Barefoot rehab and sidebone

[bouncing_ball]

Interested in thoughts on sidebone.

Horse is 13 year old warmblood.

Shoes off 13th August, as horse was lame left hind, blocked to foot, history of previously blocking to foot in past years, but nothing found at vet hospital (x-rays, MRI, bone, scan etc).

Horse had thin soles, pads, dental impression filling, and feet that were running away forwards, so broken forwards hoof pastern axis. Mixture of bodywork on SI / pelvis / neck and foot rehab – August to current.

Horse has been trimmed every 2 weeks since August, and managed with a mix of hoof boots, pads and Hoof Armour. Horse has been sound on a soft surface, and sound in boots on any surface, but feet doing big changes.

We noticed the suspected sidebone in right front foot about 3 weeks ago. Horse has been intermittently lame behind (thought linked to foot bruising at the time).

Horse is now lame on right front foot.. Complicated by the fact he also has fairly bad heel bruising from hoof boots (I missed it for about a week before realising) so not sure if that is main soreness at the moment.

But sidebone has definitely got bigger in last week. No heat. This foot is partly long term rotated, and the contracted heel and frog foot, and the problem foot. But trimmer is happy that after the initial increase in rotation of shoes, this foot is slowly correcting.

I have not had recent x-rays. Horse is not insured. I am considering x-rays, though I am not sure what they would add at this point. I am happy that we are slowly positively improving the foot balance.

Interested in any thoughts / suggestions / guidance.

I don’t want to turn him away, as is 13, fairly high mileage, and I think his feet would splat on wet ground all winter, and he’s lose existing supporting muscle, and he’s finally settled and happy at current yard.

Current yard is approx. 4 hours turnout, in large well-draining, gently sloping field, with 6 others, approximately 6 days out of 7 over winter. Which is probably the best I can find in terms of ground quality, friends, space etc. Many yards around here are clay, and get horrendously muddy and hard to walk in.

I am keen he stays doing some kind of structured movement so he gets two blocks of movement a day, one in field and one with me but am open to hacking / long reining / in hand / walk poles / lunging / straightness work etc. Both to keep him mobile, help stimulate his feet, and to keep him mentally happy. Open to ideas as to what to limit to whilst sidebone active, how long to limit for, rehab guide lines etc.

I am hoping with 5 days to recover from heel bulb bruising, he comes sound, but if he doesn’t I will re-assess thoughts.

I am liaising with vet / trimmer / physio / trainer etc. But I think there is a lot of barefoot rehab experience here too, hence asking thoughts.

 

[be positive]

I think I would want a diagnosis that it is sidebone and not something else going on such as ringbone, the bruising may be causing the current lameness so if he is still lame after a week I would get the vet, they are rarely lame with sidebone as it tends to be a gradual pain free ossification of the cartilage rather than an active acute lameness, both may require similar treatment but one is progressive the other once formed is not.

 

[flying_high]

I think I would want a diagnosis that it is sidebone and not something else going on such as ringbone, the bruising may be causing the current lameness so if he is still lame after a week I would get the vet, they are rarely lame with sidebone as it tends to be a gradual pain free ossification of the cartilage rather than an active acute lameness, both may require similar treatment but one is progressive the other once formed is not.

What is the difference between ring bone and sidebone?How do you practically recognise the difference?

 

[ycbm]

Ring bone is arthritis of the fetlock joint, high or low. Sidebone is ossification of the lateral cartilages of the foot, a fairly normal aging process. I understand that sidebone doesn't normally cause lameness unless they break.

.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I think I would want a diagnosis that it is sidebone and not something else going on such as ringbone, the bruising may be causing the current lameness so if he is still lame after a week I would get the vet, they are rarely lame with sidebone as it tends to be a gradual pain free ossification of the cartilage rather than an active acute lameness, both may require similar treatment but one is progressive the other once formed is not.

