I had a big horse who developed side bone over time, bilaterally. I think it was his size plus moving to a very hard ground area. He had a lot of problems but this did not concern my vets at all. It is uncommon for side bone to turn into a soundness issue. The questions you might ask are why one foot and what might be off about that foot (e.g. the trim) that could potentially predispose to injury.
I would not expect a discount at all for this.
Iād be very concerned for resale and wouldnāt pay top dollar for a 5yo with bad xrays (I.e. side bone). Too many questions as far as if she will stay sound. Thereās so many good horses out there, just be patient. I bought my last one from Germany last year (had great xrays and sheās been wonderful and just finished in the top at incentive finals) and just passed on another mare last week from the same dealer I work with because the xrays have ?ās and sheās 5 as well. 100% resale will be an issue with sidebone, xrays will never be 100% perfect but thatās something most will just pass on.
And unfortunately 4 months isnāt long to be looking these days 
Iāve been looking all year for a 3rd and we still havenāt found the perfect one! Promise youāll find it but donāt rush!
Iām really surprised to hear so much negative about sidebone. Are yāall sure you arenāt thinking of ringbone?
I think itās one thing to purchase and keep, and another to purchase as a resale. I have several friends whoāve been able to acquire very nice horses that would be above their price range except for a bad vetting. They got a really good price cut, were jumping at a low enough level it wasnāt going to be issue, and are willing to pay the vet bills for life. Itās a lot different than buying something thatās still overseas and expecting to resale it at a profit in a few months.
Yep - I just bought a 4 yr old w sidebone and the radiology specialist (herself a jumper) had no concerns, nor did my vet.
Itās not the sidebone itself, itās the lateral cartilage in the coffin (including the collateral ligament) where the issues could be in the future due to the sidebone. And for all she knows thereās damage right now? Wouldnāt know without an MRI. IMHO a performance hunter expected to jump around 3ā3 or 3ā6 divisions itās a big ? Considering the mare is 5yo. If this was a 10yo with many more miles jumping the 1.35 and sound, Iād have less concerns. For resale, thereās too many wonderful top hunters with good xrays. I would for sure pass if I was looking at resale at all.
The question is are you willing to lose money if this horse doesnāt pan out? Say the horse gets here and turns out to not be what you hoped? Can you afford to hang on to an expensive import regardless of the sidebone? Weād all like to think we have the zone and indoors champion but ask yourself this why is this horse still for sale? Why hasnāt some other American picked her up? Just food for thought. Either way hope it all works for you.
It seems the posters who bought horses with sidebone and havenāt had issues have only had the horses a few years and they are still relatively young. I would think this becomes an issue as the years and miles go on.
I canāt believe people will pay $50k for a horse with an issue already.
Mind boggling.
Agreed. I looked at a 6 year old horse who had moderate side bone . Both vets involved advised walking when we got the X-rays. They said itās not a problem until it is. That risk was just one I wasnāt comfortable taking on as a buyer, especially if I might need to resell eventually. As a buyer, unless the horse is my ābargainā or āstealā price range, I would be wary of purchasing.
Umā¦ this doesnāt make sense. Sidebone are the lateral cartilages. They just grow a bit and ossify. Usually BOTH medially and laterally in the foot. They grow upward, above the level of the coronet band. Not uncommon to see in older horses especially in big, heavy horses.
This potential sales horse has it on both sides and itās small and balanced according to OP. The questions are ā¦ why just this one foot? Is there a conformational issue, trim issue, etc.? Why is the horse loading this foot more? Could the potential future lameness actually be on the other front foot? Are they excessive / premature in development for age and size of horse?
Complications can be from a fracture of the sidebone or if they grow to a point where they press on something else. Usually this causes a nerve pain more than anything else. If they become excessive, they obviously also affect the footās ability to absorb concussion overall, and this could potentially increase the risk of damages to P3 and structures around it. I personally know several horses with sidebone and only one with lameness from it. Horse has very upright hoof conformation and the sidebone in one foot causes nerve pain. Injections reduce the inflammation. I suppose he might be a candidate for neurectomy in the future.
In any event, based on the OPās description, I would not expect this issue in and of itself to warrant a discount on a nice horse or be a significant finding for resale unless it is an indicator or a brewing other problem, unless OP does not manage horseās feet properly, or unless horse continues to develop excessive and premature sidebone. But as the seller, I would not discount the horse for this issue. I might still take less than asking if thereās any wiggle room that was put into the price. And so you can make whatever offer is within your comfort zone.
My lamest horse also had the most pristine PPE x-rays, so while I certainly have some deal breakers when it comes to x-rays, and the age of this horse with this finding does raise some questions, this hose seems to be in a pretty normal price point for the quality, the clinical findings, and working with a dealer. I know plenty of vets in the US that would not see this finding itself as a huge issue.
