Pedal osteitis (sp?) improved!

[guest@endurance.net]

Patty Jackson massdriver1@aol.com
One year ago I thought my horse was ruined.  After being out of
endurance riding several years, I decided to give it a try with
my young mare and started conditioning for LD rides.  The trails
here are very hard and rocky.  After only one year and completing
just a few LD rides, my mare's pace became slower and slower.
X-rays of both front hooves showed pedal osteitis, inflammation
of the coffin bones with degenerative changes and bone spurs.
My vet felt that with the amount of damage done to the bones, it
had been chronic and my mare may not even be able to do LD again.

My vet arranged for her ferrier to take over my mare's shoeing
since Rabbia was also in need of some better balanced trimming.
We added ShockTamer pads and EDDS packing (Equine Digital Support).

My mare resumed an easier conditioning schedule early this year
and has now completed 3 more LD rides.  The amazing thing is
that today I had her re-x-rayed.  The ragged edges of the coffin
bones have smoothed out noticeably since the x-rays a year ago.
The right foot had suffered the most damage, but had improved also.
The bone spurs were either gone, or at least had not changed.

On the down side--the reason I had new x-rays is I was suspicious
that she was getting sore on the right foot again.  Today's
x-rays showed 2 tiny pieces had broken off the edge of the
coffin bone, probably recently as they had not yet healed.
I do remember hitting a rock hard on that last 30 miler.
My vet is not too worried about this.  Of greater concern is the
navicular bone which shows some degeneration and signs of
increased blood supply with noticable vascular channes.

I have the OK to continue riding since this horse is not
showing lameness. I am still convinced her diagonals at the trot
are not completely even, though.

 I am a little bummed about the navicular bone,
but so happy that the edges of the coffin bones look so much
better.  I had always thought that once the edges demineralized,
(or what ever it is that makes that ragged edge) that it was
permanent.  And to have it improve while she was still participating
in LD rides is better still.

Patty Jackson