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## DaraT (Jan 30, 2010)

This is just my story. We all know every horse and owner are different. Equine medicine has changed light years since my horse was diagnosed in the early 80s. 

My first horse was diagnosed with ringbone in one back leg when she was about 4. Since I only rode her about 2 or 3 times a week, my vet instructed me to bute her the day before, the day I rode and the day after. He also told me that eventually the joint would calcify over and that would relieve the stress and pain. The weeks she was off more than usual, I did not ride and gave her more bute.

After a few years, the joint did calcify and there was no more pain. The down side is her foot was permanently cocked to the outside slightly. This did not bother her at all. She was about 8 when this happened and I had her until she passed at 31. We had a great life together. We rode Western, English, learned to do small jumps, did lower level dressage, a little reining and she even became a beloved lesson horse for the very beginner riders.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

DaraT said:


> This is just my story. We all know every horse and owner are different. Equine medicine has changed light years since my horse was diagnosed in the early 80s.
> 
> My first horse was diagnosed with ringbone in one back leg when she was about 4. Since I only rode her about 2 or 3 times a week, my vet instructed me to bute her the day before, the day I rode and the day after. He also told me that eventually the joint would calcify over and that would relieve the stress and pain. The weeks she was off more than usual, I did not ride and gave her more bute.
> 
> After a few years, the joint did calcify and there was no more pain. The down side is her foot was permanently cocked to the outside slightly. This did not bother her at all. She was about 8 when this happened and I had her until she passed at 31. We had a great life together. We rode Western, English, learned to do small jumps, did lower level dressage, a little reining and she even became a beloved lesson horse for the very beginner riders.


Interesting. I'll ask my vet about that.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Would an intense joint supplement like SmartFlex Rehab help him at all? Just to make him a little more comfortable along with the bute. I'm going to ask my vet tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone could shed some light on that.

SmartFlex Rehab has:
• 5,000 mg of Glucosamine, 400 mg of Chondroitin Sulfate and 100 mg of Hyaluronic Acid for joint health 
• 720 mg of Silica and 1,500 mg of Collagen, along with essential amino acids to support connective tissue health and recovery 
• 12,000 mg of MSM, Omega 3 Fatty Acids from Fish Oil, and multiple herbs including Yucca, Devil’s Claw, Curcumin – all of which help support a healthy inflammatory response 
• Potent antioxidant support from Vitamin C, Grape Seed Extract, Super Oxide Dismutase, Citrus Bioflavonoids and Quercetin to combat the oxidative stress associated with recovery 

I'm more than willing to do what I have to to help him, but it's pretty expensive to have him on something like that if it's not going to help.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Here it is, sorry for any grammar errors, I'm typing on my phone!

"Another lesser-known fact is that I had one vet tell me back in 1983 that scamper had a little ringbone in one foot and that I should start looking for another barrel horse, because he didn't think scamper would last very long. Then, in 1991, Scamper had knee surgery to remove the slab fracture in his knee. That was a very hard decision because I took him in for surgery the day after we won Houston. He was working great and the risk associated with that surgery was that it could end his career. Dr. Lewis actually opened the knee and chiseled away the fragment. Had we not done the surgery and the fragment had come off and gone into the joint, it would have ended him. So as tough as that was, I had to do it knowing that many horses never come back from that surgery. I was back on him following a three month recovery period where his rehabilitation was very closely monitored and his therapy was constant, including lots of ice and carefully managed, light exercise. He won three championships after that. He wanted it. If I asked him to do something, he would do it. It didn't matter what I asked of him, but I never ask him for more than what I thought was reasonable, either."

Sooo...I guess that didn't have anything to do with ringbone. But it still shows that there is a chance that he can over come it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

I am very sorry to hear of your horse's diagnosis. I can't imagine the heartbreak. I am happy that this horse has an owner that loves him and an ex owner that also seems to care a great deal. I hope you can work together to do right by this horse. Maybe she is willing to help with some of the expense?


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## SaddleOnline (Oct 20, 2011)

Is it high ringbone or low ringbone? We had an older upper level dressage schoolie that was diagnosed with high ring bone, she did really well on a combination of Aspireaze (horsey aspirin) and monthly or bi-monthly shockwave treatment. She still had off days, especially in bitter cold or wet weather, but was perfectly happy to do her job. It became more of a mechanical lameness than a painful one after the bone remodeled quite a bit (the pastern area just didn't have the range of motion it used to, but it no longer caused her pain). and she no longer had to be on NSAIDS. She was able to continue being a third level schoolie for over five years after diagnosis, then she got to be a pasture ornament . Because of the ringbone she wasn't competition sound, but she was servicably sound and loved her job. She taught a many a rider to be a better rider. 

