BUCKED SHINS

Bucked shins is a condition in which the front of the cannon bone is inflammed and painful.In severe cases,swelling at the front of the cannon gives it a slightly bowed out appearance when viewed from the side.This is where the term, bucked shins,comes from.

Causes

Bucked shins common in young race horses.Bucked shins are always confined to the forelegs.
As a result ,the weight bearing and ground impact forces are greatest in the forlegs.
During fast gaited exercise as the foot impacts the ground it slides forward, and if it is not allowed to rotate, the dorsal cortex of third metacarpal bone is put under greater compression than the caudal cortex.
As the result of compression the dorsal surface of the metacarpal bone begins to remodel and gradually increase in thickness  in response to stress.

Signs

• Swelling over the dorsal region of cannon bone.
• Heat
• Pain
• New bone formation in radiography techniques
• Lameness
• Uneven or choppy gait

Prevention

Since it is directly related with intense exercise and racing , prevention is best accomplished by taking the horse age condition into consideration and devising the training program that regulates the frequency and intensity of workouts. This way ,the bones are strengthened, reducing likelihood of bone remodelling.

Treatment

• Initial treatment involves reducing the horse's workload and giving a few days antiinflamatory therapy.
• The horse should be confined to stall rest .This usually takes 2to3 weeks.
• Once the lameness has resolved, and the horse is no longer receiving NSAID's,the horse should be returned to regular exercise.
• Prolonged rest does nothing to strengthen the cannon bones-- only regular exercise will achieve this objective.

Reference

Adam's lameness in horses
S.Stashak

Lameness
Equine Research by Christine King and Richard Mansmann