If someone says that their OTTB has “tapped” ankles, what does that mean?
It means that the joint has been injected with corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, or a combination thereof.
So a 4 y/o who has had this done must have some underlying issues? Or is this routine? Just looking into a horse that is being offered and I would likely be re-training for over fences, and of course don’t need to “buy” and vet bills! Haha!
It could be either. There are many trainers who tap every joint in the horse’s body every time it races and some who only tap when needed. A PPE should answer that question for this particular horse very easily.
“Tapping” is injecting, but it’s also drawing out synovial fluid and replacing with corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid or a cocktail mixture. Usually done when there is filling in the ankle due to arthritis, but not limited to that.
Sometimes it is routine, but an expense that’s not warrented unless there is a problem. Often once the injections are stopped the joint can “set up”, and that can be not so pretty.
At claiming levels, sometimes others, horses change hands so much that even if one particular trainer who now has a horse has never been into a joint, you cannot expect that it hasn’t happened in the past. And yes, it can be done routinely or therapeudically, without serious underlying problems evident. I stabled next to a trainer who did every single joint on every horse every race. Mind boggling. People did claim off him too as the horses did very well. When you claim, you don’t exactly get a vet report with them. If your trainer is honest enough to admit he’s been into a joint, he’s probably also honest enough to tell you anything he can about the horse. That’s a refreshing change. The only question that I ask myself is if you were in Ontario like I am, the tracks are just starting to open (Woodbine for training, FE next month for training) and the horse has been kept over the winter, which usually means a 4 year old was kept to race again the next season. I would wonder if the horse started back into training already and something from the year before come back up, unless the horse was on the market all winter and you are just now looking at him. Perhaps the price came down. Either way, owners general winter horses up here that they like.
It also depends what they were injected with - some things are less invasive than others. HA comes to mind as being the lesser of evils. Personally, it would not bother me if the current x-rays look good.
Thanks all for the info! With what I have gathered here, might pass on this one 
Thanks again!!
[QUOTE=Made In Canada;6139902]
Thanks all for the info! With what I have gathered here, might pass on this one Thanks again!![/QUOTE]
I wouldn’t pass on the horse just on collecting thoughts? so called experiences with “tapped” ankles. As you can see, it has a plethora of meaning to people who race. It may be nothing, it may be something, do a possibly good horse a favor and xray them. That will tell you all you need to know other than not to inject with corticosteroids and releasing synovial fluid, just leave that to the experts in joint deterioration.
