Long sloping hind pasterns...problem?

Jesster

Jesster

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I picked up an ex racer from a friend of mine three years ago. He was three years old, 15 hands high and a very nondescript bay. The first thing I noticed was his long, sloping hind pasterns. (I didn't get him vetted as he cost carcass money anyway.)

I was assured that this was a very common thing in racehorses and desirable for galloping. I have no idea if this is true. I have had the farrier and the chiropractor take a peek at him and they don't seem to think anything is amiss. No vet has ever said anything about it either.

So I left him for a while to mature, he has grown to 16.1 hands at six years old and is turning in to a rather fun polo pony for me. I love the ****** to bits. BUT I have noticed that one hind fetlock has thickened. It's hard, large but not hot. Googling like mad, I have the terrifying DSLD in my head now.

He is not lame and has never had a days lameness. His near hind fetlock has always seemed a bit thicker than the other but not as thick as this morning!

Can anyone shed any light on this? Does anyone else have a thoroughbred with long, sloping pasterns? I'm flapping a bit, which is unlike me...!
 
Hello,

I'm a bit of a one-sided person to ask as my poor boy has long-sloping pasterns infront AND a bit of a dodgy angle on his hinds. He's an IDXTB. He's had bilateral high-ringbone and the associated problems with that, and also PSD on his hinds. Sigh!!

Fortunatley he came sound enough to be a light hack once we had sorted the ringbone - just waiting for March to see whether the PSD will sort itself out now!

In my experience, shortening the toes on long pasterns is the best thing for it. My horse has raised heel wedges even on the fronts as his pedal bone is now almost totally flat!

Can send you a photo of his confo if you think that'd help compare?!

F.
 
You need to take a photo similar to this if you can (without the tail in the way ;) ).

dr.litinconf.jpg


The simple answer is that, yes, TB's will have longer pasterns than Quarter horses (for example). Some TB's have longer pasterns than other TB's.
 
Yes, I understood that bit!

I will take one in the morning. Can't promise he will be looking that good though...!
 
 
long pasterns are a sign of poor confirmation.

When the pasterns are too long or sloping it does not support the fetlock enough, and the fetlock may hyper-extend, possibly to the point where the ergot touches the ground. This stresses the soft tissues that run under the fetlock because they are stretched longer. If stretched too much, they may tear or rupture.

Medical problems that are more common in horses with long, sloping pasterns include:

Bowed Tendon
Sesamoiditis
A fracture of the sesamoid bones found at the back of the fetlock, should the joint hyperextend to the point where it touches the ground. This is especially likely if the horse is tired, such as at the end of a race.
Injury to the suspensory ligament
Ringbone, due to excessive stress on the pastern joint. The angle should ideally be 45 degrees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastern
 
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