Arthritis management in young horse

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rrawcliffe

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Hi, first post on here other than the intro one! I’ve been looking for a horse to buy and after various viewings, recently found one that was perfect, fit all my requirements etc. He’s a 6yr old pony. We vetted him (5 stage) and he passed everything with no issue at all (including flexions) but then his x-rays showed arthritis in both hocks, which the seller wasn’t aware of. I’m wondering if anyone has any experiences of arthritis in a horse that young, particularly considering he’s currently sound and happy in full work.. I’d also appreciate any advice on the best ways to manage it if we decide to buy him anyway - workload, supplements, treatment options, etc. Of course we’ll have professional support but it’d be interesting to hear any general thoughts/anecdotes/suggestions too. Thank you in advance!
 
rrawcliffe said:
Hi, first post on here other than the intro one! I’ve been looking for a horse to buy and after various viewings, recently found one that was perfect, fit all my requirements etc. He’s a 6yr old pony. We vetted him (5 stage) and he passed everything with no issue at all (including flexions) but then his x-rays showed arthritis in both hocks, which the seller wasn’t aware of. I’m wondering if anyone has any experiences of arthritis in a horse that young, particularly considering he’s currently sound and happy in full work.. I’d also appreciate any advice on the best ways to manage it if we decide to buy him anyway - workload, supplements, treatment options, etc. Of course we’ll have professional support but it’d be interesting to hear any general thoughts/anecdotes/suggestions too. Thank you in advance!
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My 5 year old has just been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and I’m devastated! I’ve had her since she was 2. Luckily she is insured so has had hocks medicated with steroids and a Tildren infusion. Long term her ridden career is unsure and I know it’s going to cost a fortune for ongoing treatment.
I personally wouldn’t buy a horse knowing it had hock arthritis! You will have to self fund treatment and I bet insurance would exclude everything on hind legs!
 
Hi, welcome. That's so sad and must have been devastatig news for the sellers. I agree, avoid sorry! I'd consider a 15yo happy hacker or older been there dont that type with slightly arthritic hocks but not a youngster which presumably you want to do things with and have long term.
How rubbish :(
 
You say he’s a pony, what breed is he? If he’s a connie then hind limb issues seem to be scarily common within the breed and I’d steer clear altogether.

Arthramid injections are very effective in early hock arthritis if you did go ahead, but won’t be covered under insurance as it is a pre existing condition.

You could take a punt if the price is low, but seeing as you paid for the x rays I presume this a higher value pony. You’d need to be prepared for heartbreak if you proceed - personally I wouldn’t. Don’t buy trouble.
 
I think the big question is what are you planning to do with him?

If you’re planning on jumping and intensive work (eg. Long lessons most days out of a week), then I’d steer clear.

Juvenile hock arthritis is an even bigger commitment than a typical horse. You need to be prepared to either retire the horse or pts when the time comes, which may be sooner rather than later. You’re also not going to be able to insure for the arthritis because it has turned up on the vetting, so everything will be out of pocket.
 
Having pts a 10yr old with arthritis I'd say steer well clear.
Mine passed a 5 stage at 6, no xrays.
Started to notice things not quite right about a year later.
He had various treatments but was pts at 10 when he was seriously head nodding lame in trot
 
I’m so sorry I didn’t see all these replies; I’m not quite sure how I missed them!! Thank you everyone for your insights, I really appreciate it. To the person above asking about breed.. yeah funnily enough he is a Connie- I didn’t know that was a common thing with them. It’s all very tricky, there’s always so much to learn & work out! Thanks again x
 
rrawcliffe said:
I’m so sorry I didn’t see all these replies; I’m not quite sure how I missed them!! Thank you everyone for your insights, I really appreciate it. To the person above asking about breed.. yeah funnily enough he is a Connie- I didn’t know that was a common thing with them. It’s all very tricky, there’s always so much to learn & work out! Thanks again x
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There seems to be a lot of connie, connie x with hind limb issues eg psd, juvenile arthritis etc. Obviously not all but something to be aware of - my gelding is a cob x connie and has been diagnosed with numerous issues and the vets have confirmed that they are seeing quite a few young ponies with these problems
 
sollimum said:
There seems to be a lot of connie, connie x with hind limb issues eg psd, juvenile arthritis etc. Obviously not all but something to be aware of - my gelding is a cob x connie and has been diagnosed with numerous issues and the vets have confirmed that they are seeing quite a few young ponies with these problems
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Ahh wow I had no idea! I knew they were more prone to lami etc as natives but didn’t know about that at all, thank you. Hope your horse is doing ok/gets better :)
 
rrawcliffe said:
Ahh wow I had no idea! I knew they were more prone to lami etc as natives but didn’t know about that at all, thank you. Hope your horse is doing ok/gets better :)
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Thank you. Fingers crossed - he has been in a rehab yard for 3 months now.

