Shoeing a horse with ringbone requires special care and skill from a farrier. The main goal of shoeing for ringbone is to reduce pain and improve the horse’s movement. This is often done by supporting the affected joints and limiting the motion that causes discomfort.
Ringbone is a term for arthritis in the pastern joint or coffin joint of a horse’s foot. It causes bony lumps to form around the pastern bones. This condition leads to stiffness, lameness, and pain, especially when the horse moves. Managing ringbone effectively often involves a mix of veterinary care, controlled exercise, and smart farrier techniques for ringbone. Correct shoeing is a vital part of this team approach to managing bony enlargement in horse hoof conditions.
Deciphering Ringbone: What We Are Treating
Before we talk about shoes, we need to know what we are dealing with. Ringbone comes in two main types. Both types involve extra bone growth. This growth irritates the surrounding soft tissues and limits joint movement.
High Ringbone vs. Low Ringbone
High Ringbone affects the pastern joint. This joint is above the hoof. It involves the long pastern bone and the short pastern bone.
Low Ringbone affects the coffin joint. This joint is inside the hoof capsule. It involves the short pastern bone and the coffin bone. Low ringbone is often harder to treat with shoeing alone. This is because it is deep inside the hard hoof wall.
In both cases, the bony enlargement causes inflammation and pain. The horse naturally tries to shift weight off the sore area. This changes how the horse uses its limb. This altered movement puts stress on other parts of the leg. Good shoeing aims to stop this cycle.
The Foundation: Trimming and Balancing for Ringbone
No matter what kind of shoe is used, the trimming must be perfect. Proper trimming and balancing for ringbone is the first and most important step in ringbone treatment for horses. A poorly balanced trim will make any shoe ineffective.
Key Goals in Trimming
The farrier must focus on balance from side to side and front to back.
- Maintain Proper Heel Height: Do not trim the heels too low. Low heels put more strain on the flexor tendons and can make the pastern joint flex too much. This increases pressure on the ringbone.
- Avoid Flare: Any hoof wall flare must be carefully addressed. A flared wall shifts the breakover point forward. This can increase strain on the inflamed joints during the stance phase.
- Ensure Symmetry: The hoof capsule must look the same on both sides when viewed from the front and back. Any imbalance will cause uneven pressure across the damaged joint.
A skilled farrier uses careful rasping. They aim to create a balanced foot that supports the bony enlargement without stressing it further. The goal is to make the breakover point easy and smooth.
Therapeutic Horseshoeing for Ringbone
Therapeutic horseshoeing for ringbone is not about a single type of shoe. It is about using the shoe to change how the foot interacts with the ground. The shoe modifies the forces acting on the damaged joints.
Changing the Breakover Point
The breakover point is where the foot leaves the ground. Making this easier reduces the time the hoof spends rolling forward. This lessens the demand on the pastern or coffin joint as the horse pushes off.
Methods to Ease Breakover:
- Rockering the Toe: The toe of the shoe can be shaped to roll forward easily. This is like turning the toe into a gentle curve. This reduces the need for the joint to bend sharply.
- Beveling the Edge: The front edge of the hoof wall and the shoe can be beveled (sloped). This also helps the foot roll forward smoothly.
Controlling Joint Motion
For ringbone, we often want to limit the range of motion in the painful joint. A shoe can act like a gentle brace.
- Full Rolling Motion Shoes: These shoes have a heavily rolled or “rocker” toe and often a rolled heel too. They allow the foot to move smoothly from landing to lift-off. This is very helpful for high ringbone.
- Stiffening the Stance: Sometimes, a shoe needs to add slight rigidity to the foot structure. This prevents excessive flexion in the damaged area.
Types of Shoes for Arthritic Horses with Ringbone
When selecting types of shoes for arthritic horses, especially those with ringbone, the shoe material and shape are key. We look for shoes that offer support and modify motion.