Thanks the advice I was given was to wait until I was sure bruising wasn’t an issue and then if still lame get vet re nerve blocks and foot x-ray.
I’m just not very patient (in my mind, I am with actual horse rehab time) and trying to learn and understand as much about sidebone as possible in the meantime. My mind is doing overtime!

 

[bouncing_ball]

I think I would want a diagnosis that it is sidebone and not something else going on such as ringbone, the bruising may be causing the current lameness so if he is still lame after a week I would get the vet, they are rarely lame with sidebone as it tends to be a gradual pain free ossification of the cartilage rather than an active acute lameness, both may require similar treatment but one is progressive the other once formed is not.

Does ringbone present as a bony ridge, maybe 5cm long, parallel to coronet maybe 2cm above hoof? I thought was sidebone but not sure I fully understand presentational difference without x-ray

 

[bouncing_ball]

Ring bone is arthritis of the fetlock joint, high or low. Sidebone is ossification of the lateral cartilages of the foot, a fairly normal aging process. I understand that sidebone doesn't normally cause lameness unless they break.

.

So as my horse's bony lump is 1-2cm above the hoof, on the pastern, it cannot be ringbone? And is highly likely, give the imbalance in that foot, to be sidebone, but x-ray would 100% confirm.

My understanding, but I cannot think where i read it, was that sidebone was long not thought not to cause problems or be clinically significant if stable and not fractured. But there was some new thinking it was more significant that has previously thought.

I have been doing some digging in the Pete Ramey hoof rehab facebook group. He seems to consistently state that horses with ossified lateral cartiledges have less shock absorbing capacity in foot, and generally never become as rock crunching barefoot, and typically get sore working on hard ground, and do better in padded boots when ground is hard. But other than that can have normally working lives once stable.

There are others saying if get balance and alignment of feet and body right, the body may reabsorb the sidebone, if it is no longer needed for support. And it is lack of support for hoof / instability that makes body put sidebone down.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Ring bone is arthritis of the fetlock joint, high or low. Sidebone is ossification of the lateral cartilages of the foot, a fairly normal aging process. I understand that sidebone doesn't normally cause lameness unless they break.

.

This horse is 13, and barefoot just under 3 months, with a slightly offset RF foot, which went quite rotated when took shoes off and is now straightening. I dont think he had the ossified lateral cartiledge before going barefoot. Or if he did it wasnt visible and palpatable like it is now. It is only one foot, the outside of right fore. I am sure it is a reaction to the foot rotating outwards once free of shoes, as it was straight jacketed from rotating in the shoes. I was advised it would rotate, and the gradually straighten by trimmer, which is what it has done. Not sure if this means taking shoes off was a bad idea, or if it can be a route to finding long term balance and soundness (hopefully).

My late, old 17hh warmblood, had HUGE sidebones on both front feet, on both sides. They were unchanged from when first x-rayed aged 10 to when last x-rayed nearly 10 years later. I dont think they ever caused him direct issues, but did I think impact on his shock absorbing capacity in in front feet. Having them on both feet matching and present when I bought him to when I lost him, worries me less, than newly appeared and on one foot, as in case of my current 13 year old warmblood.

 

[be positive]

Does ringbone present as a bony ridge, maybe 5cm long, parallel to coronet maybe 2cm above hoof? I thought was sidebone but not sure I fully understand presentational difference without x-ray

Sidebone is ossification of the lateral cartilages which go vertical from the coronet not parallel to it so it sounds unlikely, high ringbone is above the coronet on the pastern joint and visible, it can be parallel and may go all the way around, it sounds more likely from your description.

 

[splashgirl45]

my old yard had a big hunter type horse who showed an occasional unlevel step when turning. he used to showjump to a highish level before he came to our yard to be mainly a hacking horse. he was x rayed and had huge sidebones, he never got any worse and never showed any lameness if trotted up in a straight line....as long as he wasnt worked in the school he was fine.