A year after tear to DDFT, spavin in both hocks :(

AnShanDan

AnShanDan

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Just found out that horse that I have been attempting to rehab barefoot following a tear to the DDFT and other soft tissue issues, has now moderate spavins in both hocks.
Feeling a bit deflated about him now :(
Only good news was the vets are pleased with his feet and happy with his soundness in front.
Next step is injections and start again with walking.
 
A few words of encouragement, the DDFT injury, if doing well now, was far more of a concern than spavins will be, if mild they should respond well to medication and steady work while they settle which should in turn keep the front feet functioning as they should, at least the weather is getting better for all the rehab you will be doing.
 
Don't take it to heart, this forum is very quiet nowadays - and this part of it even more so, more posts in the TR etc!

I have an older boy with various problems including arthritis in his front feet and hocks - he was shod with wedges to assist with the front feet problems but since they weren't really helping him much, I took the shoes off him. Thought I may as well try an 'alternative' approach and since he wasn't particularly sound in the shoes, what had we got to lose?

Anyway almost 3 weeks unshod and he is doing very well, he has a nice swingy overtrack and is coping well on various surfaces. To be honest with you his problems in the front feet are worse than the hocks, which the vet wasn't overly concerned about. My thinking was that the backs would be better unshod anyway, surely less concussion on hard surfaces could only benefit the problems in the hocks.

I am no expert but I am learning! I would say follow vets advice and just take it easy. My boy hasn't really been ridden since Sept last year, he was in work very briefly at the end of Dec but he went lame again, which is what prompted my decision to take shoes off - we are now beginning very light lunging and long reining to build up his topline and strength before I consider getting back on board.
 
Thanks for the thoughts.

This horse was out competing last April and is only 9 this year, so it has been tough for him and us. He is a lovely boy tho' so I do hope that the hocks are just a (minor) blip for him and I can keep making progress with the feet. But you can put so much work in and it is so disheartening when you find out that something else is also wrong!
 
stick with it.... what be positive has posted sums it up in a nutshell. The hocks will settle down with gentle exercise and lots of turnout. Its the DDFT that you need to focus on and it sounds like things are going in the right direction.
 
Mine started with a hock spavin, 1 year later developed stifle arthritis in same leg, 1 year later had a ddft injury in his foot. 2 years later he is bare all round and we scored 62 percent in a novice dressage Sunday. So do not despair 😀
 
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