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  Discussion on Old coffin bone fracture
Author Message
Member:
dvjl

Posted on Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - 10:07 am:

I am looking at a 5 year old horse that has had coffin bone fracture (I think at the extensor process). It is one of those things that showed up in pre-purchase X-rays that nobody ever knew about. The horse has been worked and never come up lame. I would want this horse to eventually do upper level dressage and wonder if this old injury could pose a risk beyond the normal or if there are other thing to worry about.
Thank you in advance.
Member:
dres

Posted on Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - 10:59 am:

Delia , the hoof a buttress hoof shape.. ? I have a horse with a old extensor processor fracture.. no surgery done on him.. his hoof is an odd shape from the swelling around the fracture.. he has good days and bad days.. corrective shoeing helps.. He NEVER will be able to do more then low level dressage, the stress of the extended trot or lengthenings are too stressful on that joint..

Ask your vet what he thinks from the x rays.. can you post them here..?

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - 8:19 am:

Hello Delia,
If there has never been lameness I am uncertain you are actually dealing with a fracture and wonder if instead you might not have an area of bone surrounded by an area of decreased ossification that makes it appear like a fracture. If I remember correctly the extensor process has its own center of ossification which if not completely developed might lead to such a appearance. Is the foot abnormal in appearance?

If you question your veterinarian's evaluation or just need more information on this finding I recommend you send it to a equine radiologist and/or orthopedic surgeon for review. Usually your closest veterinary school can provide such services for a small fee. If you will post the radiographs I would be glad to comment but uncertain I can make a prognosis because of the small number of such cases I have seen.
DrO
Member:
dvjl

Posted on Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - 11:05 am:

Thank you very much for responding.

I haven't actually seen the horse yet. On the pictures I can't see any abnormalities. The owner has been very forthcoming with information and didn't mention any abnormal appearance. The horse is currently in dressage training without problems.

Since this old fracture meant quite a DrOp in price at the time I am sure it has been diagnosed to death, but of course I would have my vet (and others) take a look at the x-rays.

How much is the joint actually affected by this fracture? Is the extensor process where the tendon attaches to the bone? I am trying to really understand what exactly was fractured.

And I am wondering if such injury went unnoticed (assuming the horse did it as a youngster in the field) could it actually heal on its own and be strong enough for upper level dressage later.

Thanks again.
Member:
dres

Posted on Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - 3:29 pm:

Delia, My horse never took a bad step growing up either, home bred.. but when we came up short on the left front we x rayed both hoofs.. and there it was on the right front.. ? Vet said it was an old fracture.. guess they can tell on the rads.. I haven't a clue really what happened or how.. Now his left front is the problem hoof.. but the extensor fractured hoof does bother him when i ask for more lengthening from him.. My vet said that some horses are born with them?

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Jul 14, 2007 - 12:26 pm:

Delia,
To answer your questions about this specific horse you would need to study the radiographs and examine the horse. Yes the extensor process is where the digital extensor tendon inserts.

Ann, when your vet says some horses are born this way he is talking about the incomplete ossification of the extensor process. If this area is weak enough you can get an avulsion fracture occur but should have lameness and swelling present at the time of the fracture. How sever this would be depends on the nature of the fracture. While I am sure it is possible for a horse to be born with a disunited extensor process, I have not seen such a case. The appearance of a incompletely ossified extensor process can be so much like a fracture that lameness has been misdiagnosed as extensor process fractures when the lameness was actually do to something else.
DrO
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