DSLD? or just long sloping pasterns?

[Hayleybienert]

Hi! Not sure if this would be the right place to post. Tell me if I’m wrong, and thank you for reading.

Have any of you ever worked with a horse with DSLD? I don’t currently KNOW if my OTTB has this disease, but I’m trying to get any information I can from actual people who have dealt with it. My horse has long sloping pasterns, more so in the hind end than in the front. About a week ago, I posted a photo of him on a Thoroughbred group on FB and a few people commented on his hind legs, particularly his hind left pastern and fetlock. And, indeed, the more I looked at conformation in horses, particularly that of thoroughbreds, the more I noticed that Rico (my horse) had more of a severe slope. I looked at old photographs of him, and his legs were the same then as they are now, I had just never noticed. I am not a pro when it comes to identifying great conformation, and when I purchased Rico back in 2010 I saw him, fell in love, and that was it.

Rico shows no sines of having the disease other than the overly sloped pasterns. He has not been lame at all while I have had him. He doesn’t resist me when riding, he wants to work. Overall he’s a pretty happy boy.

I know that this is a slow and progressive disease and if he is diagnosed with it, it may take quite a bit of time for it to effect him negatively. I guess I’m just looking for advice from people who have dealt with it first hand.

I will post pictures of his conformation tonight.

[JB]

Too hard to say without a picture. Long sloped pasterns are not indicative of DSLD. Abnormal sinking of the fetlocks can be. The overall look goes further and further towards being coon-footed.

DSLD isn’t necessarily a slow-progressing disease, but it is definitely a progressive one.

Long sloped pasterns does increase his risk of developing suspensory desmitis, an over-use issue that gradually weakens the suspensory apparatus and allows the fetlocks to drop, but that isn’t DSLD.

[Abbie.S]

Yes to everything JB said, and if I may add:

Generally speaking, unless the horse has a breed history of the disease (as is the case with a few Spanish breeds, and those horses can develop DLSD at a VERY young age, without even having a working career) I’ve found the majority of horses who develop DSLD have a history of suspensory issues and injury.

That said, long pasterns can contribute to an increased likelihood of suspensory strain/sprain/injury in the sense that longer, more sloped joints create more leverage which means more stress on the soft tissues that support the joint, and all of that can potentially lead to DSLD, but there is no way you can “prevent” or foresee whether this will happen.

What you CAN do is be judicious about the footing you work the horse in, pay good attention to developing the horse as evenly as you can (meaning he should work equally well in both reins…allowing the horse to develop crooked and continue to work that way is asking for soft tissue injury) and create a program for strengthening the soft tissues of the lower leg. Work on different footings, incorporate long, slow hacks on asphalt or packed gravel. Develop the horse correctly over the topline so that the large muscles of the haunch and back take some of the stress off the joints.

In other words…don’t start fretting yet. Continue to work your horse and develop the above.

[Hayleybienert]

[QUOTE=JB;8652031]
Too hard to say without a picture. Long sloped pasterns are not indicative of DSLD. Abnormal sinking of the fetlocks can be. The overall look goes further and further towards being coon-footed.

DSLD isn’t necessarily a slow-progressing disease, but it is definitely a progressive one.

Long sloped pasterns does increase his risk of developing suspensory desmitis, an over-use issue that gradually weakens the suspensory apparatus and allows the fetlocks to drop, but that isn’t DSLD.[/QUOTE]

Hi JB,

Thanks for the quick response. I will be posting some photographs tonight.

[Hayleybienert]

[QUOTE=Abbie.S;8652065]
Yes to everything JB said, and if I may add:

Generally speaking, unless the horse has a breed history of the disease (as is the case with a few Spanish breeds, and those horses can develop DLSD at a VERY young age, without even having a working career) I’ve found the majority of horses who develop DSLD have a history of suspensory issues and injury.

That said, long pasterns can contribute to an increased likelihood of suspensory strain/sprain/injury in the sense that longer, more sloped joints create more leverage which means more stress on the soft tissues that support the joint, and all of that can potentially lead to DSLD, but there is no way you can “prevent” or foresee whether this will happen.

What you CAN do is be judicious about the footing you work the horse in, pay good attention to developing the horse as evenly as you can (meaning he should work equally well in both reins…allowing the horse to develop crooked and continue to work that way is asking for soft tissue injury) and create a program for strengthening the soft tissues of the lower leg. Work on different footings, incorporate long, slow hacks on asphalt or packed gravel. Develop the horse correctly over the topline so that the large muscles of the haunch and back take some of the stress off the joints.

In other words…don’t start fretting yet. Continue to work your horse and develop the above.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Abbie,

I’m like a terrified mom. Lol. Luckily the arena I use is well taken care of, dragged daily and watered as needed. We have a nice, even paved road by the barn that I can start riding one a couple times during the week, so I will add that to my riding regimen. Ultimately, I am trying to keep cool about it, and when the vet comes out to do a health certificate on him (I am moving next month) I will ask her opinion. Thank you for the advice, I will definitely take it.