Coffin joint arthritis

Flora

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My ID gelding was diagnosed a year ago with coffin joint arthritis in both front feet. I have been down the road of injections, which didnt work. I have ridden him once or twice in the last year as I felt really bad when he was going over rough bits in the road as he really felt them. However, he has been galloping around the field and doing cartwheels, so I decided to try again, but he still flinches on the rough bits.
I have spoken to my farrier about Magic cushion or pads, but he reckons I should just give him a Danilon before I ride him as he would only be getting lightly hacked once or twice a week at most.
As he is only 17yrs, I feel bad he is just a field ornament, but when I see him hoolling around the field, I think to myself, he cant be that sore!
Should I just do as farrier suggests? Thanks
Ps I have him in starvation paddock but he is still obese so would like to try and get him to lose weight by doing more.
 

be positive

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I have never dealt with the condition but to my mind if he is obese, shod and flinching on the rough bits of road I would suspect there may be something else going on, probably metabolic, that needs addressing and that giving bute to ride twice a week could make matters worse generally rather than better if the underlying issue, other than the arthritis, is not treated in some way, low grade laminitis will not benefit from being ridden although may respond well to the bute and he could end up more sore.
I would get him tested and take it forward from whatever the vet finds, I would usually be more than happy to give a low dose of bute to keep a horse comfortable in light work but not in this situation just in case it does more harm, riding twice a week will do little to get his weight down anyway, if he is already obese it would require a lot more than that.
 

Flora

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He has been tested and had xrays done and its definitely arthritis in his coffin joints. He is gradually losing weight, but just thought a bit of exercise would help plus give him something different to do
 

Zuzzie

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My horse was diagnosed with coffin joint arthritis years ago - but in one foot only. Tried all sorts of veterinary treatments - nothing worked. I did find a supplement (Equimins Flexijoint) which helped a lot but I found the only real benefit came from Bute. He is 25 now - hacked out 5 days per week and is going well. He has one Bute per day. As for using Bute long term, my vet said my horse would probably succumb to something else long before any bad effects were seen.
 

Goldenstar

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Talk to the vet get the horse on anti inflammatories and see how you go .
ID’s need to be moving to lose weight ime skinny paddocks alone won’t do it .
 
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