Ring bone side side bone anyone had any experience ? Please no replies telling me to PTS

[Lovely jubbly]

This is my first post on here so I’m a bit nervous ? my horse is a big girl (not fat) 16.2 Irish draft x Irish cob 15 years old hard hunting life in Ireland for 3 years then came over to UK where she had 4 foals she hadn’t been ridden for a year when I was given her I’ve had her 5 years just a happy hacker. She is having X-rays done next week for arthritic changes in her hocks but on lots of trotting up and flexion tests she’s also slightly lame in a front leg.
vet is hoping it’s a strain due to her putting all her weight on the front to help with the hocks,but has warned me because of her size it could be ring bone/side bone so I’m just starting to panic a bit . Just wondering if anybody had any good results ? PTS isn’t an option unless her quality of life is affected will be a very expensive pet if can’t be ridden anymore.

 

[TheMule]

If you just want a light hack then I would speak to the vet about trying her on a low daily dose of bute

 

[asmp]

Mine has huge side bones but he’s not that heavy (14.2 Criollo). He had his shoes taken off and now wears Equine Fusion Active boots as they give him extra suspension. He is a lot happier although I don’t do much on him when the ground is hard and rutty.

 

[cauda equina]

I have an 17yo Irish cob with ringbone and sidebone; I'm guessing that like yours he had a busy early life in Ireland
He's on daily Danilon and unshod/booted and happily potters about as a light hack

 

[Cortez]

I've had a few horses with ringbone and/or sidebone, never had to put down because of it though and they all continued to work, although sometimes needing a bit of help with antinflamitaries. Don't despair, these conditions can usually be managed.

 

[ycbm]

At her age I would put her on Devil's Claw and/or Boswellia and if those didn't work keep her on bute until she can no longer cope.

I expect you'll have many more years of happy hacking with her.
.

 

[TRECtastic]

I've got a 21 year old Irish cob with sidebone
He's in light hacking work, lives out all year round
He's on boswellia, had his shoes off start of the year and has been much better without them

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I once had a fellow livery who's horse had both sidebone and ringbone (you didn't need x-rays to see she had issues, bless her). She was retired because she tripped and fell under saddle once too often and it was decided that it was unsafe to ride. She had very upright conformation in her pasterns and hooves which didn't help.

 

[SEL]

I've got a heavy draft with both. He's retired now but I did lightly hack him for a while after diagnosis if the ground was good - and he was full of beans so I used to give danilon afterwards rather than before.

He's been a much loved field pet for a few years now with bute as needed. The sidebone threw out a huge calcified lump which has caused an odd gait and that is now beginning to put pressure on the opposite leg. His gait doesn't change with bute so we know its due to the lump rather than pain, but I'm very conscious that the knock on effects means he will have aches and pains elsewhere. He's still happy, bright and naughty at the moment thankfully.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The xrays will tell you the extent of the problem. I have a 9 yr old with side bone caused by a crap farrier leaving a very big horse unbalanced. Thankfully the poor work was caught fairly early on and remedial shoeing (broad web and lateral ex) has kept the horse sound. My very long term farrier retired and the new one sadly did not assess the horse correctly. To say I was furious is an understatement.

The draught types are prone to side bone sadly. I found Boswellia a god send but as the horse ages I fully expect him to need maintaining on bute. No trotting on the road unless for safety reasons and if I keep him slim (easier said than done !) it makes a massive difference to him. Barefoot is not an option for my horse, 700kg plus and almost daily road work on a Shire shaped foot does not allow unshod.

Hope you get lots more fun from you horse.

 

[Lovely jubbly]

Great thank you guys,she’s been on Boswellia for about 3 months and started her on pharmaquin 10 days ago. I will wait and see what happens once X-rays are done....hopefully I will get another couple of years having a plod around the block. I’m going through the insurance so vets have already mentioned a few options x

 

[Casey76]

The ringbone, depending on where it is, and how extensive it is, is likely to be more of a problem than the side bone.

Both high (between P1 and P2) and low ringbone (between P2 and P3) can be managed, just like any other arthritic changes. You may find that as the calcification progresses, she will start to lose flexion in the lower leg joints, and that working on rough/rutted terrain is more painful as the joints try to accommodate the movement required.

By using daily anti-inflammatories, such as boswellia, and other joint-supportive/protective supplements, you should be able to manage the arthritis well enough to continue normal daily activities for some time to come