Ringbone?

[Madi]

Anybody out there whose horse has Ringbone please tell me your story. The vet was out today and took xrays of my mare and she has Ringbone in both front hoofs.

[username]

me too...I was told it is not something you can "cure" but you might make your horse more comfortable/ridable with treatment. my concern is only the comfort of the horse - riding is nice but not a requirement. my guy was put on apple-flavored bute powder, which he has taken very well, and on which he showed remarkable improvement. later, when I had more money available, I went to Tractor Supply for Corta-Flex and found CorFlx (or something very close to that spelling) which is a nice-smelling, sweetish syrup that he also took well.

before the treatment he could barely walk and had trouble turning in his stall. after several days on the bute he was able to walk but took careful steps and had trouble with unflat ground. when I added the syrup at the end of last week he did even better and yesterday, when the weather was nice for a change, he actually pranced when being led to pasture.

a dear older friend suggested I try a Chinese Traditional Medicine treatment which is to wrap with a cod liver oil soak three days on-three days off for a month. I have not tried that because of the logistics and he is doing nicely as things stand now.

I have not tried to ride him though, and may never. he's earned his keep in life and I'm happy enough being able to care for him and enjoy him from the ground. before I got him he was used as a driving horse and was on all kinds of bad ground. it took us over a year to ease him away from the heavily padded "concrete-safe work shoes" he'd been wearing. he is barefoot now and prior to the onset of ringbone he never gave me problems.

not sure if that helps...hope so...

[J.D.]

Anybody out there whose horse has Ringbone please tell me your story. The vet was out today and took xrays of my mare and she has Ringbone in both front hoofs.


Hoofs are the outer layer of the feet. Feet, as a term, are/is all inclusive. being all inclusive within the feet, the coffin joint.

Does your horse have "Ringbone in the coffin joint ?" Is it articulate or inarticulate?

if the the ringbone is not in the feet or within the hoof capsule, thus the pastern joint; where is the issue(s)? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[tle]

High or low? My old mare was diagnosed with high ringbone in the left in 1993... in the right in 1999. In 2000 we moved up to Preliminary eventing and stayed there for 3 years. I had a great vet to work with as well as a fantastic farrier. It was a chore keeping her sound, but not that bad. I was picky on the footing she'd run in, especially if it was hard. We did pastern injections about every 8-9 months as needed (Legend). And she eventually moved to eggbar shoes, but that was only partially due to the ringbone and probably moreso due to the shape of her feet. I did Adequan injections also when we were competing heavily.

In 2004 I tried to breed her and was unsuccessful. Probably in hindsight a good thing. We came back and competed at Training level at Flying Cross and she did really well. We tried to go later that fall at River Glen but she was off. When we got home, I had the vet take xrays as it had been 5 years. IN that 5 years, the changes due to the ringbone had spread... it now affected not only her pastern joint, but the fetlock, coffin and navicular areas as well. The original vet from 1993 looked at the new xrays and the first words out of his mouth were "wow... I'm so sorry". There were a few things I coudl have tried... but none were remotely guaranteed to work and most were extremely cost prohibitive. Unfortunately, after a couple months it became clear... she was not happy not being worked. At that point she was 18 and had been working for a living since she was a yearling (being an OTTB). I could see the changes and put her down in April 2005. She deserved a phenominal retirement... but her mind wasn't ready for what her body said was time to do and she was getting grumpy.

Anyway... ringbone IS manageable to a certain extent. My experience is with High Ringbone (pastern joint area) and I understand that low ringbone is less cooperative. It's certainly not a death sentence and not even a ticket straight to retirement. Just know that there IS maintenance that needs to be done.

[Tom Stovall]

Madi in gray

Anybody out there whose horse has Ringbone please tell me your story. The vet was out today and took xrays of my mare and she has Ringbone in both front hoofs.

I've posted this little essay before, here it is again. It'll give you an overview of the pathology - what it is, and what it ain't. :)

Ringbone is new bone growth on the last three bones in a horse's leg, the phalanges. Definitive diagnosis is by radiograph. Ringbone is classified as "high" when it involves the distal end of the first phalanx (P1) and/or the proximal end of the second phalanx (P2); or "low" when it involves the distal end of the second phalanx (P2) and the proximal end of the third phalanx (P3), especially at the extensor process.

