'Bad Attitude' could be due to hock pain

[PeterNatt]

A 'Bad Attitude' to excercise may actually be due to undiagnosed and untreated hock pain according to research funded by The Horse Trust it was reported in the publication 'Horse Health'. August 2007 issue.

"Osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints better known as bone spavin is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in horses. It effect ranges from from mild to severe and incapacitating and although X-rays can facilitate diagnosis, subtle lesions can be difficult to detect." .........................

"It also appeared that working in straight lines has different effects to circlesamd turns, suggesting that altering the work a horse does could modify strains. This could potentially be used in prevention, rehabilitation or management of osteoarthritic changes."

 

[Baggybreeches]

That sound logical. I have to be honest, I dont really do any lunging for the amount of strain it puts on the joints.

 

[Rockchick_uk]

Well my lad has spavin and thats exactly what my vet told me at the time of diagnosis hence why the majority of his work is just hacking now.

 

[sally2008]

I saw the article too. Very interesting read.

Another good reminder to make sure we rule out physical problems first when dealing with so-called attitude related issues - I believe far too many horses get treated as being difficult when they are actually struggling with undiagnosed pain.

 

[TarrSteps]

Of course.

I'd also add in shoulder/back/pelvis/spine/body pain as these areas are usually very hard to examine and diagnose definitatively and often such problems do not produce a measureable lameness.

Horses are generally pretty obliging - let's face it, even the smallest horse could EASILY hurt any person severly if it wanted to and as a species they could opt out of work anytime should they choose to stage a violent strike. But the vast majority don't. They are, as a species, eager to please and socially very controllable so if they're reacting badly it's not usually just that they got up on the wrong side of the bed. Understanding why horses react as they do and trying to encourage them to be well behaved (which does mean having boundaries, making good decisions for them, enforcing the rules etc.) isn't "weak" or "giving in", it's just good old safe common sense.

 

[lexiedhb]

Park rangers boy had been having a few attitude problems before he was diagnosed with spavins aswell!

 

[Sal_E]

'Bad attitude' is commonly due to pain somewhere, not sure why hock pain is being singled out? Is it just that it's somewhere poeple often don't consider?