cow hocks what to do?!?

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lynnandbella

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My 4yr old mare has cow hocks her movements are lovely and smooth and no problems being ridden etc, should i ask farrier for corrective shoes or leave her barefoot behind? I have had to have fronts on as her hooves are brittle and we do lots of road work. She does click alot behind and regularly had stifle trouble as she was growing. Are her cow hocks lickely to put stress on other joints?
 
If I were you I'd change her to barefoot. (That means diet and everything).

Cow hocks cannot ever be put right, but starting to mess with corrective shoes or anything like it will cause pain, lameness and an early death.

I've known a few horses with this fault and they lived quite happily. In mild athletic pursuits, most of the time this conformation fault doesn’t cause too much of a problem
 
My guess is that at 4 years old she is not yet quite fully filled out and they will improve as she does... This will happen with work (my boy is 6 this year and only just filling out) and I suspect the cow hocks and stifle trouble go hand in hand.. It did with my lad...

I DEFINITELY wouldn't ask about corrective shoeing but I would be tempted to look into barefoot. Brittle hooves are a sign of mineral imbalances so I would look into this (check out the barefoot threads) to see if you can sort this out in the process of taking her barefoot. You can always use hoofboots if you want to do more work than she can cope with... just an option :)
 
Many thanks, she was barefoot and i had intended to keep her that way my last pony was a newforest and had good feet and hoofboots for after a trim etc this little mare is ID X Z X TB ! And the tb happens to be her feet!! Shes fine during winter but summer they just split too easily ive spent more on suppliments oils and potions than it cost for shoes!! Ok i'll wait with the hinds and pray they even out.
 
lynnandbella said:
Many thanks, she was barefoot and i had intended to keep her that way my last pony was a newforest and had good feet and hoofboots for after a trim etc this little mare is ID X Z X TB ! And the tb happens to be her feet!! Shes fine during winter but summer they just split too easily ive spent more on suppliments oils and potions than it cost for shoes!! Ok i'll wait with the hinds and pray they even out.
Click to expand...

There is no such thing as TB Feet... well there is, but only if there is something wrong with the horse and or diet. My friend has a TB who had terrible feet in shoes but barefoot they are fab - and this is with minimal dietary intervention... just regular triming and hoofboots.

The fact that her feet are fine in winter kinda demonstrates this (less grass = less sugar in the diet)

What is she currently fed on?... lotions and potions don't tend to work but dietary changes do... also giving the feet time to adjust to the work does...
 
During winter shes on 1/2 mix, 1 chaff 1/2 sugarbeet, now shes on 1 spillers happy hoof, 1/2 beet until grass grows! Shes not worked alot as shes only 4 and the verges are good to ride on by us, shes got fronts on during summer then off when her feet are ok, just really wanted advice about her hocks and to see if anyone else has similar queries or can inform me
 
The 1st thing I spotted on my KWPN was his cow hocks,but I still bought him(as a 4 year old.)
His hind legs were weak and he did have issues with his stifle/hock complex. I was advised to do 6 months of walking up hills. I have now done 6 years of walking up hills and have gradually introduced trot and canter work and a very small amount of proper schooling using circles.
He is now powering from behind and his legs look conformationally better . He is now ready for more serious schooling and competing.
He has never been shod and is largely self trimming but has regular check ups with the farrier.
I would say be patient.Allow your horse to mature and slowly build the muscle in the hind end...........although without seeing your horse and the severity of the condition I should not offer any advice!
 
lynnandbella said:
My 4yr old mare has cow hocks her movements are lovely and smooth and no problems being ridden etc, should i ask farrier for corrective shoes or leave her barefoot behind? I have had to have fronts on as her hooves are brittle and we do lots of road work. She does click alot behind and regularly had stifle trouble as she was growing. Are her cow hocks lickely to put stress on other joints?
Click to expand...

No I would leave alone. My mare had these due to her breed, it did not hinder her in any way. There was nothing she could not or would not do.

IMO leave her as she is, either shoe or barefoot.

My mare was shod from 5 - 22 . she managed without a hitch.
 
Great stuff your all very helpful, i was advised by vet when i was backing her not to lunge and keep to large circles when schooling, also lots of uphill and walking over raised poles for her stifles this worked really well and got me very fit walking her inhand uphill!! Her paces are lovely and she brings her hind end under beautifully, we had our first canter/ gallop last weekend and she really has got some power behind! I will stop worrying and start enjoying , will start jumping soon too, as she can easily clear 3ft fence (naughty pony) !!
 
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