{"id":14060,"date":"2022-12-05T16:52:46","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T20:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/?p=14060"},"modified":"2023-12-14T05:45:30","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T09:45:30","slug":"horse-pastern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/horse-pastern\/","title":{"rendered":"Horse Pastern Problems: Identification, Treatment, & More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ringbone<\/a>, sidebone, and a broken pastern… These are words that can strike fear in the heart of every performance rider. Horses are incredibly strong and agile creatures, but their huge bulk (usually over a thousand pounds of it) rests on the equivalent of toothpicks that attach their hooves to their powerful legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These toothpicks, aka pastern joints, are incredibly delicate mechanisms that help the horse’s movement while serving the horse day after day without fail… until they don’t! It’s time to learn about your horse and their pastern joint surfaces and how to keep them sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    This information is meant to be educational only and is not meant to be medical advice. You should always get the help of your vet whenever your horse is having problems.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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    What Are Horse Pasterns?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Horse pasterns are the connective joints between the fetlocks and the hooves. Pasterns are your horse’s “finger” bones. Horses effectively run on the remainder of their thumb and index fingers that have fused into the hoof. The two longest phalanges or phalanxes of the horse’s “fingers” are fused into the pastern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each horse has four pasterns: two on the front legs and two on the back legs. Pasterns are supposed to be smooth, yet well developed, as they carry weight and need to be flexible to allow the horse’s hooves to lift and land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Performance Horse and Pastern Injuries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Horses that compete and run at speed or jump professionally often suffer injuries to their pasterns due to the excessive impact and injuries. Showjumpers tend to have calcification of the pastern joint due to impact and concussive force over many years. This hastens the onset of arthritis and the formation of side bone formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Racehorses tend toward having impact and concussion-related injuries that cause the formation of ringbone<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For a more in-depth explanation of these and other pastern joint problems, read on as I explain how to prevent these problems from affecting your horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Identifying Horse Pastern Problems<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Identification in the early stages of pastern injuries is vital to help your horse recover from the injury without complications. The key ingredient is knowing your horse’s legs<\/strong>. You should know their shape and texture and also your horse’s stride. When faced with a lame horse, you need to take action immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Causes of Horse Pastern Problems<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Before getting into the thick of the more technical descriptions of pastern injuries, it’s important to know what causes pastern problems so you can avoid most causes and take appropriate treatment precautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n