| Shoe Type | Primary Benefit for Ringbone | Best Suited For | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg Bar Shoes | Lifts the back of the hoof, reducing tension on the deep digital flexor tendon and associated structures. | Often used for low ringbone or coffin joint issues to reduce strain. | Can sometimes make breakover harder if not combined with a rolled toe. |
| Heart Bar Shoes | Provides support to the frog and sole, redistributing load away from the toe or quarter if there are secondary issues. | Useful if the horse is compensating by putting excessive pressure on the sole/frog. | Less direct impact on joint motion unless modified. |
| Straight/Standard Shoes | Used as a base, often heavily modified. | Mild cases or as a platform for more complex modifications. | Requires significant shaping (e.g., rolling the toe). |
| Full Roller/Rocker Shoes | Dramatically eases breakover by creating a circular bottom profile. | Significant high ringbone cases where joint flexion causes severe pain. | Requires very precise fitting and can feel awkward initially. |
| Lateral/Medial Support Shoes | Shoes built with extra material on one side. | Cases where the lameness causes the horse to bear weight unevenly (e.g., one side of the pastern is worse). | Requires precise diagnosis from the veterinarian and farrier. |
Specialized Applications for High Ringbone
For high ringbone, the focus is on the pastern joint. We want to minimize how much the pastern bones have to flex when the horse moves forward.
A heavily rolled toe shoe is often the go-to choice. This shoe allows the foot to leave the ground with minimal effort. This smooth transition reduces the “snapping” or sudden bending of the pastern that causes pain.
Specialized Applications for Low Ringbone
Low ringbone affects the coffin joint, deep within the hoof capsule. This area is harder to influence directly with an external shoe. Veterinarian recommended shoeing for ringbone in these cases often targets secondary issues or overall support.
Egg bar shoes can sometimes help. By supporting the posterior aspect of the sole/frog, they can shift the load slightly away from the sensitive structures at the toe, which are under high tension when the coffin joint flexes. However, if the joint fusion is advanced, the shoe’s role is mainly pain management through overall support.
Farrier Tools for Ringbone Shoeing
The success of shoeing ringbone horses relies heavily on precision. The right farrier tools for ringbone shoeing make complex modifications possible.
Shaping and Modification Tools:
- Anvil and Hammer: Essential for forging custom shoes. Almost every shoe for a ringbone case will need to be forged to fit the specific foot conformation and desired motion modification.
- Hoof Knife and Rasp: Used for the initial precise trimming. The rasp is also used to shape the breakover point, even on shoes that aren’t fully forged, such as beveling the edge of a stock shoe.
- Fullers and Hardy Cutters: These are used when making concave or full-roller shapes on the shoe. A full-roller shape requires careful drawing out and shaping of the toe and sometimes the heels.
- Setting Tools: Specialized tongs and hammers help set the shoe accurately onto the trimmed hoof surface, ensuring correct angles before nailing.
Precision is key. Even a millimeter of difference in where the breakover is set can significantly change the load on the pastern joint.
Preventing Ringbone Progression with Shoeing
While shoeing cannot cure the arthritis causing the ringbone, it can slow down the deterioration. Preventing ringbone progression with shoeing involves reducing chronic concussion and abnormal strain.
Reducing Concussion
High-impact exercise is detrimental to arthritic joints. While the farrier cannot control the workload, the shoe choice can mitigate impact.
- Padding and Cushioning: In some cases, especially during flare-ups, placing a cushioned material between the sole and the shoe can help absorb shock. This is often done using specialized impression materials or pads designed for therapeutic use.
- Gradual Roll: As the condition stabilizes, a smoother, less aggressive rocker shape might be maintained. This ensures that even during normal movement, the joint is not subjected to sharp bending forces.
Maintaining Proper Limb Alignment
The shoe must maintain the overall alignment of the limb. If the shoe is too wide or too narrow, it stresses the structures above the hoof.
- Width Matters: The shoe should match the width of the hoof capsule without pinching the heels or hanging excessively wide. Excess width can cause the horse to land awkwardly, increasing strain on the pastern.
Working with the Veterinarian
Effective management of ringbone requires close partnership between the owner, the farrier, and the veterinarian. The vet diagnoses the severity, location, and stage of the ringbone. This information guides the shoeing plan.
The vet might recommend specific intervals for shoeing or specific shoe modifications based on X-rays or clinical signs. Always defer to the veterinarian recommended shoeing for ringbone protocols, especially concerning pain management and joint health.
X-rays and Shoeing Adjustments
Radiographs (X-rays) show exactly where the bony changes are most severe.
- Location Mapping: X-rays show if the ringbone is active (still remodeling bone) or quiescent (stable fusion).
- Implication for Shoe: Active inflammation might suggest a period of rest and maximum support (like a heavily padded, supportive shoe). Stable, fused joints might benefit more from maximizing breakover ease (full rocker).
The farrier must use these images to place support or modification exactly where needed. For instance, if the bone growth is severely affecting the dorsal hoof wall, modifications must ensure that wall does not bear undue pressure.