He had a N and F op last November and I asked the surgeon about it and he said they are seeing lots of young - 5/6 year old ponies similar to mine.

I hope you find the right pony for you.
 
my gelding was diagnosed with hock spavin at 4, he had his hocks fused at 5. he's now 15 and is still going strong! I've not jumped him though, only the odd jump here and there! and he's had quite an easy hacking life! but the hocks have not caused him any issues.
he was also diagnosed with pedal osteitis at the same time and I ended up having to take him barefoot as he went more lame every time he was shod, and again since he was 5 he's been fine on that foot too! he had one steroid injection at 4 and hasn't had to have another since.
 
rrawcliffe said:
I’m so sorry I didn’t see all these replies; I’m not quite sure how I missed them!! Thank you everyone for your insights, I really appreciate it. To the person above asking about breed.. yeah funnily enough he is a Connie- I didn’t know that was a common thing with them. It’s all very tricky, there’s always so much to learn & work out! Thanks again x
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I've just posted about my boy, who is a connie x tb!
 
kerrieberry2 said:
my gelding was diagnosed with hock spavin at 4, he had his hocks fused at 5. he's now 15 and is still going strong! I've not jumped him though, only the odd jump here and there! and he's had quite an easy hacking life! but the hocks have not caused him any issues.
he was also diagnosed with pedal osteitis at the same time and I ended up having to take him barefoot as he went more lame every time he was shod, and again since he was 5 he's been fine on that foot too! he had one steroid injection at 4 and hasn't had to have another since.
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Oh wow!! It’s so interesting hearing the variation in people’s experiences with it, it doesn’t seem nearly as black and white compared to some other issues.. lots to think about. I’m glad you had a positive experience!! The prevalence of arthritis etc in Connies is interesting, is it in particular lines more than others do you think?
 
rrawcliffe said:
Oh wow!! It’s so interesting hearing the variation in people’s experiences with it, it doesn’t seem nearly as black and white compared to some other issues.. lots to think about. I’m glad you had a positive experience!! The prevalence of arthritis etc in Connies is interesting, is it in particular lines more than others do you think?
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I've never heard about the connie thing before but thought I'd mention it, as someone else had pointed it out before!

I remember when my horse was diagnosed I posted on here and I don't think I had even one positive response, so I honestly thought my 4 year old would end up being PTS in the near future, so I feel I need to share the positives and I'm so pleased he's made it to 15 with no ill effects from it! but maybe if he was in a competitive home it might have been a different story!
 
kerrieberry2 said:
I've never heard about the connie thing before but thought I'd mention it, as someone else had pointed it out before!

I remember when my horse was diagnosed I posted on here and I don't think I had even one positive response, so I honestly thought my 4 year old would end up being PTS in the near future, so I feel I need to share the positives and I'm so pleased he's made it to 15 with no ill effects from it! but maybe if he was in a competitive home it might have been a different story!
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My mare who is 5 has just been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis so it’s reassuring to hear a positive story💕
 
I have a 4yr old ISH who has spavin (found accidentally). He's back out in the field to grow having been lightly backed this summer. We will see if his hocks fuse naturally but time will tell what kind of ridden future he will have.
 
Ali27 said:
My mare who is 5 has just been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis so it’s reassuring to hear a positive story💕
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good luck with your journey! I honestly recommend 100% going barefoot, so there's less concussion going through the bones when you ride (I use boots) and if possible, living out 24/7 with shelter. mine have a free choice barn, so I believe the ability to keep moving has been the best thing for him too.
 
kerrieberry2 said:
good luck with your journey! I honestly recommend 100% going barefoot, so there's less concussion going through the bones when you ride (I use boots) and if possible, living out 24/7 with shelter. mine have a free choice barn, so I believe the ability to keep moving has been the best thing for him too.
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Mine has just had shoes on as she was struggling with being barefoot, especially on the fronts. Vets have recommended potentially pads on hinds? Luckily I have my own field/ stables so mine are out 24/7 most of the year!
 
Connies, probably beyond all other natives, are being bred bigger and more athletic than ever. This means that connective tissues are being asked to do more and more, the horses are more mobile, even hyper mobile, and moving in this less stable way stresses the joints. It's compensatory movement patterns that lie at the root of so many wear and tear type issues.

