Arthritis Pain Relief

My horse has problems with legs?

Hello, My horse has had leg problems down the right for about six months the leg swells and then drag it to or limp along with him, only happens around twice a month had a vet come out and told us it was a muscle strain and gave me pain relief for him, but it got worse, so I took him to the vet for an x-ray found arthritis and a slight fracture in his fetlock. Is the fracture to heal? And yet so I can ride with arthritis? the vet also said he has a disease that eats anything in the bone but I looked at the X-ray and there is nothing there? How do I no more than 10 years is a pilot for ax (thourghbred) i havent he rode in eight months what should I do? Hills also be a problem because when you live there is a lot hills? Please help thanks Jenna

in his fetlock fracture should heal as long as you are relaxed and not attached, another x-ray in six weeks would if your healing as it should. With regard to arthritis prognosis is not good, I had an ex-racehorse that was 6 years old and developed arthritis in his spurs, wind always had guts, swelling of the fetlock and lame suddenly took an x-ray the vet and discovered he had arthritis and he said he could get worse I was advised to rest in a box with no exercise for six weeks and pain that did not work. My vet then recommended a drug called his adaquain a Drugs in Ireland was very expensive, but the vet injected it in his joints and had to rest him in a stable again. when my horse over the course allowed break out in the field but unfortunately it was a bending test was lame. in the end the vet said just ride carefully and keep it in Bute an analgesic, It got so bad at the end we had to have landed hI'm, im not saying this will happen to his horse, but former race horses in that break and ran so young predisposes them to problems in the future. i would contact your vet again and ask for advice to make your horse as comfortable as possible. i wish you and your lucky horse