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| Soft Ride Focus on Ringbone |
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| Hello,
Whether you're a horse owner, practitioner, or casual rider, chances are you’ve heard the term “ringbone” and maybe it has even affected a horse you know. Ringbone is a form of osteoarthritis that causes extra bone to form around the pastern (high ringbone) or the coffin joint (low ringbone). That new bone and the inflamed joint capsule can make a horse short-strided, sore, and sometimes visibly swollen around the pastern. Managing ringbone is a team sport: owners monitor day-to-day comfort and workload, veterinarians diagnose the exact location and severity and guide medical therapy, and farriers rebalance the foot and modify breakover to reduce joint stress. While we can’t “cure” ringbone, thoughtful hoof care, appropriate medications or injections, conditioning, and—when needed—joint fusion procedures can keep many horses comfortable and useful for years.
Soft Ride Team |
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| “High ringbone occurs at the pastern joint, while low ringbone affects the coffin joint within the hoof capsule.” |
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| | Ringbone is osteoarthritis affecting the small joints below the fetlock, most commonly the pastern (high ringbone) or the coffin joint inside the hoof (low ringbone). Over time, the body lays down new bone along the joint margins (bony “proliferation”), which you may feel as a hard thickening around the pastern; inside the hoof, similar changes can be seen on X-rays. These changes reduce shock absorption and make motion painful. Vets diagnose ringbone with a lameness exam (watching the horse move, flexion tests), nerve blocks to pinpoint the painful area, and radiographs to confirm and grade changes. Ringbone is progressive and not reversible, but it’s very manageable. |
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| Common Causes of Ringbone |
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| Ringbone develops when the pastern and/or coffin joints endure repeated stress or suffer injury, prompting arthritic change and bony buildup. Conformation that increases concussion (upright pasterns, toe-in or out) and hoof imbalance add strain. Normal wear-and-tear with age, acute trauma, and—in some horses—developmental issues like osteochondrosis (OC) or bone cysts can contribute. Work that pounds the pastern region (jumping, barrels, polo) raises risk. Less commonly, infection in or around the joint can trigger it.
Common causes: Repetitive concussion/overuse of the pastern or coffin joint Upright pasterns or toe-in/out (conformation leverage) Hoof imbalance/long toe–low heel increasing joint torque Acute trauma to the pastern region Age-related wear and tear Developmental problems (OC, subchondral bone cysts) Joint or periarticular infection (less common but possible)
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| “Ringbone can cause swelling, stiffness, and lameness—early veterinary evaluation is key.” |
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| Signs and Symptoms of Ringbone |
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| Lameness that may worsen on hard ground or circles Short, choppy stride; reduced performance Hard, firm swelling around the pastern (bony thickening) Heat and soft-tissue swelling over the pastern/coffin region (variable) Pain response with joint flexion Stiffness when starting work; improves then worsens with intensity Positive response to low-limb nerve blocks during vet exam (localizes pain)
Watch your horse walk and trot in straight lines and small circles on firm footing. A ringbone horse often takes shorter steps and may nod or “stab” the toe, especially on a circle toward the lame limb. Compare pasterns side-to-side for a firm, non-pitting thickening, and feel for heat or sensitivity after work. Flexing the pastern yourself can be uncomfortable for the horse, but a definitive assessment should be left to your vet: they’ll perform flexion tests, then use nerve blocks to confirm where the pain originates, and radiographs to document arthritic and bony changes. Early recognition—when signs are mild or intermittent—lets your farrier and veterinarian adjust shoeing and workload before the joint deteriorates further.
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| Common Treatments for Ringbone: |
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| Therapeutic shoeing & hoof balance
Shortening the toe and easing breakover reduce torque on the pastern/coffin joints. Symmetrical, center loaded, supportive shoes like SoftRiders help many horses move more comfortably.
NSAIDs (e.g., phenylbutazone, firocoxib)
Anti-inflammatory medications provide first-line pain relief and reduce joint inflammation during flare-ups. Use under veterinary guidance to balance comfort with gastrointestinal and renal safety.
Intra-articular injections (steroids ± hyaluronic acid; biologics)
Injecting the affected joint can calm synovitis and improve the joint environment, often extending comfortable work. Depending on the case, your vet may also consider biologic options.
Systemic joint therapies (e.g., Adequan/PSGAG, Legend/HA, pentosan/zycosan class)
These injectables support cartilage and reduce inflammation across multiple joints; they’re useful when several areas are uncomfortable. Dosing intervals are tailored to response.