Ringbone is further classified as "periarticular", meaning the new bone is around a joint, but does not involve a joint surface; and "articular" when the new bone involves a joint surface. Articular ringbone is often accompanied by osteoarthritis in the affected joint.

The joints affected by ringbone are the pastern joint (proximal interphalangeal joint, PIJ) and the coffin joint (distal interphalangeal joint, DIJ).

Ringbone is usually caused by trauma and is often found in horses with poor conformation that causes them to stress one aspect of a joint more than the other. Ringbone can also be caused by any insult that disturbs the periostium of the bone (esp., wire cuts). Ringbone most often affects fronts, but is sometimes found in hinds.

Horses with periarticular ringbone are often asymptomatic; horses with articular ringbone are usually lame to some degree.

All mechanical treatment for articular ringbone consists of trimming methods and/or the application of shoes and/or wedge pads that reduce the movement of the affected joint.

Trimming to lessen the movement of the affected joints involves leaving as much heel as possible while cutting as much toe as possible without causing a leak. Trimming, by itself, is not as effective as the application of therapeutic shoes and any trimming method that reduces phalangeal angulation is counterproductive as this increases the movement of the affected joints.

Typical "ringbone shoes" are aluminum or half rounds set under as far as possible, or rocker toes forged from wide web stock - often with exaggerated wedge or roller calks at the heels, sometimes applied with one of more wedge
pads. (An effective quick and dirty ringbone shoe can be made by welding a piece of 3/4" pipe across the heels of a keg shoe.) Most effective ringbone shoes usually cause a choppy, mincing, action at any gait because they can
cause the foot to begin turnover prematurely as the fetlock begins to ascend in what would normally be a support phase, before the shoulder passes over the foot.

According to most veterinary texts, the prognosis for articular ringbone in fronts is unfavorable; for periarticular ringbone, guarded.

[ponyjumper4]

My 21 year old developed some bony changes last year after an injury while out with her baby. She pulled some bones splints off the back of her pastern. X rays showed she did have some new bone growth, but not much--her physical appearance is worse than the x rays showed. She was lame for a while, but once she "healed", she's been totally fine. I know she'll never really jump again, at least not like she would like to, but I do hop her over some cross rails occassionally. She is barefoot, and EqTrainer trims her every 4 weeks. She is perfectly comfortable galloping around, bucking, rearing with her younger pasture mate and is in light work. I'm hoping to take her to a few dressage shows before she is ever completely retired if she is ever completely retired (she prefers some work).

[Diamondindykin]

I have a 17 year old AQHA gelding that has high ringbone. He was previously a Reined Cowhorse and now I show him in reining. He wasn't spinning to the left very well so x-rays showed ringbone in his back left leg. I tried the over the counter stuff......MSM, devils claw, aspirin, etc and none of that work at all so we put him on Equinox and Surpass. He is much better now and he is spinning like he used too. I did eventually switch him to Previcox (canine form of Equinox) because it is alot cheaper ($10 a day versus .41¢ a day).

[ridenslide]

:eek:
My vet says it's a good thing my horse doesn't know what his x-rays look like.;) He has high & low ringbone. :eek: NOT pretty.Not the worst down low, though. There is some arthritis -not IN the joint.

When his buddy went to the vet school & left him alone, he tried to commit Equicide & beat his ugly pasterns against the walls for hours, reared, spun, etc.-- winding up lame.
One coffin joint injection later & ....keeping fingers crossed, we are back in work.

The ugly ankles came from poor farriership-LT/LH-& a bad owner:no:not paying attention until it was too late.Bad me.:(

Whacked me over the head when he blew out a quarter for the 2nd time.THEN I noticed the ankles getting big- too late then.:cry:

Good thing he is a tough one.

BTW- he is an 11 year old reiner, we showed HARD this year,too.So...take heart.:yes:

[ponyjumper4]

Forgot to mention, the only supplement my mare is on right now is MSM. I use Animed's brand and she gets two scoops a day, which I think is like 20,0000+mg. I do notice she is a little stiffer when off of it.

[BornToRide]

If it was not caused from injury (and since it is bilaterally I believe it was not) the cause is usually incorrect trimming, combined with a more upright conformation and the use of shoes.

