Ringbone Questions

[JennLM]

My NewfRescue buddy has a brother in Colorado with a 3/4 Friesian who has been diagnosed with ringbone. Unsure high or low.

I've seen conflicting things said. To shoe or not to shoe?

MSM does help right?

His vet wants to fuse it, he is wondering pros and cons of those who have done it.

Any advice I can give?

[moonrize]

I had an older horse with ringbone in both front feet. My vet recommended time off and letting it calcify on its own. I gave him about 6 months off and resumed riding and conditioning him with no problems from it. I did not shoe the horse. I did paint it with DMSO to help with swelling.

[Terry Wallace]

Shoes & pads usually help. But fusing of the joint is about the only thing that will stop the pain. That could take from 3 to five years to accomplish on its own. You can have it surgically fused and it runs right at $3,000. They will peel back the periosteum from the ends of the bones and mechanically fuse the joint. Then it will also need recovery time, but would take years off the calcification type of fusing.

The most severe case of ringbone I have dealt with needed shoes and pads to walk comfortably. It took three years to calcify and that of course stopped all movement in the pastern bones...so the gait will be just a little bit off...but it won't hurt the horse anymore.

I had it x-rayed every year to watch the calcification process.

MSM didn't help this horse. Not riding her at all helped her the most..she was never ridden the whole time she was here.....

Riding a horse with ringbone can really hurt a lot. So, do be careful.

Got pics?

[JennLM]

I'll ask her for pics. Thanks, I'll pass all this along to her.