Weight management, workload, and surface modification
Keeping body condition moderate and training on forgiving footing lowers joint concussion. Planned rest during flares helps minimize setbacks. Wearing Soft Ride boots after work or during minor flare ups can help a horse be more comfortable.
Arthrodesis or facilitated ankylosis (advanced high ringbone)
Fusing the low-motion pastern joint removes painful movement; this can occur naturally or be encouraged with injections or surgery. Horses often return to useful work after pastern fusion; coffin-joint fusion typically aims for pasture soundness.
Please note Soft Ride is not a veterinary practice and does not endorse any particular treatment plans. All treatments for injuries and illnesses should be discussed with a licensed veterinarian and farrier familiar with your horse and its individual health needs.
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| | We can’t eliminate every risk, but we can lower it. Keep the hoof balanced with regular farrier care and an easy breakover to reduce leverage on the pastern and/or coffin joints. Match workload and footing to the horse’s conditioning level, and build fitness gradually to avoid repetitive concussive strain. Maintain a healthy body weight and address conformational stresses with thoughtful shoeing. At the first hint of short-striding or pastern fullness, involve your veterinarian—early adjustments prevent a small problem from becoming a big one. |
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| All American Quarter Horse Congress |
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| The All American Quarter Horse Congress is recognized as the world’s largest single‑breed horse show, drawing over 20,000 entries and nearly half a million spectators across multiple weeks. The event features a vast array of competitions—from reining and cutting to barrel racing, halter, hunter, and speed classes—alongside clinics, demonstrations, and a trade show which the the sole public facing event Soft Ride attends each year. If you want to see Soft Ride boots in person or discuss your horse’s measurements with our staff look for us in the Congress Hall trade show.
Event Information:
Soft Ride Booth - 602
September 27 - October 26
Ohio Expo Center
717 East 17th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
info@quarterhorsecongress.com
614-505-7200
Visit for More Information: https://www.quarterhorsecongress.com/ |
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| No Laminitis! Digital Conference |
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| The 2025 NO Laminitis! Conference, hosted virtually by the ECIR Group from October 31 to November 2, brings together leading experts to discuss the latest research and treatment strategies for equine metabolic disorders, particularly PPID, EMS, and laminitis. Featured speakers include Dr. Eleanor Kellon, Dr. David Rendle, Dr. Elaine Norton, and Dr. Robert Bowker, covering topics such as pergolide dosing, obesity-related laminitis risk, hoof biomechanics, nutrition, and emerging therapies like SGLT-2 inhibitors. The conference blends endocrinology, hoof science, and practical management tools to support veterinarians and horse owners in improving equine health.
Event Information: October 31 – November 2, 2025
Location: Virtual Conference (hosted online via Zoom)
Contact Info: Email: info@ecirhorse.org
Website: https://www.nolaminitis.org
Hosted by: The ECIR Group (Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group Inc.)
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| American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention |
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| The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Annual Convention, taking place December 6–10, 2025 in Denver, is the world’s largest gathering of equine veterinarians, offering over 100 hours of CE through lectures, case-based forums, and interactive sessions. The program features a diverse range of topics—such as lameness and rehabilitation, surgery, dentistry, sports medicine, reproduction, diagnostic imaging, infectious and non‑infectious diseases, and business‑practice life subjects like wellness, ethics, and social license. Highlighted speakers include renowned presenters such as orthobiologics expert Dr. Lisa Fortier delivering the state‑of‑the‑art Milne lecture, a keynote by Temple Grandin, and sessions led by imaging, lameness, and practice management authorities like Natasha Werpy, Hilary Clayton, and others.
Event Information:
Soft Ride Booth - 2351
December 6-10 Location: Denver, CO
Colorado Convention Center Exhibit Halls ABC Phone: (859)233-0147 Fax: (859)233-1968 Email: aaepoffice@aaep.org
Visit for More Information: https://convention.aaep.org/ |
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| We LOVE hearing from our customers and getting updates on how your horses are doing! Please send us your story and a photo of your horse in their Soft Ride products for a chance to be featured on our social media, in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, and to be entered in a Soft Ride giveaway!
Email us here: socialmedia@srboots.com Tag us on Facebook: Soft Ride Equine Comfort Boots Instagram: @soft.ride |
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| As we continue our drive to keep your horse on his feet, we've received more than 15 patents, ship to over 50 countries, and work with more than 6,000 veterinarians around the world, as well as every veterinarian school in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. And with horse owners from every discipline using our products, we can safely and proudly say, "The best in the world rely on Soft Ride." |
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