Would be nice to see photos of the hooves and pastern angle, but if this horse has naturally upright pasterns and hooves that have heels that are too high, then doing what Tom suggests will only make the problem worse, because this is what most likely caused it in the first place - toe-loading hooves with more upright pasterns.

Toe loading is usually created by heel pain and/or incorrect trimming.

The ringbone is usually formed because the horse's natural shock absorption is intefered with by incorretcly trimming and the use of metal shoes, which we all know only increases the concussion. The body then lays down more bone to re-inforce the area that is stressed excessively.

If your mare wears shoes, her best chances of halting the progression of the condition would be to pull the shoes, make sure she's trimmed balanced for her conformation and support her as best as you can with joint supplements. Movement of course is also important to keep things going. As fast as bone is layed down, it can also be reabsrobed by the body (and is the reason why so many women develop osteoporosis). I have seen several cases where the ringbone was at least reduced and in some cases nearly eliminated by allowing the hooves to go bare and by correctly balancing through trimming.

Even if the mare has opposite problem, like long toe, forward heel syndrome, I would still go the same route - bare and making sure the horse is trimmed and fed correctly (a diet high in sugars can exacerbate forward toe syndrome by making the laminae connection weaker)

You have nothing to lose by trying, but I certainly would stay away from metal shoes for treatment of this condition which were most likely part of the root cause to begin with. Best wishes.

[dmj]

My 15 y.o. jumper was recently diagnosed with both high and low ringbone in his left front - very mild right now, just the beginning stages. Wedge shoes have made him more comfortable - he was never really lame, but he feels better now. We also injected the coffin joint - not sure that that really made a difference.

In reading the above post I am a bit confused - my farrier said that if we pulled my gelding's shoes, he would no longer be rideable with this condition.

[Tom Stovall]

BornToRide in gray

If it was not caused from injury (and since it is bilaterally I believe it was not) the cause is usually incorrect trimming, combined with a more upright conformation and the use of shoes.

LMAO! Other than in the wet dreams of the lunatic fringe of the barefoot movement, correctly applied shoes have never been cited in the etiology of periarticular or articular ringbone.

Would be nice to see photos of the hooves and pastern angle, but if this horse has naturally upright pasterns and hooves that have heels that are too high, then doing what Tom suggests will only make the problem worse,

Your inexperience is evident. When a horse has been radiographically diagnosed with articular ringbone, the new bone is on the joint surface and interferes with the movement of the joint. Since any movement of the joint causes pain, if one reduces the movement, one reduces the pain - the new bone isn't going to go away.

because this is what most likely caused it in the first place - toe-loading hooves with more upright pasterns.

Better get somebody who knows a little about equid anatomy to write your stuff. According to most veterinary texts, the etiology of ringbone most often involves concussion, conformation, and/or periostium insult, not "toe loading."

Toe loading is usually created by heel pain and/or incorrect trimming.

"Toe loading" is a figment of your fertile imagination.

The ringbone is usually formed because the horse's natural shock absorption is intefered with by incorretcly trimming and the use of metal shoes,

How does the lunatic fringe explain the presence of ringbone in feral and semi-feral horses?

which we all know only increases the concussion.

"We" know no such thing.

The body then lays down more bone to re-inforce the area that is stressed excessively.

Your knowledge of the etiology of ringbone is absolutely astounding for its inaccuracy. Evidently, you've mistaken the propaganda found on some barefoot websites for information: Why not consult any veterinary text before condemning the OP's horse to more pain?

If your mare wears shoes, her best chances of halting the progression of the condition would be to pull the shoes, make sure she's trimmed balanced for her conformation and support her as best as you can with joint supplements.

If there's radiographic evidence of new bone on a joint surface, any movement of the joint will hasten the formation of more new bone - and all the joint supplements, homeopathic nostrums, and laying on of hands is just an exercise in futility.

Movement of course is also important to keep things going.

If it's articular ringbone, movement of the joint is absolutely contraindicated because it's needlessly painful and will hasten the formation of more bone and the development of osteoarthritis. Doubts? Ask any vet!

As fast as bone is layed down, it can also be reabsrobed by the body (and is the reason why so many women develop osteoporosis).

Never, as in not even once, has new bone on the articulating surface of a joint been "reabsorbed" by the body! Whatever gave you such a silly idea?

I have seen several cases where the ringbone was at least reduced and in some cases nearly eliminated by allowing the hooves to go bare and by correctly balancing through trimming.

