Anyone ever had a hind ankle bone chip removed from their horse? I’m considering buying a youngster with a bone chip. It’s operable, but not currently causing any discomfort, so doesn’t need to come out right now. This bone chip is the only reason he’s in my budget. Wondering what the procedure and recovery is like, if it ever becomes necessary.
Not all bone chips need to come out. It depends on it’s location. If it is clear of the working surface of the joint, it may not need to come out at all. Chips that are left in tend to stabilize, sometimes reattach where they are. If it floats and does not stabilize, it may have to come out. An odd happening in a hind ankle, far more common in a front ankle. Do you know how it happened? Kicking a fence or wall? Does he have an issue with kicking things? If so, I’d be concerned about him doing it again and be likely to reinjure himself. Front ankle chips come out usually quite easily, about $1500 worth of surgery the last time I had one done (a while ago now). Recovery is simple, about 6 weeks.
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What did the vet say? I bought a mare with a chip and 2 vets (prepurchase vet and second opinion) both said the chip wasn’t a concern. The seller actually called it a “bargaining chip”. Gotta have some humor in dealing with horses, I supposed.
I wouldn’t make that leap until a good vet is involved and looked at the xrays.
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If the horse was broke and going it would be far less problematic but I would expect the seller to either fix it at their expense or lower the price. If this is a young horse not yet confirmed in its career skills. It’s a pass for me. Prefer not to spend hundreds on vet opinions and 1k+ in surgery unless it’s a proven performer…and yes have bought a few of those over the years. But they were long in work and jumping courses soundly higher then I needed, priced accordingly too.
I speak as a one at a time owner who boards out. Others who keep at home and/ or can afford more then one horse may see things differently.
I forgot to mention the horse I was referring to was broke and had a show record. Plus I had known it for a few years (though it was still youngish at 6).
Agree… what is the horse’s present level of activity/ training?
Chip location might be a disaster for a prelim event horse, but NBD for dressage…
The horse is a 4 year old Holsteiner. He’s pretty broke for his age. Nicely w/t/c on a contact and jumping small lines. Ultimately, I’d think it wants to be a 3’ - 3’3 hunter. He’s well bred, pretty, and fancy, so under other circumstances I’d expect his price tag to be about $25K. But due to this bone chip (and owner’s circumstances), he’s priced at $10K.
My mare had a bone chip in her hind ankle. We didn’t know it was there until she started exhibiting signs of discomfort- never really off per se, but something wasn’t right. It was only visible on one angle of one x-ray. Took her to Rood and Riddle, had it removed, it was about the size of my pinky nail. We hoped for a full recovery, but the chip had done too much damage. We tried iRAP and some other therapies but she was never quite right so we retired her and now she is living the life as a broodmare. It’s one of those things where it doesn’t bother them until it does. If you can get it removed at a young age, might be worth it. My one trainer had some chips removed with the promise of a sale afterwards, so maybe the seller would do that?
I just purchased a horse that was also in my price range because of his bone chip in the front of the fetlock joint in his left hind. We had it removed in November 2018, and he is back to competing A rated shows as of last week, he is a super nice horse, like you I would have never been able to afford without the chip. We decided to have the operation done, because our vet said that it could be fine for the rest of his life and not cause any problems. But if it ever did cause problems for him it would be likely that at that point the damage to the joint would be irreversible.
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How much can you afford to spend on diagnostics and surgery after you buy him and do you have a less expensive place to keep him if he needs more rehab then expected? How involved will the surgery be? How big is the chip and where is it? Does it have to be done at a clinic knocking him out or can it be done at the farm standing? How long will the rehab be?
The above poster says her horse RETURNED to A level showing after surgery. That’s very different then a lightly ridden youngster that’s never shown and never jumped regularly in a program to develop him for the Hunter ring.
Theres much risk here for a one horse owner who boards out and wants to turn a very lightly ridden, Green 4 year old into a show Hunter after a year or two on a regular training schedule if it starts already having a bone chip.
Yes he’s "cheap’ to buy but you need to price out further diagnostics, possible surgery, rehab and lost time in rehab to know if you are really saving anything or buying into a money pit situation. Particularly if you are on a limited budget.
At the very least get a second opinion and consult from a lameness specialist. You can often just e mail the most recent x Rays.speaking of which, ARE there x Rays you have actually seen? Forgive me for being a little jaded but many decades with horse deals have taught me some tough lessons.
I bought a 4 year old several years ago who had an OCD in his hock that we discovered in the PPE. He was completely clinically sound, and it had not yet done any damage to the joint. So, our vet was of the opinion that if we removed it right away he would be right as rain after the surgery and recovery time. This horse checked all the boxes for me, so we went for it. We asked for a reduction in the price equal to the cost of the surgery plus the board for the layup time. The seller agreed, we bought him, got him the surgery the first week we had him, and the rest is history.
In my opinion, if you really like the horse, then get an assessment by a good vet that you trust and make your decision with that information. The integrity of the joint is a big key - if the joint is fine and removal of the chip would be routine, then you may decide it’s worth the risk to you.
Good luck!!
Chips + fragments left hind fetlock from turnout injury in my best mare - fine for one year post surgery. Top surgeon, tendons scoped during surgery to make sure nothing else was missed in the million workups. All the fancy treatments. Then they completely stopped working. Did some additional diagnostics - additional fragments were suspected but not yet visible & pretty extensive damage. Anyways, heartbreak and I would not go there in a high motion location (vets will have to advise on this, it’s not as easy to identify as say the hocks). I would absolutely get the opinion of a surgeon prior to purchase - New Bolton or Unionville Equine remove hundreds of these things. All chips are not created equal. Now I had one that I rescued w/a hock that has so many chips they couldn’t count them all. Stall rest only. Placed to a W/T maybe 2’6" home and has been doing that 2’6" job for years w/the chips in place.
Chip removal and treatments and post op - expensive. While some surgeries may be inexpensive, they’ll need post op injections, injections 1-2x a year. Adequan, pentosan, pro stride or steroids, and on and on. I prefer not to spend all my money at the vets. It adds up quickly. Easily 10k & that limb will be forever cut off from insurance coverage.
I still have a sliver of hope that after a couple years off the joint will have settled down enough for another surgery or she’s comfortable enough for low level work. She’s a broodmare in the meantime but I miss riding that horse.
