Ringbone advice, also in vet

[BentleyBelly]

My friends horse was diagnosed with ringbone last year. He has tried steroid injections into the joint, chondroitin supplements (Synequin), Adequan injections and nothing has really helped him. We have resorted to giving him a couple of sachets of bute before he is ridden (light hacking) because he enjoys getting out and about but recently, well since the ground has got hard, the bute isn't touching it and he is really uncomfortable being ridden. He is happy and comfortable in the field but being 17hh and a big people person being a field ornament doesn't really suit him. Does anybody have any recommendations of anything we could do to make him more comfortable and still manage light hacking? Maybe its time to call it a day and just let him chill in the field but if there is anything we don't know about that could help it would be great to know, I miss my hacking companion!
Thanks.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Is the ringbone front or back leg? High or low? As lameness is a severe problem, I would guess it's articular!

My husbnd's 17hh HW hunter was diagnosed with high articular ringbone in a hind fetlock 3 years ago - injections into the joint didn't touch it. I put him on high dose bute, started him on Riaflex Complete (same spec as Synequin but a third the price) and worked him. Within 5 weeks he was sound enough to start dropping the bute. I got the farrier to shoe him with raised heels to help breakover, which helped. He has stayed 'sound' for huntingfor the past 3 seasons (and hopefully 1 or 2 more to come) on one Bute a day. The key is exercise - he is never let up, stays in work all summer (just quiet hacking) and has HUGE stable so he doesn't stiffen up.

I would have him on 2 bute a day, EVERY day - that's not a big dose for a horse that size and although there IS a risk of kidney problems in the longer term, quality of life is more important than pure length of life! And speak to your farrier about shoeing to improve him too!