You have never seen radiographic evidence of articular ringbone's being "reduced or nearly eliminated" by any means. If you claim you have, you'll probably lie about something else.

You have nothing to lose by trying, but I certainly would stay away from metal shoes for treatment of this condition which were most likely part of the root cause to begin with.

Your horse has everything to lose by your taking advice that causes the coffin joint to move any more than is absolutely necessary because that movement causes your horse needless pain!

If your horse has been diagnosed with low articular ringbone, the most efficacious method of treatment is the reduction of coffin joint movement. Significant reduction of movement can best be accomplished by the application of various mechanical appliances, usually consisting of some combination of roller-motion type shoes and wedge pads. Remember: any movement of the joint causes pain and the primary objective of the treatment is to reduce/eliminate pain.

[BornToRide]

My 15 y.o. jumper was recently diagnosed with both high and low ringbone in his left front - very mild right now, just the beginning stages. Wedge shoes have made him more comfortable - he was never really lame, but he feels better now. We also injected the coffin joint - not sure that that really made a difference.

In reading the above post I am a bit confused - my farrier said that if we pulled my gelding's shoes, he would no longer be rideable with this condition.
You need to ask yourself - what caused the condition to beging with? What were the contributing factors? What would happen if we eliminated those potentially contributing factors? Would this have happened if he was bare and had a balanced trim all his life? What will happen if I continue to leave shoes on? Will it generally make the condition worse? What do we tend to see in shod horses with this condition? What do we tend to see in horses that were allowed to go barefoot with this condition?

We tend to see all sorts of shoeing solutions applied to horses with conditions like this, only to eventually see the horse break down completely. Is this an accepted outcome just to have a horse perhaps serviceable for a year or so more? Any of DR. Teskey's articles on this subject are a good read: Hooves in Trouble: http://www.easycareinc.com/Education/articles/hooves_in_trouble.aspx

And the Unfettered Hoof http://www.easycareinc.com/Education/articles/unfettered.aspx

[Diamondindykin]

BornToRide in gray

If it was not caused from injury (and since it is bilaterally I believe it was not) the cause is usually incorrect trimming, combined with a more upright conformation and the use of shoes.

LMAO! Other than in the wet dreams of the lunatic fringe of the barefoot movement, correctly applied shoes have never been cited in the etiology of periarticular or articular ringbone.

Would be nice to see photos of the hooves and pastern angle, but if this horse has naturally upright pasterns and hooves that have heels that are too high, then doing what Tom suggests will only make the problem worse,

Your inexperience is evident. When a horse has been radiographically diagnosed with articular ringbone, the new bone is on the joint surface and interferes with the movement of the joint. Since any movement of the joint causes pain, if one reduces the movement, one reduces the pain - the new bone isn't going to go away.

because this is what most likely caused it in the first place - toe-loading hooves with more upright pasterns.

Better get somebody who knows a little about equid anatomy to write your stuff. According to most veterinary texts, the etiology of ringbone most often involves concussion, conformation, and/or periostium insult, not "toe loading."

Toe loading is usually created by heel pain and/or incorrect trimming.

"Toe loading" is a figment of your fertile imagination.

The ringbone is usually formed because the horse's natural shock absorption is intefered with by incorretcly trimming and the use of metal shoes,

How does the lunatic fringe explain the presence of ringbone in feral and semi-feral horses?

which we all know only increases the concussion.

"We" know no such thing.

The body then lays down more bone to re-inforce the area that is stressed excessively.

Your knowledge of the etiology of ringbone is absolutely astounding for its inaccuracy. Evidently, you've mistaken the propaganda found on some barefoot websites for information: Why not consult any veterinary text before condemning the OP's horse to more pain?

If your mare wears shoes, her best chances of halting the progression of the condition would be to pull the shoes, make sure she's trimmed balanced for her conformation and support her as best as you can with joint supplements.

If there's radiographic evidence of new bone on a joint surface, any movement of the joint will hasten the formation of more new bone - and all the joint supplements, homeopathic nostrums, and laying on of hands is just an exercise in futility.

Movement of course is also important to keep things going.

If it's articular ringbone, movement of the joint is absolutely contraindicated because it's needlessly painful and will hasten the formation of more bone and the development of osteoarthritis. Doubts? Ask any vet!

