Precision Challenge: Breeze 24 yr old Quarter Horse with severe arthritis of the front right pastern (Ringbone)
Tell us about your horse
What is your Discipline?
Do you and your horse compete? If so, how often and at what level?
Has your horse’s unsoundness kept you out of any competitions?
What current issues is your horses suffering from?
Arthritis of the front right pastern. (Ringbone)
Some backstory: I picked her up earlier this year. Her arthritis at the time was a 2 or 3 out of 5 (daily equioxx brought the lameness down to a 1). I have been working closely with the equine surgeons at Iowa State and we decided to do alcohol arthrodesis to fuse the joint – but as luck may have it, it didn’t take and it actually made the lameness increase to the current 4 out of 5 (Iowa State has never seen something like this happen before). We are at the point where we are trying to figure out next steps (most likely surgery?), but in the meantime I’m looking to do anything to make her comfortable
What have you tried so far to help your horse with these issues?
Has this horse been diagnosed by a Vet?
If your horse has had injections, when was the last injections and where?
Is your horse currently on any supplements? If so, which ones?
Honestly, my hope is for her to get back to any lameness that is less than what it is currently at (currently a daily 4 out of 5 lameness).
Breeze began the Precision Challenge on 2/4/24
Breeze is a 24 yr old Quarter Horse with severe arthritis of the front right pastern (Ringbone) . Lameness has increase to the current 4 out of 5.
Day 1 - Trotting both directions
Check Ups - Observed changes in comfort, movement & disposition
Week 2 Check In:
Started the trial at a one out of five lameness at walk now seems to be at a zero out of five lameness at walk the majority of the time. still has some lameness show up, also still on daily equioxx.
Week 4 Check In:
Breeze has good and bad days but the good are much more frequent 80 to 90%. The winter cold seems to cause bad days. Overall getting around much better and happier overall.
Week 6 Check In:
No major changes since last update. Overall in the last 45 days there was a positive improvement and she seems to move more comfortably overall.
PC Journal Notes:
2 weeks into Trial:
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She seems much happier and willing to move.
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I actually sat on her bareback for the first time in months and she was very OK with it!
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As time goes on she has seemed more willing to move.
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She is more confident at the feeders near other horses and finally gaining back weight.
30 Days Into Trial:
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Happier overall
- Seems much more willing to move even in the cold.
45 Days into Trial:
- Disposition seems happier due to the increased comfort.
- She is gaining weight back because she is more willing to go to the hay feeder more frequently and interact with the rest of the herd
- Overall moving better