All hope is not lost! 

Good Luck!


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

SaddleOnline said:


> Is it high ringbone or low ringbone? We had an older upper level dressage schoolie that was diagnosed with high ring bone, she did really well on a combination of Aspireaze (horsey aspirin) and monthly or bi-monthly shockwave treatment. She still had off days, especially in bitter cold or wet weather, but was perfectly happy to do her job. It became more of a mechanical lameness than a painful one after the bone remodeled quite a bit (the pastern area just didn't have the range of motion it used to, but it no longer caused her pain). and she no longer had to be on NSAIDS. She was able to continue being a third level schoolie for over five years after diagnosis, then she got to be a pasture ornament . Because of the ringbone she wasn't competition sound, but she was servicably sound and loved her job. She taught a many a rider to be a better rider.
> 
> All hope is not lost!
> 
> Good Luck!


Per the vet's report, he has "moderate to severe high ringbone with substantial amount of growth". Not 100% sure what that means but I'm going to be stopping by the clinic tomorrow to pick up some bute and I'll see if he can show me the xrays. I'm really interested to see what it looks like.

Anyway. Hearing that, with time, it will become less painful is reassuring. I was under the impression that it was only going to get worse. His official recommendation (just got off the phone with him) was to have corrective shoes put on his back feet, put him on a good joint supplement and bute as needed. I don't plan on competing. I'll settle for a happy horse that is sound enough to take out on the trails.

What is shockwave treatment? That sounds interesting.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I'm sorry to hear all of this.

Since the seller is willing to return your money and take the horse back, that is sure what I would recommend. He is going to be a huge money pit and will always have problems that require a lot of money and give you a lot less riding time. I would take advantage of a nice seller like this one that sold him to you. JMHO.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Cherie said:


> I'm sorry to hear all of this.
> 
> Since the seller is willing to return your money and take the horse back, that is sure what I would recommend. He is going to be a huge money pit and will always have problems that require a lot of money and give you a lot less riding time. I would take advantage of a nice seller like this one that sold him to you. JMHO.


Yes, definitely. If it ends up that he is going to need injections or surgery I am definitely going to think long and hard about whether I should keep him. Im so in love with him that I just have to try first.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

I agree with Cherie - I had a great gelding that had high ringbone, he eventually became unsound and was retired to be a walk/trot horse at the tender age of 11. You just got him and while it is admirable that you want to see this through, it probably isn't the decision that will give you a usable friend and companion for the next 20 years. If you would have known this a few months ago, you would have passed on him - let his very generous former owners take on the burden and search for the next great one that can do whatever you want to do... so sorry to hear of this, he is a very cute gelding.


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## SaddleOnline (Oct 20, 2011)

Shannon Sevenfold- Shockwave is like a concentrated ultra-sound wave that can help speed healing and remodeling- I am not a vet, yours could probably explain it better. It isn't a very cheap option, although it is becoming more and more affordable. We were lucky and located near a university/ got a group discount haha because we had two other horses getting it as well for various issues. It is not a cure all, ringbone is a degenerative condition, for our purposes it was worth it due to the horse's value and training, but after a while the ringbone did advance to a point where we couldn't keep the horse comfortable any more. Since you have the option of returning the horse...just keep that in mind. With treatments and meds you might be able to get some good years, but there will be times when the bone remodeling starts again etc...just things to keep in mind!

Here are some articles on it
Update on ESWT Treatment

Shockwave Therapy for Horses


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

SaddleOnline - That's interesting! I've never heard of that. But I think that even if they offered that around here at UofM or something, I don't think I could afford it as I'm assuming you have to trailer in on top of the cost of the procedure.

Mini-Update: I stopped by the clinic today to pick up his xrays for the farrier and some bute tabs and my vet happened to walk in while I was standing there. He took me into a side room with a light board and showed me his xrays and took the time to explain exactly what he was looking at, etc. It was really cool, and it's nice that I understand a little better now. We talked for awhile about options including surgery. He said that in Justin's case, surgery would probably not be worth it because it looks like his pastern joint has already started to fuse on its own. Also, he said the fetlock joint has some substantial loss of cartilage and may actually be causing him more pain than the pastern, and they could fuse that joint as well but then he would be completely unrideable. He told me exactly what to look for in supplements for him and ideal dosages and I was able to find a couple of really good supplements for him at Dover. The farrier is coming out on Monday to put shoes on his back feet. At this point, I am feeling optimistic that with this combination, he will be sound for light riding as bute alone made him comfortable enough to ride. My goal is to find a combination to keep him sound without daily Bute if at all possible.

