Bone spavin is the most common cause of hindlimb lameness in horses, requiring accurate diagnosis and appropriate management to maintain quality of life.
Bone spavin causes progressive hindlimb pain that reduces horses' ability to work comfortably, engage in normal movement, and express natural behaviors including play and social interaction. The characteristic morning stiffness that warms up with exercise can be mistaken for normal aging rather than painful joint disease, delaying treatment. Repeated intraarticular corticosteroid injections provide effective pain relief and support the natural fusion process in low-motion joints. Horses that achieve fusion of the distal tarsal joints through the ankylosing process typically become sound and can return to full work - making active management with injections or chemical fusion worthwhile from a welfare perspective.