As fast as bone is layed down, it can also be reabsrobed by the body (and is the reason why so many women develop osteoporosis).

Never, as in not even once, has new bone on the articulating surface of a joint been "reabsorbed" by the body! Whatever gave you such a silly idea?

I have seen several cases where the ringbone was at least reduced and in some cases nearly eliminated by allowing the hooves to go bare and by correctly balancing through trimming.

You have never seen radiographic evidence of articular ringbone's being "reduced or nearly eliminated" by any means. If you claim you have, you'll probably lie about something else.

You have nothing to lose by trying, but I certainly would stay away from metal shoes for treatment of this condition which were most likely part of the root cause to begin with.

Your horse has everything to lose by your taking advice that causes the coffin joint to move any more than is absolutely necessary because that movement causes your horse needless pain!

If your horse has been diagnosed with low articular ringbone, the most efficacious method of treatment is the reduction of coffin joint movement. Significant reduction of movement can best be accomplished by the application of various mechanical appliances, usually consisting of some combination of roller-motion type shoes and wedge pads. Remember: any movement of the joint causes pain and the primary objective of the treatment is to reduce/eliminate pain.


AMEN!!

My horses high ringbone was caused by conformational issues. If you look at his legs on the outside they look fine but looking at his x-rays you can clearly see that his bones are not even and that is what caused his ringbone and not because he wears shoes.

[sisu27]

Not trying to create false hope but my 11yo OTTB had what I was convinced was high articular ringbone on a hind and after much COTH advice I had it x-rayed. My vet said it is high perarticular and that it looks very set and he feels was from an injury as a colt or a racing injury from long ago. He is sound and jumping 3'+. I am still guarded about it but at least having baseline x-rays means you will have something to compare to down the road should it progress. My guy goes barefoot in behind and I get him trimmed every 5 weeks just to keep his toes as short as possible. Point is that it can be bad news but don't fret until you have it x-rayed.

Good luck.

[ponyjumper4]

BornToRide never said it was definitely the fact the horse was shod that caused the problem. However, incorrect shoing and trimming can very well be what STARTED or what CAUSED the problem. In some cases CONTINUING TO SHOE OR ADD WEDGES CAN make the problem worse. That's what BornToRide was pointing out--you have to determine the probable cause, whether it be injury, conformation, or bad shoeing/trimming or a combination of, in order to treat/manage.

[tle]

sorry ponyjumper4... BTR was in fact touting that barefoot is the only way to go and metal shoeing causes ringbone.

tom... great posts!

[ponyjumper4]

That is not what was said at all. Try reading it again. Metal shoes can cause ringbone when applied with an incorrect balance and trim for that particular horse, which is what she said. It's really not a hard concept to grasp, and even a qualified and good farrier should know that. Shoes aren't the answer to everything and neither is barefoot, but all approaches should be looked at in a case by case basis, along with a good set of x rays. Determining the cause is the only way you can effectivly treator manage it. If it was from bad shoeing/trimming, then barefoot may be the way to go. If it's from comformation, then a special shoeing program or barefoot could be the way to go. That too really shouldn't be a hard concept to grasp.

[shawneeAcres]

I am not a barefoot "fanatic", most of my hroses do wear shoes on front for most of the year, some are shod all four depending on the individual horses needs. However, I will relate a story regarding a 17 year old gelding that came to me. He was dead lame with low ringbone. He had on aluminum wedge/eggbar shoes. I felt the shoes were putting too much pressure on his joints. So we pulled the shoes, brought his toe back and rolled it and left him barefoot. He went on a course of 2 grams of bute for one week. He is now almost 20 years old, has been barefoot the past 2 1/2 years and has been 100% sound. He lives outdoors most of the time, he jumps 2' (he physically isn't built to be able to jump much higher, but is a packer for someone to learn on) and is ridden regularly in lessons and schooling shows. Probably what I learned from this is that what works on one horse won't always work on another.

[Tom Stovall]

ponyjumper in gray

That is not what was said at all. Try reading it again. Metal shoes can cause ringbone when applied with an incorrect balance and trim for that particular horse, which is what she said.

What she said was wrong, incorrect, misleading, disingenuous, or a damned lie, depending on how nicely one wants to phrase it. To my knowledge, correctly applied metal shoes have never been cited in the etiology of ringbone in any veterinary text.