Woah. Holy no paragraphs. Sorry. :/ Anyway, the vet is fairly confident that, although his condition is advanced, we should be able to get him sound and keep him that way for a few years. At this point, my plan is to go ahead with this treatment plan knowing that he may end up as a pasture ornament in the foreseeable future. At that point, he will probably become my son's horse and I will buy a new riding horse. If he ends up needing injections or more intense treatment, he will be going back to his previous owner.

I will attach some pictures of his feet (it's his left hind) in case anyone is interested along with his xrays. I had to play with them a little in photoshop to make them bright enough as I had to scan them with my computer which doesn't work so well.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Your vet should be able to do most treatments he would need except very special or rare surgery. Oh and trailering around here is cheap as dirt. There's a rental in Hudson that will rent a new stock trailer for I believe it was $50 a day. So then you just need a truck, not hard to find someone with a truck 

I hope he gets better. How old is he? I must have missed that part. I bought my horse knowing full well she may be a pasture pet sooner than later since she is 19. At least you have a plan.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Picturess.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Your vet should be able to do most treatments he would need except very special or rare surgery. Oh and trailering around here is cheap as dirt. There's a rental in Hudson that will rent a new stock trailer for I believe it was $50 a day. So then you just need a truck, not hard to find someone with a truck
> 
> I hope he gets better. How old is he? I must have missed that part. I bought my horse knowing full well she may be a pasture pet sooner than later since she is 19. At least you have a plan.


Good to know! I'm so glad you live by me, Poppy. lol He's 6 which is why this sucks so much.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Wait is that lump thingy on his back leg above the hoof the ringbone?? There is a horse a my barn that has that and he is only 3. I thought his leg looked funny.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Yes, that's the ringbone. It looks like swelling, but if you touch it, it's bony and not warm like swelling would be. From what my vet said, by the time you can see it, it's fairly advanced. Low ringbone, which occurs in the coffin joint, is not visible.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Ooooooo. I wonder if I dare say something to the owner..... It's painful? This horse is an absolute butt to work with. 

And any questions about what is in the area for horses just ask. If I don't know I have plenty of people who can answer questions for me


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Ooooooo. I wonder if I dare say something to the owner..... It's painful? This horse is an absolute butt to work with.


It presents much like arthritis, but gets progressively worse as the condition of the joint worsens. Justin is a very very easy-going boy and I wouldn't know he was in pain if it wasn't for his terrible limp. He will work through it if I ask him to. But I could see a horse becoming very irritable because of it.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Hmmm I will probably keep my mouth shut for awhile, until he gets a limp or something. His owner has been in horses wayyyyyyyyy longer than I have. 

What causes it? Especially in such young horses?


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Hmmm I will probably keep my mouth shut for awhile, until he gets a limp or something. His owner has been in horses wayyyyyyyyy longer than I have.
> 
> What causes it? Especially in such young horses?


It's caused by excessive stress on the joints, I believe. It is usually seen in the front legs and it's pretty uncommon for them to get it in the back. We believe his may have stemmed from his hip injury.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Aw poor boy a hip injury and now this and he's so young.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Yeah, he fractured his hip when he was 3. I feel so bad for him. He's definately a fighter though. Which is why I'm so determined to make him better.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Every horse and owner is different, and especially in this case where the horse is so young, it's a tough call. You are looking at treatment for the rest of his life, and one day a decision you will have to make when life is just too hard for him or the meds become too much financially or physically.

Someone I know had her horse diagnosed much the same, but the horse was about 20 yrs old I believe. She opted to have him pts almost immediately because it was far advanced and her vet told her that it would only get worse. Her vet said that ringbone only gets worse, not ever better. Makes sense to me because it's arthritis, just a different kind. Arthritis doesn't ever get better.

I had a horse diagnosed with osteo-arthritis, which is not the same. I had chosen to treat him with mild meds (I forget now what we used), but as soon as the treatment would have become more intense I was going to have my horse PTS as well. Unfortunately, he suffered a fatal trauma shortly after his diagnosis though.

I would not be willing to keep a horse that I think would be in pain for the rest of his life. If there is surgery that will "cure" it, and it is an option for you, that's great. I have no experience with surgery like that.

I do think you are being extremely open-minded and objective about the situation and I applaud you for that.

