Managing arthritis from upright pasterns.

[CScastle]

Hi guys,
Long story short - my 12yr old Dutch Warmblood has very upright pasterns (purely down to poor conformation, not previously injured or anything). It has led to him being lame (a very very hard to tell type of lame - only visible when ridden in trot on tight circles) in both front feet as I progressed him to higher intensity work including a bit of showjumping. He has been x-rayed and there's nothing that can be done for him. The vet also said the early on-set of arthritis would be quite probable. However, he is not in-pain or uncomfortable with it when not being ridden or when in light ridden work. He is the type of horse that will definitely tell you if something is hurting or uncomfortable!

Does anybody have any experience or ideas on different ways to manage it? Any remedial shoeing, arthritis supplements, special boots?

Any helpful comments appreciated but please don't say PTS as he is NOT in pain when in light work or groundwork. I am willing to do and spend anything that could help him

Thank you!

 

[AmyMay]

What diagnosis did the vet give you following the x-rays?

The best people to advise you really are your vet and farrier.

I would also look at supporting him with a good joint suppliment such as Synaquin.

 

[CScastle]

The diagnosis purely was - he has upright pasterns, his legs don't shock absorb any ground impact properly. It's due to fault of conformation and there's nothing we can do to change his conformation. And it has only just become apparent as he has been worked to a much higher level this summer opposed to the occasional hack out as he did with his previous owner.

I asked the vet for more advice on managing it & the information he gave me was very limited and not particularly helpful.

 

[Wagtail]

That's very strange... Did the vet nerve block him to exclude the foot? I have never heard of a horse being diagnosed with upright pasterns for a reason for lameness. Usually there are blemishes on the x-rays such as bone spurs. It sounds as if your vet is seeing he has upright pasterns and attributing his lameness to his conformation without any damage being evident on the x-rays. Or have I got that wrong?

 

[be positive]

That's very strange... Did the vet nerve block him to exclude the foot? I have never heard of a horse being diagnosed with upright pasterns for a reason for lameness. Usually there are blemishes on the x-rays such as bone spurs. It sounds as if your vet is seeing he has upright pasterns and attributing his lameness to his conformation without any damage being evident on the x-rays. Or have I got that wrong?

This is how I read it, there seems to be no diagnosis as such just a possibility he will get arthritis at some point due to being upright in the pasterns, many horses are upright but still manage to work normally, no reason given for the current unsoundness, I suspect it will be soft tissue inflammation or something going on in the foot, it would probably be worth looking into it further before writing him off as just a light hack, an ideal candidate for going barefoot to reduce the concussion and long term this could be the best option.