365
Days in Horse Country – Ringbone
When a horse
develops extra bone in or around joint in the leg, the condition is called
ringbone. A potentially crippling
ailment, ringbone can be upper ringbone affecting the pastern joint, or lower
ringbone, affecting the coffin joint. Of
the two, high ringbone is worse as it causes more pain for the horse.
The trouble with ringbone is that it can be hard to diagnose because it develops gradually. Horses show mild lameness that seems to come and go with activity levels. Only an X-ray can identify the condition for certain.
There are a few factors that contribute to a horses predisposition to developing ringbone. These are:
- Genetics – Horses with history of ringbone in their families are more likely to develop the disease.
- Conformation – Horses with very upright angles on their legs are more likely to get ringbone.
- Poor trimming – Poor trimming results in trauma to the joint.
Ringbone can be treated with therapeutic shoes. Some proponents of the barefoot method of trimming say this can also help a horse with ringbone.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are often administered to horses suffering from this condition as well.
Surgery is the last resort, and it involves fusing the joint to make it a non-functional while still allowing the horse to use the leg.
The only true way to prevent ringbone is t make sure your horse receives proper hoof care.
Michael