It's really not a hard concept to grasp, and even a qualified and good farrier should know that.

Try to follow along: Since correctly applied shoes have never been cited as a causative factor in the literature, it follows that incorrect application (i.e., poor trim, imbalance, etc.), not metal shoes, may figure in the etiology of the pathology. Concussion, conformation, and insults to the periostium are most often cited.

Shoes aren't the answer to everything and neither is barefoot, but all approaches should be looked at in a case by case basis, along with a good set of x rays. Determining the cause is the only way you can effectivly treator manage it.

Nonsense! If the definitive diagnosis is low articular ringbone, worrying about the cause is like starting a forest fire, watching it burn for a while, then worrying about putting out the match. Once it's there, it doesn't make a damn what caused the new bone to be laid down on the joint's surface, it's there and it's not going away! The object of any treatment is to reduce the movement of the joint as much as possible by whatever means and this is best accomplished by raising the phalangeal angle by mechanical means. Despite the senseless nattering of some members of the barefoot community, one cannot significantly raise the phalangeal angle by trimming alone because trimming is subtractive in nature. Raising the phalangeal angle requires an additive protocol; most often, the addition of a (gasp!) shoe and wedging.

If it was from bad shoeing/trimming, then barefoot may be the way to go. If it's from comformation, then a special shoeing program or barefoot could be the way to go. That too really shouldn't be a hard concept to grasp.

According to the OP, the ringbone is bilateral and within the hooves, a diagnosis that suggests low ringbone. My argument presumes a diagnosis of low articular ringbone and I've outlined the most successful mechanical treatment for low articular ringbone. The pain of articular ringbone is caused by new bone on the joint's surface: When the horse moves the joint, it hurts! When one reduces the movement of the DIJ by raising the phalangeal angle, one reduces the pain attendant to turnover. This really shouldn't be a hard concept to grasp, even for a trimmer. :)

[Sancudo]

My dressage horse was diagnosed with high ringbone in the right front. He was lame, and injections and shoeing changes did not help. We tried IRAPP last year, and it has been amazing. The first injection lasted 6 months, the second is 6 months now and still going strong. He's a level higher than where he was, is in training 5-6 days a week, and is nationally ranked. We recently x-rayed it again, and there as been no change in over a year, whereas there was a depressingly fast change in the year previous.

[Madi]

She has had bad conformation in left front most of her life she is 23 now. We have to have shoes on to support that leg.She became lame when I rode her recently. She is fine out in pasture. She has low and high in left front and some in right front. I have decided to give her the winter off and maybe try to ride her again in the spring. We will see how she gets through the winter may have to inject sooner. I do not do much when I ride I walk and some trot I am very easy on her always have been. She likes to be ridden. So I am kind of sad this is my daughter.

[daisyduke]

My daughter's horse was diagnosed with ringbone in the coffin joint in 2007. She was competing FEI at the time and had a final national competition to compete in when he was diagnosed. We did one course of injections into the joint and she managed to compete albeit not at his peak performance. He was retired for about six months and we continued with Legend/Adequen injections. He is not competing at the level he was, but he is competing and is showing with no signs of unsoundness at this point. If his ringbone becomes unmanageable with injections, he will be permanently retired. His ringbone is attributable to poor conformation.

[FalseImpression]

My daughter's clyde cross mare has high and low ringbone in both front legs. She is a heavy horse who jumped quite a bit and the concussion caused her problems. Her conformation was not the best for jumping. She has been semi-retired since 2005. We had her on supplements for the longest time, but discontinued them last spring. She used to wear Cytek shoes until 2003, but ever since she was diagnosed, she has been unshod, rolled toes.

She has been sound for the longest time now, but of course is only ridden lightly and maybe once a week. She can run, buck and she is pretty happy in her pasture. She is boarded and out most of the day or night.

The vet was never very confident that we could do much to keep her in work, but that she could be pasture/trail sound if we semi-retired her.

I also read somewhere that the trot is the worst gait for a ringbone horse, that walk and canter are actually less traumatic. Is there any truth to this?

[Druid Acres]

I also read somewhere that the trot is the worst gait for a ringbone horse, that walk and canter are actually less traumatic. Is there any truth to this?