Very helpful insight and much appreciated. The sidebone is not extensive (extends only very slightly above the coffin joint). She does have some in the left front, too, but less noticeable. Sheās sound on a trot circle on pavement, as well. I am fairly confident the problem developed as a result of being kept barefoot, ridden on hard ground, and trimmed poorly for most of her life up until last month. She has very good hoof conformation (and overall conformation) but will need careful shoeing and definitely no work on hard ground. I am going to have another vet review before making a final decision but itās starting to sound like the seller wouldnāt want to offer a discount as there are now three other interested parties waiting to hear if I pass.
Always a good point! I can afford to hang on to her should things take a turn for the worse, and horses are of course always a big risk. Iāve had one PTS for a freak spiral fracture that happened on the lunge line; another PTS due to brain tumor at 12 years old.
With this one, I should add that she has only been on the market for two weeks and there are several other parties now in line behind me (who must be okay with the xrays) waiting to find out if Iāll walk. I suppose that is reassuring in itself. But makes a discount a little less likelyā¦
Yes, as mentioned before itās not an issue until it is. And to me, a 5 year old whoās likely had very little time being in heavy work isnāt exactly coming with stress tests under her belt. Itās entirely possible OP puts this horse into real work and finds that she canāt stay 100% sound like that.
Also Iāve seen horses who looked sound on pavement but weāre not sound. Especially when itās bilateral like that. It can be very hard to see.
This market is super strong right now but it wonāt always be. We donāt know if it stays strong for another 3 months, 6 months, 2 yearsā¦ and even with the strong market people like me are going to have the same concerns, and IMO thereās too many really good young horses on the market to justify having having no significant discount.
If this horse was 10, been in heavy work for 5 years, winning all over, I would not be concerned. I would say that Iād be more concerned if they didnāt find any ājewelryā.
If this horse was significantly discounted by the owner, I wouldnāt be as concerned. Even a horse sold purely for broodmare reasons can still get good money with the correct bloodlines, and hopefully the horse would be sound and she would be able to sell and get a nice profit.
If this was meā¦ yeah Iād be walking away.
But sometimes you just canāt explain it, the horse is āthe oneā. Theres something special, itās got that magic, and you say to he** with it, Iām doing it no matter what.
Good to know youāre a vet yourself lol I wouldnāt give anyone advice that a radiographically something wonāt be an issue. It better be the winner at Devon if they think theyāll be able to sell it on the top of the market with sidebone!
I completely agree. Itās the age and the fact the horse most likely has barely shown with last year being covid. So, itās a horse that has probably done a few āyoung horseā shows and has very little work behind it. Just because they jump it 3ā9 in a sales video doesnāt mean thatās the work itās used to 
Two weeks is actually pretty long for the really good ones out of Europe. Most are sold within a few days maybe. Also, of course they will tell you thereās others 
With my horse that grew to a huge size and developed sidebone, multiple vets including a board certified radiologist told me it was not clinically significant. Based on that experience, all I can say is that if I were the seller of this horse, I would not change the price and so if I was on the buyer side trying to negotiate, I would not expect a discount.
I suppose the takeaway is that some people will balk at this on resale and some wonāt, but itās not an uncommon finding depending on age and size of horse. Thereās some other issue that I wouldnāt buy that someone else wouldāan example is a subchondral defect in the pastern of a 4yo. I passed on one of those in Europe and someone else quickly bought it.
Yes, even if sheās done some shows at 3ā9ā it doesnāt necessarily mean anything. I was advised by an acquaintance that imports a lot of horses that she does not ever expect that the horse coming into the USA to be anywhere near ready to compete at the level it was over in Europe for the American market. They have young horse shows where the jumps are that height but the courses arenāt as technical, and the riders over there tend to be much more gutsy and stronger.
What the Germans may consider an easy ride may be seen as a very green complicated horse to the American market. (She imports mainly from Germany and France, so of course take that with a grain of salt for other countries).
I donāt know how many imports youāve done OP. Maybe you know this already and itās old news. But I just wouldnāt be surprised to find out that a 5 year old doing 3ā9ā has only been under tack for 9 months, and the first 4 of that was just basics.
Sheās got a competition record in dressage up to the German equivalent of 3rd level; she started competing in dressage as a 3-year old. Started jumping at age 4. I had a good friend of mine who happened to be visiting family in Germany ride her last week, too, so I know how she goes and she is very well educated for 5. But yes, the Europeans have a knack for making barely-broke babies look much farther along on videoāI worked at a sales barn in Holland for a year and witnessed some pretty āconvincingā riding of the 3 and 4-year-olds 
ETA: Owner sent her to this dealer out of financial necessity but had originally planned to bring her along as a dressage horse (she was a homebred out of a very fancy mare who now competes with a pro in the 1.40). This one jumps too well, IMO, not to develop her as a hunterā¦ but thereās a lot of dressage potential that I canāt disregard, either.
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