Arthritis in hocks

[Elopi]

What are everyone’s opinions on taking a horse out on full loan who has slightly arthritic hocks?

He ticks all my boxes and is 18yrs old, however he has slight arthritis in his hocks which is being treated. Vet advised to keep him in work and he is happy doing everything from dressage to popping the odd jump. Not looking at doing anything strenuous with him just dressage mainly and the odd jump course.
I’m mainly asking as I’m assuming it will just get worse with age, and don’t want to be setting myself up for a heartache. The full loan is going to be long term.

 

[Michen]

I full loaned a horse with arthiritic hocks years ago, had a lovely time with him.

My main dude also has arthitic hocks. He's needed a repeat of steroids 12 months after first being diagnosed and injected but is now 100% sound again. In full work and eventing this weekend.

I'd absolutely go for it but be clear on the costs, tildren is circa £850 and steroids £250-400 depending on one hock or two. I have my guy vet checked very regularly checked, pretty much 6 week/8 weekly.. he went from sound to unsound very quickly having literally just been seen by my vet- the warning was a sudden onset of stumbling in the trailer.

I'd estimate he costs me at least a couple of k a year in vet bills relating to treatment plus very regular checks.. but it's absolutely worth it to keep him in top condition and make sure that he doesn't go lame again unoticed and then start compensating elsewhere in his body.

My vet was super pleased with him today.

 

[spotty_pony]

I wouldn't let it put you off. My boy (now 22) was diagnosed with hock arthritis at 13 and with correct management and having them medicated every 2 years, he happily did another fove seasons of hunting including jumping and is now still enjoying his hacking. He lets me know when he is ready to be medicated as he goes short behind but it is roughly every 2 years.

 

[Red-1]

My first pony had bone spavin, he had a couple years off and then did some more years in work, including light jumping.

I have known other horses too, some injected, some rested, that have gone on to lead useful working lives.

I would think that, f he is sound now and the condition currently managed, he would be a good prospect for a loan horse.

To be clear, they all bring us heartache in the end, horses are notoriously badly designed for what we want to use them for, but the highs outweigh the lows in the majority of cases, IME.

 

[Jellymoon]

Is he already doing the amount of dressage that you want to do? Only that, imo, flatwork and showjumping, ie any work with lots of circles, is the hardest thing for a horse with hock arthritis to do. He will probably cope for many years with straight line hacking, and even cross country, but circles might be very painful for him.
if it’s just very light schooling once or twice a week and he’s doing it happily already, then fine. But be prepared he may not be able to carry this on for much longer.

 

[mustardsmum]

I took a 16 year old pony on loan who after two years discovered he had arthritis. I’ve had his hocks done every 18 months and for the last year he’s been on inflacam - mainly for his breathing but it’s helped his hocks too. He’s been my best friend, returned my confidence and I have never come home from a ride without a smile on my face. If the horse ticks your boxes - go for it. The more you ride him - the better. I hacked everyday but sadly this year, equine asthma has meant he now needs to retire. I had the best years with him hacking and doing a bit of dressage.

 

[mustardsmum]

Just to add - another really important thing with these types is to keep weight off. That will make a really big difference to him.

 

[Jellymoon]

This e

I wouldn't let it put you off. My boy (now 22) was diagnosed with hock arthritis at 13 and with correct management and having them medicated every 2 years, he happily did another fove seasons of hunting including jumping and is now still enjoying his hacking. He lets me know when he is ready to be medicated as he goes short behind but it is roughly every 2 years.

This is exactly what I meant, the ones with hock arthritis seem to cope very well with hacking and even hunting, it’s the arena work that they can’t cope with. And personally, he deserves a happy life at the age of 18, so if it were me I’d just be letting him hack from now on with perhaps XC or hunting if he enjoys that.

 

[Widgeon]

Just to add to your anecdotal evidence base, I'm another one with a horse with arthritic hocks. One of his is really quite bad (to look at the x rays) but with treatment he is absolutely happy out hacking - proper hacking, 10 miles +, lots of rough terrain and fast bits. He loves it He's a bit stiff on one side in the school but it's hard to say whether that's a direct result of the arthritis or the result of years of leaning on his rider (probably the two are related, but I've only had him 18 months so I can't unpick it all yet). But I only really school to keep his legs stretched in the winter. He's worth his weight in gold to me and if I have to spend money every year to keep on top of the arthritis, it's worth it. He's turned out 24/7 and I do everything I can to kep the weight off him.

If you and your vet have a plan for keeping the arthritis at bay, i.e. an effective way to slow the deterioration, then I would go for this horse. Particularly as he is already doing all the things you want him to do.

 

[Michen]

Is he already doing the amount of dressage that you want to do? Only that, imo, flatwork and showjumping, ie any work with lots of circles, is the hardest thing for a horse with hock arthritis to do. He will probably cope for many years with straight line hacking, and even cross country, but circles might be very painful for him.
if it’s just very light schooling once or twice a week and he’s doing it happily already, then fine. But be prepared he may not be able to carry this on for much longer.

Thats a good point actually Re dressage. Op I never do circled smaller than 20 metres with mine and 80% of his work is hacking.

 

[spotty_pony]

This e

This is exactly what I meant, the ones with hock arthritis seem to cope very well with hacking and even hunting, it’s the arena work that they can’t cope with. And personally, he deserves a happy life at the age of 18, so if it were me I’d just be letting him hack from now on with perhaps XC or hunting if he enjoys that.

You will be fine, I'm sure. I made the decision when my boy was diagnosed to stop all circle work and show jumping to prolong is ridden life - Vet said I could carry on but his ridden life would be shortened, and I am glad I made the decision to stop.

 

[teddypops]

One of my ponies had arthritic hocks, he hacked and jumped small fences no problem but struggled with schooling. Cartrophen injections made a massive difference to him, then his hocks fused naturally and he kept going until he was 32.

 

[Jamie Kent]

I full loaned a horse with arthiritic hocks years ago, had a lovely time with him.

My main dude also has arthitic hocks. He's needed a repeat of steroids 12 months after first being diagnosed and injected but is now 100% sound again. In full work and eventing this weekend.

I'd absolutely go for it but be clear on the costs, tildren is circa £850 and steroids £250-400 depending on one hock or two. I have my guy vet checked very regularly checked, pretty much 6 week/8 weekly.. he went from sound to unsound very quickly having literally just been seen by my vet- the warning was a sudden onset of stumbling in the trailer.

I'd estimate he costs me at least a couple of k a year in vet bills relating to treatment plus very regular checks.. but it's absolutely worth it to keep him in top condition and make sure that he doesn't go lame again unoticed and then start compensating elsewhere in his body.

My vet was super pleased with him today.

850£ for Tildren ?? sounds steep to me, I haven't heard of a vet charging that much before even though it does work wonders

 

[Michen]

850£ for Tildren ?? sounds steep to me, I haven't heard of a vet charging that much before even though it does work wonders

Meh, same as it cost me at another practice 6 years previously. Including anti colic injection etc and having it put in extra slowly.