Good luck with whatever you decide and whatever your horse's future is. Blessings to the seller that is being so honest and supportive. A rare find indeed.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Did you say this horse had a PPE? This is a really advanced ringbone, especially for a horse his age. Any competent Vet should have caught it on a visual exam and declared him 'unsound' and failed him on the spot OR at least insisted on x-rays and a further exam. This is a very obvious ringbone.

He also has really tiny feet and I really wonder if he has had corrective trimming to make a slightly cowhocked or otherwise crooked horse appear straight? One of the reasons I ask is that he appears to be very crooked through his pastern joint in the x-ray. The pastern joint and the sesamoid bone do not appear to be level -- like an equal distance from the hoof or the ground. 

One of the best ways to get a ringbone started on a young horse is to try to do 'corrective trimming' to make a horse appear to have straighter legs. This puts so much uneven pressure on the lower joints that many horses end up totally crippled at a very young age. 

I cannot urge you strongly enough take this poor horse back to the seller. He is going to be a huge heartache and a money pit. You are young and want to MAKE this work, but I can promise you that you will remember these words later when you have spent thousands of dollars and still do not have a sound horse to ride.

I feel so badly for both you and this horse. GOOD LUCK! You and he are really going to need it if you keep him.
Cherie


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## bntnail (Feb 3, 2011)

Return this horse to seller. From the looks of the joint spacing in the PIP joint(pastern), this horse will most likely not become usably sound.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I have to say, I don't understand why the PPE vet did not see that. it's pretty evident.


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## bntnail (Feb 3, 2011)

bntnail said:


> Return this horse to seller. From the looks of the joint spacing in the PIP joint(pastern), this horse will most likely not become usably sound.


Just to add that with arthrodesis of the PIP joint he "may" return to light trail use. There are also other complications of surgery to consider and not all will return to servicability.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Cherie said:


> Did you say this horse had a PPE? This is a really advanced ringbone, especially for a horse his age. Any competent Vet should have caught it on a visual exam and declared him 'unsound' and failed him on the spot OR at least insisted on x-rays and a further exam. This is a very obvious ringbone.


This is what I was wondering as well. I don't know her exact vet but I know the practice and they are very well known to be the go to place for lameness issues. I feel like they should have found it right away. Especially since it was only a month ago.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

As I stated previously, I am going to do everything I can within my budget to help him, and I will not be returning him unless I absolutely cannot afford to keep him comfortable. I have a thing for expensive horses I guess. My last 2 horses were a 28-year-old mare that was costing me about $400 a month on top of board in supplements, special feed, and treatments. And the other was an 18-year-old gelding that needed special shoes and trimmed every 2 weeks, a special diet, ridiculous amounts of training and he kept freaking breaking things. I'm not afraid of what this is going to cost. Also, as I said, if he ends up not to be riding-sound, he will be my son's horse. He's 1. He thinks it's called a kitty. He doesn't care.

As to the PP that said he may have had his feet trimmed oddly to make his legs look straighter - this is a possibility. He was a show horse before his hip injury. I could ask the previous previous owner, but I don't know that she would tell the truth? 

UPDATE: Right now, he is on intense joint supplements and daily bute. On this combination alone, he no longer has a limp at the walk and he is able to lift that foot and hold it up to be picked out. On the lunge line, I see that he still has a limp at the trot, but this means that he is in less pain than he has been the last couple of days. I attribute this to the bute as I don't think the joint supplements have had time to take effect. He will be getting shoes on tomorrow. I feel good about the situation right now.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

tinyliny said:


> I have to say, I don't understand why the PPE vet did not see that. it's pretty evident.


I honestly don't know what happened there. The vet that did the PPE is not the same one who ended up being "his" vet. What I do know is that he showed absolutely no sign of pain anywhere until 2 days after I brought him home, and I know he was not drugged as we did a blood draw. I am truly baffled as to why it just all of a sudden flared up.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

I highly doubt he was drugged since the seller is willing to take him back if need be. Was he on any joint supplements or injections before? That could be a reason, they just happened to wear off shortly after you got him home. 

What joint supplements are you using? I am not sure what Stillwater recommends but my vet discourages most feed through supplements as they don't get absorbed except for Cosequin and one called Joint Rescue. It is by prescription only but it is cheaper than Cosequin. My Lizzy dear will hopefully go on that come spring. 

