Ring Bone

[NORTH FLORIDA]

Left rear tire. I can't tell if its in the joint or not. He doesn't look lame, but he may have problems while riding. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[milkmaid]

From what I can remember from way back, it depends where it's located. "High ringbone" is between the long and short pasturn bones and is usually only a blemish. "Low ringbone" is located between the short pasturn and the navicular bone and is a permanent unsoundness. Think the latter is also difficult to detect without xrays.

Been a long time, but I believe any type of ringbone is related to stress and/or conformation flaws -- ie, too upright pasturns. You said "may have problems while riding" -- have you ridden the horse or is he unbroke/too young? I'd probably pass on him -- there's enough horses out there to settle on one with obvious problems.

 

[born2run]

High ringbone can be corrected with surgery, low ringbone is incurable. Both will cause calcification of the joints to the point where they fuse and become no longer capeable of flexing. At that point the pain seems to be gone, at least with my pony mare. A radiograph will show ringbone. You looking at a horse that has potential ringbone? Get a pre-purchase exam and pass if this is his diagnosis, IMO.

 

[NORTH FLORIDA]

I bought the horse at auction. 3yr old broke to ride, but I haven't rode yet. I only paid $110.00 for this stud. I thought about riding and seeing how he responds, if he comes up lame its back to the auction.

 

[hayray]

I bought the horse at auction. 3yr old broke to ride, but I haven't rode yet. I only paid $110.00 for this stud. I thought about riding and seeing how he responds, if he comes up lame its back to the auction.

Ringbone is calcification of the lateral cartilages, usually happens from consussive forces on horses work a lot on hard ground or horses built pretty straight. Once the calcification process is done usually the horse is sound unless it is at a point of articualtion in which case the rubs the joint as it articulates and causes pain. High ringbone is located at the pastern joint and low ringbone is down at the coffin joint. If the horse has ringbone a lot of times you will notice a bulbous ridge around the coronet, you see this a lot on older high grade club footed horses.