That seems to be the case with my ringbone horse; he has always been sound at the walk. He may or may not be able to canter, but he bobs his head at the trot when he has a flareup. I had shockwave done on mine; he was only 11 and otherwise healthy so I wanted to do what I could for him. Shockwave is expensive but it has been very effective for us.

[Sunny's Mom]

Has anyone tried this?

Sorry to resurrect an old thread...

[Tree]

Here is an example of articulate ringbone discovered post mortem from a 28+ yo horse. When the horse was alive, there was nothing odd looking about the pastern to indicate joint fusion at all...the pastern and coffin joints were still working well.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/barefoottree/Cnv1007.jpg

[El Tovar]

If anyone wants to know a holistic way to help rinbone horses, please PM me. I have 2 horses with it and both are sound and one is 31 and galloping and bucking the other is 17 and competition sound.

[Auventera Two]

My QH has a very small amount of nonarticular ringbone. It doesn't cause her any problem. Boney changes usually cause the most pain and lameness if they are on the articular surfaces. It can be caused by poor conformation, incorrect trimming and shoeing, from an injury or normal wear and tear as a horse ages.

I'm a trimmer and I believe barefoot is best for many horses, but I'm not convinced that shoes cause ringbone or sidebone, or that they make it worse. CORRECT shoeing is no more likely to cause problems than CORRECT trimming is.

[Tree]

Boney changes usually cause the most pain and lameness if they are on the articular surfaces. It can be caused by poor conformation, incorrect trimming and shoeing, from an injury or normal wear and tear as a horse ages.

Having gone through getting my teeth straightened as a pre-teen, I can confirm the discomfort associated with asking bones to change. I have a feeling the pain is a result of sudden changes vs gradual ones. But boney changes, in the form of boney additions, is likely the body's way to stabilize areas under unnatural amounts of stress. Poor conformation...abnormal limb alignment for example....will set joints up for unnatural stress and the boney addition (arthritis), tend to develope in those locations.

I'm a trimmer and I believe barefoot is best for many horses, but I'm not convinced that shoes cause ringbone or sidebone, or that they make it worse. CORRECT shoeing is no more likely to cause problems than CORRECT trimming is.

I agree....it isn't necessarily linked to shoeing or barefoot but certainly to imbalances and abnormal bone alignment....shod or bare.

The pastern bones in the photo I posted came from a horse with conformational flaws...origins unknown. Here is a photo showing her limb issues. The fused pastern came from her "good" leg....RF.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/barefoottree/Cnv0259.jpg

[cuatx55]

I have a horse that is just now turning 17. Mild ringbone (low). I had a second opinion done and it greatly changed the outlook. MAKE SURE you get more then one opinion, from different clinics if possible!!! I can't stress this enough. The all have different treatment suggestions and different experiences. In my case the consult was FREE since I had films to bring with.

For sure in LF, but may or may not be in LF (vets disagree)...Horse has been barefoot and it seems to be working well. Very upright pasterns. The horse is in full dressage work and not lame. Supplements include MSM, Next Level, and Legend. I'm going to start Conquer and see what happens.

The farrier doesn't make any dramatic changes (it is what it is) and makes sure to stick with a 6-8 wk plan at all times.

Horses sometimes progress clinically faster then the films suggest, and some that have horrid films stay sound for years. I was told by both vet and farrier to keep the horse working and esp. to keep the weight down. It seems once they are unfit its harder to get them back into a program. The horse is schooling tr-1st level, leg yields and shoulder in with no apparent issues.

[Tree]

For sure in LF, but may or may not be in LF (vets disagree)...Horse has been barefoot and it seems to be working well. Very upright pasterns.

How upright is "very upright"?

[Diamondindykin]

My reining gelding has high ringbone in his rear fetlock. It was diagnosed two years ago but he is still sound and doing great. We got Reserve Champion at year end in both of our classes. I first tried him on Adequan but wasn't sure if it was doing anything so I took him off of it. I rode him for about a year with nothing and then noticed that his spins to the left were not right and he was not planting that left hind foot as he should. About the same time he developed a bump over the area. My vet prescribed Equinoxx and Surpass. After some research I found that they make a dog version of Equinoxx that was much cheaper so I put him on 58 mgs. a day and Surpass when riding. The Surpass has actually made the bump go away and he is better than ever. We will show again this year in reining and he is coming 18 years old.

Good luck!

[cuatx55]

How upright is "very upright"?

I sent you a PM