Fractured sidebone

[MrT]

I am looking for people who have had experience with fractures to sidebone. Horse is 14 years old got caught in fencing which resulted in heavy landing on front feet. Immediately lame on right fore. Xrays revealed extreme sidebone and it looked like it has lost of tiny fractures in. MRI confirmed no other issues and although both feet have the fractures they are far worse in right fore. My vet is saying he is not sure on prognosis but it's normally fairly poor. He is recommending more rest already been in 6 weeks but at least another 2 months on bute and to have osphos treatment followed up a Month later with steroid into coffin joint and after 2 Months rest to be able to go I to restricted paddocks. My physio so does laser treatment and says it would be beneficial. Has anyone been through this what have the results been good or bad I need to be prepared tha k you

 

[SEL]

My heavy horse fractured his after some idiot turned out a riggy gelding who chased him. He hasn't been ridden since (3 years now) & although it seems to have healed it has left a real lump of bone which means he isn't sound on that leg. Managed as a field pet on bute (& he's happy with that).

He had advanced ringbone so we didn't look to do any aggressive management. Vet and i agreed when we saw the x rays that we'd see how he did on bute for a couple of months and then make a call. I'm conscious it's a weak spot so he's kept in bubble wrap.

Sorry not better news from me - but mine wasn't in the best condition when he got the injury. I hope you have a better outcome x

 

[MrT]

Thank you, its fine I need to know. I am sorry to hear about your experience sounds awful. The sidebone is very large but has been there for ages it was the trauma that caused the lameness the osphos treatment I believe is to reduce additional boney structures. Tha k you for your reply

 

[whiteflower]

I have a horse that had massive side bone in both front feet and was not the typical breed to get side bone (tb) it was only found after lameness investigations and there were multiple fractures in both feet and poor prognosis. I decided against remedial showing with the prognosis poor and went bare foot. 18 months in the field (sound after 3) and horse is now back in full work, still barefoot. 2 years now sound in work. Hopefully that may give you some hope

 

[MrT]

Thank you for your reply. My horse is trakehner and becomes very footy very quuckly I have always been very interested in bare foot so something I would never dismiss. I have read alot about it and understand diet is a huge part to play in bare foot. Definitely need to do some more research thank you again

 

[whiteflower]

Thank you for your reply. My horse is trakehner and becomes very footy very quuckly I have always been very interested in bare foot so something I would never dismiss. I have read alot about it and understand diet is a huge part to play in bare foot. Definitely need to do some more research thank you again

I never thought mine would cope barefoot either, he used to wince over stones. I totally overhauled diet and learnt all I could. 2 years with no shoes now and canters over the stoney turnout area and been hacked those whole 2 years. I brought boots initially. We remedial shoes for 2 months and he was still lame. Took them off and a month later sound and has been since. My theory is that with the cartilage having turned to bone they have lost a lot of their natural shock absorbers so he couldn't cope with the shoe making the back of the foot 'static' he was sounder within days without. I would definitely consider it, especially with the prognosis generally being guarded by vets using treatment routes which often include remedial shoeing, which we tried but didn't work for us. Good luck

 

[MrT]

Thank you I will try anything to help I think I will follow what vet and farrier say for a period of time and if that fails I will turn him away for a while with no shoes and research the hell out of barefoot and see what happens. Really appreciate your reply I'm so pleases yours worked out and long may it continue

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Sorry for reawakening a year old thread but mine has just been diagnosed with a fractured sidebone so I was wondering how it went for you Mr T.

He's barely 2 tenths lame and somedays not looking lame at all. Vet has recommended bar shoes, 6 weeks of bute and walking in straight lines only. After that he'll be into the clinic for injections to the coffin joint followed by a 3 month rehab plan. He had been shoeless for 18 months and he is a heavy horse.

 

[SEL]

Sorry for reawakening a year old thread but mine has just been diagnosed with a fractured sidebone so I was wondering how it went for you Mr T.

He's barely 2 tenths lame and somedays not looking lame at all. Vet has recommended bar shoes, 6 weeks of bute and walking in straight lines only. After that he'll be into the clinic for injections to the coffin joint followed by a 3 month rehab plan. He had been shoeless for 18 months and he is a heavy horse.

Did they say why they thought shoes would help? I would have thought the concussion would make things worse, esp with a heavy.

Glad you got an answer though

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Initially the vet at the horsepital said shoes for the sidebones they'd seen on xray may and may not help, she said for a heavy he would probably manage better without shoes and at that point said we should try other approaches first.

On seeing the MRI she changed her mind and felt for the short term, shoes would provide stability while healing. My farrier (who is supportive of not shoeing unless required) is going to call on Monday and discuss it with them to understand the rehab plan and then shoe accordingly.

He had done so well without shoes for the last 20 months. The heel growth has been great and he seemed to move better and was more confident, particularly downhill. He does appear to be a little more pigeon-toed than with shoes but the sidebone development has predated removing the shoes.

 

[asmp]

Did they say why they thought shoes would help? I would have thought the concussion would make things worse, esp with a heavy.

Glad you got an answer though

I wondered this too. Would it be possible to get boots big enough for him? As my horse has large sidebones we decided boots would be better than shoes as they give him some suspension.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I wondered this too. Would it be possible to get boots big enough for him? As my horse has large sidebones we decided boots would be better than shoes as they give him some suspension.

Not quickly enough to provide the support he needs while he heels. I may order some anyway so we're ready for when the shoes can come back off again.

He transitioned relatively easily to barefoot last time. (I didn't, I panicked about the enormous cracks the whole time, luckily I had a supportive farrier who reminded me that huge hooves will have huge cracks but they are small in comparison to the size of the hoof)

 

[asmp]

Not quickly enough to provide the support he needs while he heels. I may order some anyway so we're ready for when the shoes can come back off again.

He transitioned relatively easily to barefoot last time. (I didn't, I panicked about the enormous cracks the whole time, luckily I had a supportive farrier who reminded me that huge hooves will have huge cracks but they are small in comparison to the size of the hoof)

See if you can pick some up second hand. There are always loads for sale on FB and eBay.

 

[SEL]

You struggle with hoof boot choice for those with bigger feet. I never thought my part bred draft had big hooves until I went boot shopping - esp as they tend to have wide feet.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

He has small feet for a Suffolk, just 19cm wide (17cm after he was rasped down to fit in the MRI) and I know of other Suffolk owners using boots so I'll start with asking them what they use.