Inflammation of the coffin joint, opinions please

[malibu211211]

Hi,
I have a 12 year old TB who has inflammation of the coffin joint.
Hard ground aggravates this condition so we know from trial and error last year that any faster work HAS to be done in the school when the ground is rock hard. Jumping has to be done on a surface too.
He has had 3 HA injections into the joint which has helped and he does come sound and stays sound for a good amount of time. Other than that the vet has advised for him to stay on box rest for 1/2 weeks (depending on amount of lameness) on Bute then slowly reduce it and start riding from the stable in the school only. Then turning him out when hacking out. This has also worked and he has stayed sound for a good amount of time.
He has now gone lame again after deciding to exercise himself in the field after a hard frost

I am waiting to hear from the vet.
I thought I would get your opinions on a few things

What would you do with him?

Work at getting him sound to start work again?
He does enjoy his work and just bear in mind he is a happy hacker that occasionally does the odd dressage test or local show

Seek out a Bute substitute to maintain him on?
Vet has said before now that he may need to be maintained on Bute/substitute. He was kept on 1/2 sachet of Bute for a good 2/3 months but do not want him on Bute permanently because of the side effects.

Make him comfortable to spend his days munching away in the field?

Thanx very much for reading if you got this far

 

[Fahrenheit]

My sister went for the injection route with her horse when he got coffin joint problems to keep him working but I have to say she has ended up with more problems in the long run lameness wise and a few years down the line and several injections later, he is now permanently lame and retired on low dose of bute to keep him comfortable.
I went the other route and when mine got coffin joint problems i put him on cortavet and retired him, we are 6 years on and he is still sound (touch wood) and enjoys the very odd light hack and is happy as larry living it up with the other old crocks we have.
This is just what happened with the 2 horses I know that got coffin joint problems, every horse has a different outcome and the injection route does work with some but after having tried it with your chap a couple of times personally (IMHO) I would retire him.

 

[spannahw]

Hello there,

I'm afraid I don't have any experience with your problem, but may do soon! My boy is off to vet for xrays this afternoon. Nerve blocks have shown the lameness is in the foot and the vet has mentioned de-sensitising the coffin joint too so I may well be facing a similar problem to you. I've been thinking what would I do - retire him or keep him going, as he's had no end of problems over the years, and like you, I just lightly hack and school. If it turns out to be the same problem, I'll keep you posted!

 

[malibu211211]

Hi,
Horsegroupie- ooohh! not good news

How old are your horse and your sister's horse?

Spannah- I hope it is not the same problem

How old is your boy?
Let me know what they find with the xray.

My friend's mare had a similar problem but in the fetlock joint, she was only 6 at the time. She had 3 HA injections and it took a good year to get her right again but she is doing really well (touch wood). It works for some and I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[loopylucifer]

mine has a similar problem (she has many!!!!). she has foot pain bk 1/3rd which was diagnosed though nerve blocks for variours reasons didnt joint block specifc area but likely to be coffin joint infalmation. yes hard ground does aggrivate it mine also went lame after galloping around a frozen field. as yet we havent had any HA injections in front (had them in hocks with no real effect) but she is having remidial shoing to help address her horrid feet. she is also on senequin very gd but expensive. also to help keep her sound we do very little in school work execpt canter work as sooo muddy keept pulling shoes off (prada no less!)! no jumping excpt the odd log out hacking (maybe one day do a bit more jumping).we alos try and only work 4/5 days a week mostly hacking in striaght lines nothing to exciting lol!!! and when things are going well up work a bit and see what happens. we are also on one danilon a day but thats for the bk legs not front, said we had problems!!!!!

 

[spannahw]

Well the xrays on my boy showed a spur of bone near the joint which adds up to the results of the nerve blocks so something has gone on in there. He has had a steroid injection into the joint and has been put on Newmarket Joint Supplement so will see how that goes. I think vet mentioned he may need another injection in 9 months so am not sure whether this would be how the problem would need to be managed. Guess its suck it and see! I will try and continue to hack and lightly school if poss.

My horse is 15 this year but has had problems with lameness in that foot/leg on and off over the years. Due to the number of times he's had problems, I have considered just retiring him and giving up trying to continue riding him so I completely sympathise with your dilemma. However, he plays such a lot in the field I think that's where these problems are triggered so am sure he would still be trouble even if retired!

Is your horse the type that would miss work of some sort? They really are a constant worry aren't they?! Let me know how he goes and best of luck with it all.