What is calcium deposits on the horses knees?
Looked at a horse and noticed she has large knot on both knees. the owner said she had them when she purchased the horse over two years ago and has never caused any problems. She call them calcium deposits. Should I steer away from buying? what is the cause?
my twh has calcium deposits in one knee and he have never had a prob with it in his undamaged life.(hes 16..we've had him since he was 5) sometimes after a long trail ride; which a trail ride for him is gallop 80%, canter 10%, run hike 9%, and 1% walk! ha! after that for a few hours he sometimes has a little fry and maybe a sight limp but recover fine the next day and im not even sure its related. in recent times c if its causing her any problems, if so, later dont buy. but if shes like my horse, i would buy =]
Calcium deposits are usually from impairment in a joint. In the horse's knees, I would think they are from man ridden early in life, and frozen impact on her joints over time. So when there is trauma in an already-degrading knees joint, calcium deposits occur (like a broken bone- more bone is grown in the nouns, not necessarily from where it was broken/damaged in the first place). I would hold back from buying her until you get the full story, because she is going to be prone to early arthritis.
Answers: I've known horses resembling that that have never had an issue with their knees. If they are on both knees, probability are she's she's been roped off of.
Steer clear. Any bone changes, calcium deposits or bone spurs, indicate inflammatory changes and roughening of the surfaces over which tendons and ligaments have to move during exercise. It is never apt, and unless you already own and love the horse, there is no good reason to bear this on.
If it were me, I would just proceed with great caution. If you really like the horse and suppose you might want to take her home, you need to spend the additional money for an extra thorough vet check. The vet will probably want to radiograph the knees from several angles to get a good picture of what is going on. Tell the vet what it is you want to do beside the horse. Are you just planning some pleasure riding or do you want to compete? The vet will be able to evaluate the likelihood of these deposits fitting a problem in the future.
It may be possible that the deposits do not bother her now, and it's possible that they may not bother her within the future, but I would not take the seller's word for it. I'd get a professional judgment. (Use your vet - not the seller's vet.)
