A little Dish

[doonrocket]

I have recently bought a not long backed 4 year old who is lovely in every way. He does however have a bit of a dish on his right fore in trot. It's much less marked when ridden. Has anyone had experience of problems caused by a dish? Do you think it would diminish with age as he gets stronger. (I think he still has a fair bit of growing to do)

 

[Jenna500]

Horses can grow out of a dish - he's young, it may get better as he gets fitter/stronger.

I once had a horse vetted who dished. The vet refused to pass him. He said the problem with a dish is not how severe it looks when the horse is in motion, but how the foot is brought down to the ground again. If the foot comes down straight, then there shouldn't be a problem, but if the foot comes down and then twists on the ground (which this horse did) it means extra strain on the joint. He showed me that this horse (a ten year old) already had ringbone around the fetlock joint caused by this extra stress, and that the horse might go on and have a full and long riding career, but on the other hand might go lame within a year and stay that way.

 

[doonrocket]

It's from the knee. I know the mare dished but still managed an eventing career. The stallion was Roma diamond king so I think we should be OK , My vet mentioned on the vetting but passed him. He said shoeing can help , but was more in favour of leaving alone , especially after seeing how much better he looked under saddle. I think his foot is landing OK, I'll cast my paranoid eye over him when I get home!

 

[illy89]

I've just brough a 4yr old with a slight dish. My instructor said the same as Jenna500 about the hoof coming down evenly and if it does then it should not cause a problem. My horse passed his vetting, however i do think shoeing helps and the fitter they get it should become less noticeable, i have brought this horse to event and spoke to both my very experienced trainers and neither thought it would be a problem.

When i tried him he hadn't been shod for 10weeks, they had new shoes put on for the vetting and it made a huge difference for the better to how noticeable the dish was when ridden.