Special Considerations for Different Activities
The activity level of the horse drastically changes the shoeing needs, even with ringbone present.
The Lightly Worked or Senior Horse
For horses that only walk short distances on soft ground, comfort is the main priority. A slightly rounded or rolled shoe might be enough to keep them comfortable during slow movement. Long rest periods between shoeings might be acceptable, provided the hoof maintains its balanced trim.
The Active Performance Horse
This is the hardest scenario. A horse that must perform jumps or collection work needs support but also requires a degree of foot flexibility.
- Compromise: Often, a compromise is needed. The farrier might use a shoe that eases breakover significantly (a rolled toe) but avoids overly stiffening the foot, allowing for some necessary flexion during collection or jumping take-off.
- Frequent Changes: These horses may need shoeing adjustments every 4 to 5 weeks instead of the standard 6 to 8 weeks. This ensures the critical modifications (like the roll or bevel) are always fresh and effective.
Advanced Therapeutic Concepts in Horseshoeing
Modern farriery often employs concepts developed for laminitis that are useful in managing severe arthritis like ringbone.
The Importance of the Frog and Sole Support
The structures underneath the hoof play a critical role in absorbing impact. If the horse is sore, it often avoids using its frog (the V-shaped structure on the bottom of the foot).
- Encouraging Use: Shoes that offer good support to the whole bottom of the foot can encourage the horse to use the frog more naturally. This distributes concussion across a wider area, rather than funneling it up to the sensitive joints.
Using Wedges Cautiously
Wedge pads raise the heel. While a slight heel raise is often incorporated into a standard therapeutic trim, adding a high wedge in ringbone cases must be done with extreme care.
- The Risk: A significant wedge angle forces the pastern to stand at a steeper angle. While this temporarily unloads the deep flexor tendon, it can also increase the compressive load on the front of the coffin joint over time, potentially worsening low ringbone. Vets usually advise against high wedges unless strictly necessary to correct a severe heel collapse in the opposite limb.
The Ongoing Relationship: Reassessing the Shoe
Shoeing a horse with ringbone is not a one-time fix. It is a continuous process of management. The condition changes, the horse adapts, and the farrier must adapt the shoe.
Signs That the Shoe May Need Changing:
- Increased Lameness: If the horse gets sorer between farrier visits, the shoe is no longer providing the necessary relief.
- Hoof Changes: If the hoof wall starts growing out differently (e.g., flares reappear or flaring worsens at the toe), the current shoe shape is not supporting the foot correctly during the growth cycle.
- Behavioral Changes: If the horse becomes reluctant to move, this indicates the current shoeing regimen is failing to control the pain during movement.
Regular communication between the owner and farrier is essential. Share observations about the horse’s comfort level during daily activities. This feedback loop is vital for successful long-term management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Shoeing Ringbone
Q: Can shoeing completely eliminate lameness caused by ringbone?
A: No, shoeing cannot eliminate lameness entirely if the bony enlargement has caused severe, permanent joint fusion or damage. However, therapeutic horseshoeing for ringbone can significantly reduce pain by minimizing the motion and concussion felt by the arthritic joint. The goal is pain management and functional improvement.
Q: How often should a horse with ringbone be shod?
A: Horses with ringbone usually benefit from more frequent shoeing than average. Most veterinarians and farriers recommend every 4 to 6 weeks. This keeps the trim balanced and ensures that motion-altering features like the rolled toe are maintained and effective.
Q: Can I use therapeutic shoes on all four feet for ringbone?
A: Yes, often therapeutic shoes are applied to all four feet, even if the ringbone is only diagnosed in the front legs. This is because chronic lameness in the front often causes compensatory strain on the hind limbs. Balancing the entire system leads to better overall soundness.
Q: Is shoeing better than leaving the horse barefoot for ringbone?
A: For established ringbone, shoeing is almost always preferred over being completely barefoot. The shoe provides the necessary leverage and motion control (like rolling the toe) that the bare hoof cannot offer to relieve joint pressure. Barefoot trimming for ringbone is usually only successful in very early stages or when the lameness is extremely mild.
Q: What is the role of the veterinarian in the shoeing process for ringbone?
A: The veterinarian diagnoses the exact location and severity of the ringbone, often using radiographs. They then guide the farrier on the best mechanical approach—whether to favor heel support, toe roll, or specific breakover timing. They manage the medications and injections that work alongside the farrier’s mechanical support.