Bone Spavin Help

[bellomondo]

3 days ago my horse was diagnosed with bone spavin in his offside hind. I got him about a month ago and he came to me straight off the track, Was believed he retired completely sound. A few days after arriving he went lame, which looked like he was lame in his front somewhere. I got a vet out and they told me it was his feet (as they were in shocking condition with race plates on), got his feet done and his lameness improved slightly, farrier said it was his knee. Anyway, 3 weeks later and he wasn't lame any more but something just didn't look right, so I took him to the vet and thats where we found out. The vet mentioned injections but just gave me Bute, said keep him on that for a week whilst working him like you would a normal horse, then take him off the bute and see what happens, but keep working him, just make sure he is warmed up really well and cooled down really well and if no improvement within a month then bring him back and he can have the steroids. He is 7 years old and apparently the trainer had no issues with it. Could that have been because he was in full work? He is off the track 6 weeks. Would any magnetic hock boots help him? Also what work do you recommend to help him, I rode him for the first time and he is not a fun ride, well behaved but has no education whatsoever, I wanted him to walk and he pranced/jig jogged the whole time, he eventually settled after cantering him for a while but I felt like I shouldn't have been doing that because of his hocks, but he wasn't interested in anything else until after we cantered, then he settled and worked really well (as well as a straight off the track can work). I am willing to take advice from anyone, I am completely stuck, the vet said work him as usual but whats as usual for a horse that has never been ridden off the track? Like I said, any advice is extremely appreciated

 

[be positive]

This is a difficult one, the horse was probably ok while in training, regular work would to some extent keep everything moving and he would have seemed sound most of the time, trainers will often overlook some stiffness as long as it works off. He was retired from racing for a reason, if he was still winning, if he ever did, he would still be there, he probably lost performance due to the changes in his joints, hence retirement to an easier life.

In your situation I would think very carefully before continuing, it is going to possibly be a long and difficult rehab, even without the complications of an unsound horse, he will need to learn a whole new way of going to help improve the damage and prevent it from deteriorating further. Injections may help but he will undo this if he cannot relax and walk quietly when required.

It depends really on your commitment to this horse it may be best to consider all your options before you get further involved both emotionally and financially, all to often these cast aside racehorses are not sound and for the original owner finding a caring retirement home is often all too easy they can then end their responsibility and move on to the next winner.

 

[brucea]

Have you done x-rays and flexion tests? Only way to be sure it's spavin.

I'm going to be blunt - short of time so can't write too much

As I see it you have 2 choices:

1) Intervention

lateral extensions on the shoes

Injections into the intertarsal spaces in the hocks - with all the risks that it carries and an uncertain outcome, with the probability of it needing to be repeated

Spend vast amounts of money on expensive supplements at £100 a tub - of dubious value.

A large bill and an unhappy horse

2) Conservative approach

Stop any schooling or anything that needs turns in a tight space or circles

Get the shoes off - reduce the concussion, let the hoof grow the way it needs to - and yes it will look unbalanced to your hoofcare professional who may think they know best what shape of hoof the horse needs

Treat the horse as you would your granny with arthritis - make sure he does not get wet or cold, and his back does nto get wet and cold.

Long hacks

Add linseed in to the diet and get rid of grains - they can aggravate any arthritic condition. Make sure you feed plenty of linseed meal - about 500gr a day might be right. It helps joints a lot with this kind of thing.

Pain relief if he needs it.

Time - it takes time and patience to get a result

I've always done (2) and generally got a great result. You can try (1) until your insurance runs out and you're forced into (2) but that is your choice.

Sorry - meeting - have to go.

 

[lcharles]

My horse was initially believed to have hock spavins, which i was told to ride her really hard for a few weeks until the bone 'fused' back together! x Turns out that she did her suspensory ligament but as i was told to do this, i understand that by putting strain on the joint, it makes the body repair and build more bone so it'll fuse back together. The vet thought it was hock spavins as it was noticable if she had time off, if she had been stabled and she would kick her back leg out with cantering as in a mini buck! x All key signs apparently. x Prognosis was good if i could constantly ride and keep her active until it was 'fused' together.

Like i said it wasnt the reason for her dodgy leg in the end but that was what i was told when we discussed the hock spavin route!! x Sounds like it can be positive and not the end of the road but cant help anymore im afraid! x

 

[brucea]

The big ginger guy wants to let you know it is definitely NOT the end ofthe road. But it takes time to get a great result!

 

[bellomondo]

Thanks for your help guys
Be Positive, He retired after 36 starts, winning $56,000 in prize money and retired because his owners couldn't afford to keep racing him anymore, his race owners was my uncle and grandfather and they have seen what I have done with horse I have had in the past so thought It was better to give him to me so he could have another career.

brucea, thats the plan I am trying to take, He has a fantastic temperment and I live out in the country in Australia so plenty of places to take him for nice long trail rides to get him out of the racehorse mindset. Also with the cold wet thing, like I said, I live in Australia so thats a bonus haha, winter is not that cold and summer is hot! The area I live in is not wet at all, so hopefully Im in the right place for his healing. He has had xrays and flexion tests and thats where it was confirmed it was spavin.