So, if the pony was for free, and super, and suited personality wise, then there MAY be a case for a proper postural rehab with all the right help, perhaps with one set of injections to get a pain free window, but it's a slog, and not for the faint hearted. And it may already be too serious for that...but...I am SURE I've seen at least anecdotal evidence over the years that sometimes excess bone laid down (as opposed to serious deterioration of the cartiledge) is reabsorbed by the horse if movement patterns etc are improved, but I'd not want to stake a lot of money on it, and probably not risk too much heartache. NOT an expert in this though.

Feet, correct balance and function, has a HUGE influence on how the horse moves, just as much behind as in front - so many horses have a broken back hoof-pastern angle, which makes the hocks straighter and the horse struggle to control and flex the pelvis. Only by the ability to fully control the pelvis will the hocks be able to function correctly, otherwise they do get damaged. So many post legged horses are like that because of feet and posture, not conformation.
 
sbloom said:
Connies, probably beyond all other natives, are being bred bigger and more athletic than ever. This means that connective tissues are being asked to do more and more, the horses are more mobile, even hyper mobile, and moving in this less stable way stresses the joints. It's compensatory movement patterns that lie at the root of so many wear and tear type issues.

So, if the pony was for free, and super, and suited personality wise, then there MAY be a case for a proper postural rehab with all the right help, perhaps with one set of injections to get a pain free window, but it's a slog, and not for the faint hearted. And it may already be too serious for that...but...I am SURE I've seen at least anecdotal evidence over the years that sometimes excess bone laid down (as opposed to serious deterioration of the cartiledge) is reabsorbed by the horse if movement patterns etc are improved, but I'd not want to stake a lot of money on it, and probably not risk too much heartache. NOT an expert in this though.

Feet, correct balance and function, has a HUGE influence on how the horse moves, just as much behind as in front - so many horses have a broken back hoof-pastern angle, which makes the hocks straighter and the horse struggle to control and flex the pelvis. Only by the ability to fully control the pelvis will the hocks be able to function correctly, otherwise they do get damaged. So many post legged horses are like that because of feet and posture, not conformation.
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Thanks for explaining that I did wonder as you see so many young Connie’s come over from Ireland as a cheap option for teenagers ponies (those that can’t afford £15k on a 14.2) only to see them for sale for huge sums a year or so later with some experience…you do wonder how many have issues the numbers seem to be growing in the UK
 
sbloom said:
Connies, probably beyond all other natives, are being bred bigger and more athletic than ever. This means that connective tissues are being asked to do more and more, the horses are more mobile, even hyper mobile, and moving in this less stable way stresses the joints. It's compensatory movement patterns that lie at the root of so many wear and tear type issues.

So, if the pony was for free, and super, and suited personality wise, then there MAY be a case for a proper postural rehab with all the right help, perhaps with one set of injections to get a pain free window, but it's a slog, and not for the faint hearted. And it may already be too serious for that...but...I am SURE I've seen at least anecdotal evidence over the years that sometimes excess bone laid down (as opposed to serious deterioration of the cartiledge) is reabsorbed by the horse if movement patterns etc are improved, but I'd not want to stake a lot of money on it, and probably not risk too much heartache. NOT an expert in this though.

Feet, correct balance and function, has a HUGE influence on how the horse moves, just as much behind as in front - so many horses have a broken back hoof-pastern angle, which makes the hocks straighter and the horse struggle to control and flex the pelvis. Only by the ability to fully control the pelvis will the hocks be able to function correctly, otherwise they do get damaged. So many post legged horses are like that because of feet and posture, not conformation.
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This is really interesting to read, thank you! And yes, I’ve definitely noticed a big/quite sudden increase in ads for overheight, quite sporty Connies, as BobTheCob said I think they’ve become quite popular for older children/teenagers.
 
A friend not long ago had her just turned 4 year old Connie pts.

Sadly, he had OCD in one stifle and really badly damaged hind suspensories, despite being lightly broken and turned away and not having done anything of note.

I know of a few other Connie's who have been pts at a young age due to juvenile arthritis and one that was retired at a young age for the same reason.

There is a beautiful 6 year old Connie at our current yard, a lovely type, who has had everything injected already. I fear it won't be long before he retires or is pts due to recurrent lameness issues.

Connie's are a lovely breed but I think the want for sporty Connie's has diluted the gene pool significantly and, as a result, there are more with issues than there are good ones. That is of course just my own opinion.

If it were me, I'd pass on buying this horse. Why buy a problem when there are plenty out there that dont have issues as that tender age?
 
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