dressage with horse who has beginnings of arthritis in hocks

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exracer superstar

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Just really started our dressage campaign working to novice at the moment and horse has been diagnosed with arthritic changes in her hocks mild and not affecting her as in lameness yet so beginning treatment to try and prolong her. What do people think about her future in dressage was hoping to go further than novice. I'm also doing abit of showing ror over the summer with her but was planning on going bd before this news anyone who has a horse who is similar I'd be interested to hear your limitations thanks
 
I personally think arthritis is very easily managed. Warm up/cool down for longer time, a good supplement and plenty of exercise to keep moving. My boy has arthritis in left hock, hasn't stopped us once yet and gaining 65%+ scores in novice. He is short on left hind during warm up but fine after 20 min.
 
I'm currently looking at supplements which will suit her best I'm glad it's working for you I have no previous experience so it's nice to know that providing I manage it well it shouldn't hinder us to much thanks :)
 
I would agree with RS. Given the choice of a horse with arthritis, or a horse with tendon/ligament problems, I'd go for the arthritis every time! Mine has both, and I am far more concerned about his suspensories than I am with the arthritic changes in his hocks and stifles. He starts off stiff, but works through to be more than adequately supple and mobile in the offending areas - I can tell when he's properly warmed up because he starts offering to show off his party tricks (which are banned, due to the suspensories).

Management -wise - long slow warmups/cool downs, turned out as much as possible, is supplemented with glucosamine, Lubrisyn and Turmeric, and I use James Hart Devils Claw Flex to help with the aches. I have EVA mats in his stable, finishing about 2ft up the back wall to prevent icy drafts. I rug him up well, and use neoprene hock boots when its really cold

He seems pretty well on this regime, although I did nearly slit my wrists last night because he was lame behind yesterday! Turned out to have a punctured sole - thankfully (Which sounds really wrong, but those with PSD horses will understand!)
 
My lad had it in both hocks, he was medicated at 12, 14 and 17 years of age. He was turned out a much as possible to keep mobile and given a good quality supplement. The warm up/down routine was followed carefully especially if he had pulled out stiff. The x-rays showed significant changes.

He sounds like a crock, but between the ages of 12 and 17 he competed to medium (BD) never scoring less than 65%, placed at regionals and nationals 3 years in a row. At the age of 14 and 15 he tooks us to HOYs and galloped his heart out in the M/W hunters being well placed both years.

In five years of competing he had 156 starts as an affiliated dressage horse and show hunter winning 131 of them and was never placed lower than 4th other than his 7th at HOY's.

OP, management is key, be very careful with the surfaces you work your horse on and don't be tempted to over do the collection work. A vet with experience in orthopedic issues is a must as is a farrier willing to work alongside the vet if necessary. Someone has mentioned the use of Lubrisyn, I would be very careful with that stuff, it made my horse very ill and resulted in a week in hospital for him. The vet is best placed to recommend a joint supplement.

Good luck and I hope you have much success over many years with careful management.
 
OP you could be talking about my horse :)
Aiming to start elementary last summer when she was diagnosed in both hocks almost a year ago. Had cortisone injections and has been moving better than ever. Due to other short term issues I decided to give her a year off but she does a fab trot across the paddock that I can't wait to start her again. We were struggling with medium trot so now I know why !
The vet says she'll be fine to show (ROR) but to take it easy with the Dressage. She's 10.
I was gutted when she was diagnosed but the responses I got from people on here helped tremendously and now I just 'manage' it :)
 
My experiance Is that it is very manageable .
You need to have a disiplined system for dealing with the horse .
Lots of careful warm up and cool down work turn out if possible before and after exercise , living out in summer if this is possible .
Keeping him warm in winter with a mats and a deep bed.
Avoiding time off just let down and gently hack in rest times.
Keep the horse on the slim side , this does help a lot .
A quality joint supplement from the vet.
Regular work from a ACPAT physio to keep on top of and identify any compensation issue quickly and deal with them.This would be my top tip.
And of course Tildren and the full range of joint jabs from the vet as they advise.
Equissage seems to help some to stay loose and comfy.
It is not the death knell to a horses career that it was once thought.
 
Hi thanks for all of your replies I am feeling much better she is 13 this year but she raced and also evented heavily until she was ten which I think may have contributed to it. I don't plan to jump her apart from the odd novice working hunter at local shows as she enjoys them other than that she mainly hacks dressage and showing I will be mindful of collection work. In terms of being careful which surfaces I ride on ..what do you mean as in deep or hard? Sorry genuine question though. She gets medicated on the 15th of this month so at the moment just light hacking and lunging to keep her moving she isn't turned out at the mo due to a healing puncture wound which actually led to the arthritis diagnosis as she was xrayed to check the cannon bone etc etc. She is turned out 24/7 from April until November aprt from the odd night in before a showing class she also being walked out for 20 mins on a night aswell as the hacking/lunging. Will ask the vets to recommend me a supplement when we go for her hocks to medicated :)
 
AdorableAlice said:
Someone has mentioned the use of Lubrisyn, I would be very careful with that stuff, it made my horse very ill and resulted in a week in hospital for him. The vet is best placed to recommend a joint supplement.
Click to expand...

That was me! I'd really like to know a bit more about this, as I am using it on my chap. I spoke to my vet about it, and her opinion was that it seemed to work for some horses, and not for others - but at no time were adverse reaction raised as a concern. If there's something I need to know - I'd like to know asap please!!
 
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