My vet has told me to ride him as much as possible, the same way you would ride any horse, just avoid tight circles. When not on bute he was barely lame, people told me he wasn't lame but I said something didn't look quite right, It was not obvious that he was sore. He also fell in a massive hole in the paddock the day after I got him, his back leg went into the hole and that could have aggrivated the spavin, as the vet said. The xrays showed that it was fusing already, my vet described it as "glue is sealing the joints but a knock will chip away the glue, hurting the area and the glue needs to reseal it". It makes sence, he said just keep on with the bute for now, just give it to him like we would take panadol if we had a pain somewhere, once he seems fine, take him off, Its trial and error really. If he is still sore not on bute, thats when we will take it to the next step. He didn't seem to fased about it actually, he said he will be a good riding horse and I can do what I want with him, just avoid small circles and lunging. Most people would just chuck in the towel and think its not worth it, but he deserves a shot, he has been slugged on the track for the last 6 years, he deserves the chance to live as a normal horse. He seems to have no problem galloping and bucking around the paddock, attacking the sheep haha

 

[Sophstar]

I have taken the 'conservative' route with my 20 year old cob, who was diagnosed with spavins early November. Despite the horror and disgust of fellow liveries that I wasn't going to 'just inject his joints as the vets do it everyday', I am proud of the fact I won't give in to people saying I don't have my pony's health and comfort in mind, including numerous people on this forum and have chosen the route I know is best for him. Initially, he was incredibly miserable and very very sore but within just the past couple of months he is a lot happier.

1) was initially given bute when he became very lame and the very odd occasion now will have it eg. the farrier
2) put him on devils claw as pain relief and seems to work for him (some ppl see no effect)
3) had his back shoes removed straight away and I haven't had his feet touched since they have been bare
4) he was on linseed oil but now gone onto linseed meal
5) long hacks only in walk...he hasn't been ridden in trot for the past 2 months (however he is still partial to a full speed trot or canter across the field with his herd)
6) wears magnetic bands on both legs
7) lives out 24/7...usually naked but a sheet in wet weather and just gone into a medium through the night to keep his joints warmer

He still clicks away very loudly, and if he tries to turn, his back legs either dodder around after his front or he completely moves his front end then takes 1 giant step with his hinds. In this very cold snap,and if I haven't had a chance to walk him out, he looks stiff behind but after 20 mins of warm up he completely loosens up and walks at twice the speed of his fellow 4 yr old hacking companion!

 

[chestnut cob]

Can't comment on ex-racers but can give you my experiences. My IDxTB was diagnosed with bone spavins in both legs nearly 3 years ago. His are fairly mild but he's very dramatic about anything remotely sore so he was crippled.

His hocks have been medicated twice (will be done for a third time fairly soon I think) and he had a couple of courses of Adequan. He was diagnosed with ringbone in front in spring 2011 and had 2 courses of Tildren which also helped his spavins massively. He gets a good joint supplement, linseed daily (whole ground microionised, not oil) and as much turnout as possible. He can't manage 24/7 turnout unless the ground is soft but that's because of his front legs not hinds. ATM he's out for about 16hrs of every 24, sometimes longer. The more gentle exercise and movement he can do, the better.

He has one sachet of Danilon every day now, again for the front legs more than the hinds, but given he's 17hh and 17yo, I don't see a problem with that. He enjoys work and is utterly miserable when he isn't worked, so this makes it easier. His arthritis means that he *needs* to work. Contrary to some of the other advice, I *do* school him. I don't drill him and he only schools once a week, but I haven't stopped. Straight lines are best for him so I also school a lot out hacking (transisitions, lateral work etc). He lunges, long reins and hunts.

The big issue you have is that you horse is so young and is going to need a lot of reschooling. My horse is easy to manage because he's older so arthritis is to be expected, to some extent.

 

[foxy]

I presume both hocks were xrayed. If your horse has it in one hock unless there was an injury then the chances are they will develop it in the other hock. As far as the fusing the bone, as long as it is the bottom of the hock which is affected there is a good chance of recovery but if the top part is affected then the outcome isn't great as this are needs to flex. Speak to your vet and ask lots of questions - write a list before you go and speak to them. I have just gone through it with mine who had severe DJD in both the top and bottom of both hocks. Good luck

 

[bellomondo]

I would have injected him if the vet thought that it was necessary, but he said that its not a big deal, He said try him on the bute and then take him off and keep him in work and see how he goes, and if im not happy with how hes feeling then we will try the injections. He wasn't crippled, it wasn't really lameness as such either, just stiffness, although he did look lame in the front which I thought was from falling in the hole. Both hocks have been xrayed and the other hock looks perfect, so Id say there was an old injury on the track. Also it is the bottom joints of the hock, apparently there is only like 5% of movement in each of the joints so once they fuse, there should be no movement problems whatsoever. With the schooling, the vet told me I can do circle work with him, just make them big circles, so like 40m circles rather then 20m circles and avoid really tight corners. He is paddocked 24/7, he has shelter when he can get away from the rain but being in the middle of summer, rain won't be an issue for a while. I have spoken to my vet and he really wasn't overly fussed about it, he was just saying just use bute like you would use panadol, keep doing everything like you would a normal horse and don't be soft on him, spend a good 15 mins warming him up and then make him work! the fitter he is and stronger his muscles are, the easier it will be on his joints. I have had a good conversation with my vet, I was just wondering other peoples opinions. Just because, this is the horse in question

