Fusing Hocks

[Lilmissgiggly]

Hi everyone,

I took my 6 rising 7 year old cob to the vets yesterday with intermittent hind lameness. We found that his hocks have started to fuse. As they are so far gone my vet has suggested that we push through with pain relief to get the process to happen naturally. I am worried as to what I should expect from him in the future should he be fine after or is he likely to have other problems etc?

Very interested to hear everyone's experiences.

Thank you

 

[ycbm]

If he is the typical straight hocked kind of cob this happens to at that sort of early age, I would scan now for PSD if it hasn't been done, so that you know for sure that you are only dealing with one issue. As far as the hocks go, once they are fused he should be reasonably pain free and capable of a good workload, but they do vary. I would consider putting him on a devils claw product if you don't compete affiliated. It's not expensive, and it works so well it's banned for competition!

.

 

[Laafet]

Mine took 7 years to fuse, he had steroid injections every year from age 8, the worst affected hock fused at 14 and the better one at 15, no injections since, happy and sound no drugs at 17 and competed at Medium level last year. I know some people try to hurry it up with alcohol injections but I don't like the idea of that, it just seems cruel. He was a hunt hireling before I got him so little proper schooling. He's a sporty Connie

 

[Laafet]

If he is the typical straight hocked kind of cob this happens to at that sort of early age, I would scan now for PSD if it hasn't been done, so that you know for sure that you are only dealing with one issue. As far as the hocks go, once they are fused he should be reasonably pain free and capable of a good workload, but they do vary. I would consider putting him on a devils claw product if you don't compete affiliated. It's not expensive, and it works so well it's banned for competition!

.

Good point, mine has PSD but since he was sorted out at 8, it's not stopped him.

 

[Lilmissgiggly]

The vet has suggested bute and will give me a workload to try to speed the process, as it has come on so quickly he doesn't think it will take long. I guess I am worried about the future with him being so young.
ycbm is this normal for a cob then? I hadn't realised. What is psd I haven't heard of this and it wasn't mentioned in my meeting.
laafet it's great to hear you can still compete now

 

[Lilmissgiggly]

Also they said they didn't want to give steroid injections as the right hind is so far fused and with him being 14.1 the risk of bringing on lami

 

[Laafet]

Also they said they didn't want to give steroid injections as the right hind is so far fused and with him being 14.1 the risk of bringing on lami

Rossdales told me the risk of lami from steriod injections is very low, mine is a Connie of varying waistline and borderline cushingoid tendencies now he's older but they were confident he would be fine and he had steriods in his coffin joints last year.
If the RH is fused too far to inject then you are not far off, bute and work is best. Low intensity work 5 or 6 days a week is better to keep mine going than him having a holiday, so we do loads of inhand work and walking out in hand during the week. I get up at 05:30 to go and walk him (with a head torch) before I go to work and lungeing/ride/long rein/inhand pole work after work at the moment as I can't turn him out as he finds mud and damp conditions very hard.

 

[Lilmissgiggly]

Thank you, I am getting a riding plan sent through it sounds like I'm going to bootcamp too . Louie is currently stabled at night and out in the day so does walk / run himself around too.
I think I am so worried with him being so young if this will have any knock ons for the future

 

[ycbm]

The vet has suggested bute and will give me a workload to try to speed the process, as it has come on so quickly he doesn't think it will take long. I guess I am worried about the future with him being so young.
ycbm is this normal for a cob then? I hadn't realised. What is psd I haven't heard of this and it wasn't mentioned in my meeting.
laafet it's great to hear you can still compete now

It's not uncommon because so many cobs are rather straight in the hocks and it brings on issues. PSD is a strain of the suspensory ligament just below the back of the hock, the two often go hand in hand and should be treated at the same time to avoid wondering later why fusion isn't bringing the horse sound.

I would give him devils claw, not bute, its kinder on the stomach, I think and cheaper, win win. Viovet has some Gold Label at £33 for 5 litres at the moment and he only needs about 15ml a day at his size.

 

[chaps89]

There is a thread on here that might help - Stanley's hock journey or similar, I *think* posted by Kezzabell.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My 13.2 section C had hock problems at about 5 or 6. Diagnosed as occult spavin he was rested for a year with no improvement then vet advised work him for a fortnight and he would then x-ray him. He was nearly sound by then and x-ray showed hock fusing. Stayed sound then for the rest of his life and in full work till the end. Lost him at 23 in 1991 to gut problems.

 

[Lilmissgiggly]

Thank you all for the advice. @Errin Paddywack that's really encouraging thank you. At the moment my vet has said walk and occassional trot for the next 4 weeks on bute then re xray. I did ask about PSD following your advsise @ycbm and was told he doesn't have it

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Hope all goes well when he is next x-rayed.