I understand not giving him back. When I found out all of Lizzy's health problems I could have given her back to the rescue but I could never do that, besides the fact that when I adopted her she was going to stay with me for life, I couldn't bear giving her back to that rescue(long story short, I will never adopt again). She was costing me upwards of $500 a month plus board just for her feed and medications.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

My vet gave me a list of what to look for in good feed-through supplements. He said that most don't work because the dosages of each component are too low in most supplements to make any difference. Others do not have the right combination (glucosamine and condroiten work better when used together, for example). He is on 30,000 mg of pure MSM and 10,000 mg each of glucosamine and condroiten with a couple other things like zinc and iron. He recommended against injections for this particular condition because he said they are expensive and rarely work for ringbone. I've never heard of Joint Rescue. I'll look into it.

ETA: I didn't answer your question. To my knowledge, he was only on a 4-in-1 hoof/coat/joint/weight supplement which I hate because they never work for crap.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

I'm just wondering what he was on before you bought him? Might be worth asking the seller as if he was on something it was apparently working. The joint supp I was talking about is a feed through but it's a liquid I think. Anyway it is what my vet uses on all his performance horses so I know it works haha.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

I added the answer to your question.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

When you have his feet done, you should tell your farrier that you want him to land 'flat'. Tell him you do not care if he toes in or out as long as he is level and lands flat. When a horse hits on the inside first and tips over on to the rest of hoof, they are really prone to develop leg problems -- even more so on the fronts. 

Also, you might ask your Vet if topically applying just plain old DMSO or DMSO with a Steroid added might relieve some of the inflamation.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Cherie said:


> When you have his feet done, you should tell your farrier that you want him to land 'flat'. Tell him you do not care if he toes in or out as long as he is level and lands flat. When a horse hits on the inside first and tips over on to the rest of hoof, they are really prone to develop leg problems -- even more so on the fronts.
> 
> Also, you might ask your Vet if topically applying just plain old DMSO or DMSO with a Steroid added might relieve some of the inflamation.


Thank you! I'll be sure to do both of those things! You guys are all so helpful.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Hmm I wonder if she was doing something else for him that she hasn't told you. Joint Rescue is by prescription only. And perhaps Stillwater has something else that is similar they prescribe. I know it comes out to about $30 a month, so actually pretty cheap considering.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Is DMSO the stuff you're supposed to use rubber gloves with?

Poppy - Yeah, $30 is pretty cheap. What he's on right now is about $45 a month. I'll talk to my vet about Joint Rescue.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Oh, and can anyone tell me what the recommended "procedure" is for using DMSO on a horse? I'm going to talk to my vet about it, but I'm waiting for him to call me back, so just thought I'd ask here as well.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Just an update: He's had shoes on for a few days now, and he's already worlds better. Still a little limp, enough that I don't feel comfortable riding him, but right now, he's looking really good. Hopefully we can get him sound. Alternatively, I started volunteering at a horse rescue and my "pay" is a horse on free lease, so I can get my riding fix in there.


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

I had a huge post written out and I lost it, but in short here is what it said.

I'm sorry for your news and I didn't have time to read the rests of the posts but here are some things that helped my boy.

Shoeing : Rolled toes and pads. Jake gets shod every 6 weeks (when he used to go 7-8 weeks) he has wedges on both front that keep him a little more on his toes (I believe that is how he is built though)

Exercise : If you are able to exercise (sometimes it takes time) do so only on soft footing and no hills. Hard compact ground and hills just cause soreness and swelling in the area of the calcification. 

Painkiller : Bute can cause ulcers over a long period of time. So my vet had me put Jake on Previcox. Previcox is a dog NSAID (Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drug) pain killer. Typically it is prescribed for dogs who are having troubles with stiffness and osteoarthritis. Jake gets a quarter of a 227mg tablet in his grain everyday. He is so much better on it. I can occasionally get on and ride him around the arena. He feels frisky and is very comfortable with his situation. 

Good luck and hope your pony feels better.


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## ShannonSevenfold (Oct 11, 2008)

Horsesdontlie said:


> I had a huge post written out and I lost it, but in short here is what it said.
> 
> I'm sorry for your news and I didn't have time to read the rests of the posts but here are some things that helped my boy.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much. I'm glad to hear from someone with a horse in a similar situation. He is on very low-dose bute twice a day right now, but I plan to work on switching him to either a different painkiller or trying to find a combination of supplements that keeps him feeling good. I don't like the idea of him being on bute for the rest of his life. I'll ask about Previcox. As far as exercise, I've been lunging him for 15 minutes twice a day in the arena which has sand footing. If we can get him riding sound, I'll only be riding the trails, so nothing strenuous at all.


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