Boney deposit .... what could it be??

[Herbie31]

Bit of history .... Herbie the horse is question is not mine but is a 13yr old gelding with low mileage which I am currently restarting.

His feet were long, his front in particular causing him to be very much on his heels. The farrier has been out today and given them a trim and he is now scheduled for regular trims to correct the problem.

My concern is that on his off side foreleg cannon bone just above his fetlock there is an area of hair missing which I first noticed on Saturday so I popped some sudocrean on it.
On Monday I went to do some work with him again and an area of missing hair appearing on the other side. The skin looks/feels quite rough. He also has a hard 'lump' in the same area.
The farrier thinks its some sort of boney deposit - Horse is not lame though.

Anyone had any experience of this? - bearing in mind he was not originally started until he was 7, has done very little in his ridden career and has done nothing at all for the last four years.
I don't want to worry his owner unnesscary - although they love him dearly and would not question a vet to him.
I've owned horses for 15 years and never come across this before.
Whats the best way of treating it? as said he is not lame and I have stopped lunging him until I know more.
So to summarise ..... what do you think it is?
would you arrange a vet?
would you continue lunging / working him?

Thanks for your help

... oh he's a ID x TB 16.2hh chestnut, absolutely gorgeous looking (and knows it) - case that has any bearing on it

 

[Persephone]

My mare has a bony growth on the inside of her pastern. She caught herself when her shoes were seated out and it has calcified. It was only a tiny wound but she must have given the bone a real whack.

Got the vet to check last time she was out and as it doesn't impinge on the joint she said just treat it as cosmetic.

She never went lame either.

 

[Herbie31]

thanks jojobah

Did the vet say anything about limitation in work??

I'm a bit concerned about lunging him due to the pressure that it would put on the joint --- I'm probably being paranoid but he is a lovely horse and would hate to cause him (or any other animal) harm through my ignorance

It sounds like Herbs is in the same place as your mare - just wondering if its been there for a while. Have only been working with him since the ground has dried up and as hes not lame there was no need for close inspection of his limbs until I saw the missing hair.

 

[brightmount]

My mare has what is probably the same thing on a hind cannon bone. She kicked herself in her stable. It was one of those flesh wounds that took ages to heal and had to be hot poulticed. She was left with a scar and a bony lump on the cannon bone which was x-rayed before she was turned out again in case of a hairline fracture, but there was no break.

She has never been lame on it except the day she did it and it doesn't interfere with any tendons. Unfortunately it will have affected her value though when we sell her.

 

[Persephone]

No the vet said to carry on as normal. If it's above his fetlock it shouldn't affect the joint. If you are worried though start off as you would a really young horse I would think, build it up gradually.

But honestly Star has never had a moment lame with hers and she works pretty hard really!

Jo x

 

[Herbie31]

Thanks Jojobah and Tamz you have both really put my mind at rest.

We are only doing about 15min lunging three times a week at the mo (mostly in walk - if Herbs listens that is

) followed by a 20 min walk out in hand to desentise him to the outside world - has not been away from home for at least 4yrs so taking it VERY slowly with him as he lacks confidence in him self.