I have noticed that he is bum high, being 7 will he stay like that or will he grow another few cms just to level that out? Could that be a reason for his hocks too, if anyone has had any experiences with this

 

[Birker2020]

My horse has spavin. He had three lots of tildren, adequan injections, HA and steroid intra articular injections and box rest, in hand and gradual build up of work. He also had lateral extensions on his hind shoes. Following this treatment I was able to jump, do low level eventing, dressage, etc.

This was about four years ago. I am thinking about hock fusion at the moment for him as he needs another steroid injection and the steroid injections are £70-£80 whereas the hock fusion is £300+ but that's for life and will cure the condition once and fore all.

A spavin horse needs to be treated with care - no pounding on hard ground (most of last summer found me trotting round my XC part of the eventing classes) and never any trotting on the roads. He needs regular good shoeing. But most importantly horses with spavin need regular work to keep their joints moving freely. Like my vet said, its better to ride every day for 20 mins than once a week for an hour. Its ideal for us - i can't normally do more than 20 mins anyway due to my back playing up so it works out well and keeps him keen.

Ask your vet about Tildren. That has shown positive results for a number of horses with mild to moderate bone spavin.

 

[chestnut cob]

He also had lateral extensions on his hind shoes. .

Mine had lateral extensions for 2 years... took them off (no shoes for a while but now in standard shoes behind) and he moved SO much better. Would never put LEs on another horse. I didn't realise how much they shortened his stride until they came off. They work by making the horse straighten his movement (so he doesn't walk in the usual "spavin" way on outside of his foot) but in my horse's case that made him short. Now they're off, he does walk slightly on the outside of his feet but his stride is also much longer and freer. I've come to the conclusion that spavin horses walk in that way to avoid the soreness so why force the horse to walk on a bit of their body that hurts?!

(PS, not a dig at you applecart, just my experience. I thought I was doing the right thing because vet and farrier at the time recommended them... I now use a remedial farrier who won't use them).

 

[brucea]

Wow Belomondo - your lad is stunning!

He is NOT bum high on the first, but is when you are riding him - so he needs to go forward so he can step under and get off his forehand (forward does not mean faster!)

You need to ride a hole or two longer, and get off his forehand too - don't stoop forward - he can;t take his weight off his forehand when your weight is on it. Relax your elbows and drop your shoulders - just "let go"

 

[Birker2020]

(PS, not a dig at you applecart, just my experience. I thought I was doing the right thing because vet and farrier at the time recommended them... I now use a remedial farrier who won't use them).

That's all right Chestnut Cob. It seems like your horse had them on a heck of a long time though. I think my horse had them for three shoeings and then didn't need them anymore, I was really surprised when the farrier said that they had done the job and he didn't need them anymore but he was right.

I think it cost and extra £10 per foot or something silly, so it wasn't cheap. But cheaper than the flipping pads that are applied to the foot like bathroom sealant! Gosh they were silly money!

 

[dangermouse]

I have a 17 year old Arab x New Forest with spavins and also an ex racehorse with numerous problems but basically going through a rehab programme, which involves long-reining in straight lines initially before building up to ridden work. However when my 17 yr old was diagnosed with spavins rode in straight lines, hacking or in school with no tight turns etc. so what I am suggesting is that perhaps you consider long-reining as this will not only help with work for spavins but great for retraining ex racers encouraging them to work in outline etc. Take care when introducing and only do this if you have long-reined before.

My horse with the spavins had cartrophen injections and Tildren, both of which had temporary results but I'm not convinced they really made a difference. He now has a slightly quieter life as a happy hacker (used to do dressage) and occasionally needs Danilon for pain relief anti-inflamatory, always give it to him when farrier due. But he is quite happy with life. Have had steroid injections into hock again temporary measure, supposed to last about 6 months but doesn't seem to be that long.

Good luck, hope it goes well.

 

[brucea]

Mine had lateral extensions for 2 years... took them off (no shoes for a while but now in standard shoes behind) and he moved SO much better. Would never put LEs on another horse. I didn't realise how much they shortened his stride until they came off. They work by making the horse straighten his movement (so he doesn't walk in the usual "spavin" way on outside of his foot) but in my horse's case that made him short. Now they're off, he does walk slightly on the outside of his feet but his stride is also much longer and freer. I've come to the conclusion that spavin horses walk in that way to avoid the soreness so why force the horse to walk on a bit of their body that hurts?!

(PS, not a dig at you applecart, just my experience. I thought I was doing the right thing because vet and farrier at the time recommended them... I now use a remedial farrier who won't use them).

Funny thing was when I let my guy grow his own feet he grew himself an extension on the inside, not the outside.