Fused Hock Flat Joint Spavin - to ride or not!

lizijj

lizijj

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Hi, I have a 15.2hh (ish) Han x TB. I bought him as a 3YO and broke him in. Shortly after he was diagnosed with the above - I now realised he already had it when I bought him as he was drifting to the right all the time, and dragged the leg when jumping. After a VERY traumatic 12 months, I left him in the field and as the vet said the joint has now fused and he is practically sound, but I can notice the slight difference in his hind leg movements. Fast forward he is now 7YO and has been having a nice life with the herd in the field living out. I have ridden him since but he seems twisted in his neck and so that has put me off in case I am hurting him. I will keep him for life anyway, but sometimes he seems bored and I just wonder if anyone has any advice for getting him ridden again, and how to help this twisting???

Thanks :)
 
Not sure if it's the same type but my sister's cob has two fused bone spavins in the same hock and is sound in work and still jumps with no problems. Now he's 16 he's a bit stiff so on a joint supplement type thing but fine otherwise.
 
Not sure why your vet didn't point you in the direction of tildren, steroid injections or even fusion using ethanol - I am guessing you may not have been insured???

I'd get a veterinary physio to come out and check your horse over. If he's had pain in his hocks this will have caused him to weight bear in other limbs or overload other parts of his body, this may be why his head is twisting.


Not sure whereabouts in the country you are but if you are in the Midlands I can recommend a very good phsyio for your horse. I wouldn't bring a horse back into work after a long period without a saddle check, teeth check and a physio check - the physio can give you a good exercise programme which will help you build up your horse depending on the findings of her visit.
 
I agree with Applecart14, you need to get a chiro or physio to check your horse over as any sort of lameness will cause your horse to re-adjust his way of going to compensate for the pain.

My mare has just been treated for bone spavins in both hocks so never looked lame, just a bit short in trot so I got my McTimony lady to treat her. Her back and quarters were so tense that it was suggested I have a full work up at the vets to find out why.

Before she comes back into work I shall have my McTimony lady out to make sure she's compleltely comfortable.

Well done you for keeping her though, some people would have just sent her to the sales.
 
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