Ridecamp: [RC] Re Sidebones in young horse

FROM   Roger Rittenhouse     roger@xxxxxxxxxxx

My advice  NO NO NO.
Look to the archives from me all about my horse OMNI.

6 yr old  - very bad active sidebones. ALL WRONG
Caused by incorrect and inadequate shoeing.

I would NEVER buy another with that problem. They WILL go lame mostly
on twisty turning - articulating trails. They will stay sound on flat
trails.

You need about the BEST shoer you can buy. I have TWO.
They corrected his way of going and we keep the heels open and
supported. He goes sound.
LTLH  REALLY caused the problem. I MUST keep his toes short and up in
the heels with heel support.
It has been a battle.

I kept him because I really do like him - actually  he is about the best
horse  other then my old mare I ever owned. He has done well due to
the shoeing and the way I ride him.

The problem is this does eventually occur as you said in OLDER horses.
But NOT young ones. It will just get worse.
My mare is 24 with 5000 miles and her sidebones are almost
nonexistent. They are soft and flexible.
While Omni's are hard and 2 times as high up the pastern.

A secondary problem will be the hocks, They rock back on the front due to
out of balance and pain, then load up the hocks - thus the hocks give
out faster. We had to fix that problem also.

There has to be more good 3 year olds out there without this problem.
LAST suggestion go to a GOOD top of the line leg vet and get xrays and
a really good evaluation.

But I sure would pass

Roger Rittenhouse


> Subject: [RC]   Sidebone in young horse
> 
> 
> Mary Abbott mabbott@xxxxxxxxxxx
> I have looked at a 3 yr old Arabian horse to purchase that I=
>  really like a lot in terms of breeding, conformation, movement,=
>  size, and personality.  It has never been ridden but handled and=
>  raised well.  Here's my question.  I have been told that it has=
>  "a little bit of sidebone" in each of its front feet equally at=
>  the hoof end, and that a vet has said he should be fine for=
>  endurance because the sidebones are "stabilized."  I greatly=
>  appreciate the honesty of the seller, but they want me to make a=
>  decision ASAP.  Thus, I must ask, What do you all think?  Should=
>  I risk it?
> 
> (Note:  I have a 17 year old with sidebone who is fine and does=
>  endurance, so I am very open to the possibility of this horse=
>  doing fine with correct shoeing, etc., as well!  But then, what=
>  if it gets worse?  Sigh....  Do you think it will???)
> 
> I searched the pre-crash archives.. There's not a lot there on=
>  this subject.
> 
> THANKS in advance for all of your opinions!










Roger Rittenhouse



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