Hind Leg Action

G

Governor

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G's near hind action is very straight (as in less joint flexion) and often it appears to move diagonally under him rather than the straight forward action of his other hind. He doesn't noticably dish or plait (minimal plaiting a couple of weeks ago when his back needed seeing to - which has now been done).

A little photographic evidence -

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(on a straight line but clear from impending foot fall/angle that it is inside of the fore)

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There is no limit to mobility in the leg so I tend to assume its just his way and ensure I work on keeping him straight and not letting it become a result of falling out through the shoulder. He is fairly symmetrical conformation wise but sometimes stands with his hinds rotated slightly outwards (one or the other but usually both straight, he's not actually cow hocked). He isn't at all affected by it but sometimes it looks quite pronounced and I wonder about having it investigated.

Does it look like something conformational or would you look into it?
 
I have had horses that have moved like this and were diagnosed with either hock spavin/PSD. But have seen many others with this movement and they have no known ailiments!

Unless you have REAL problems with his ridden work, I would not open up a can of worms perhaps...
 
Bone spavin was also the first thing that popped into my mind, along with "don't go there" if you really don't have a big issue with it!! A friend of mine was curious about her horse's hocks, suspecting he may have one/more spavins, and it turned out he did... then came the year-long battle with the vet prodding and poking and criticising every movement and fiddling with his shoeing balance...
Not saying it definitely is a spavin, just that it's a possibility along with the other possibilities like hoof imbalances and that it's "just the way he goes"!
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My chap moves in a similar way and marginally plaits behind in trot as a matter of course. Horses that do plait behind generally have this way of going though, with the hind legs crossing underneath, esp on a circle. However, next week I am having him flexion tested for hock spavin ref Ouija_Board above. He is not lame, but its something that I need to do.
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The vet made a comment in passing about it on Monday and now I have got to look into it. However, he is a lovely willing chap and I am not prepared to go down the route of fiddling and messing about with him for the sake of another vets bill!
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Thanks for the responses.

QR

Jules - He doesn't have regular physio, no. However when he has been seen there were only minor problems and the physio(s) usually comment that he is (largely) supple and symmetrical.

In response to the shoeing Qs, he's shod normally behind with side clips, by a decent farrier - I hadn't considered a hoof imbalance though.

I had his hocks xrayed when I bought him (predom. for OCD), they are mildly capped but otherwise showed clean. That was nearly 5 years ago but i'm almost certain he's always moved like this to a degree...now someone will ask why i'm bothered now. I'm not after a vet's bill! Just curious.
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I think it is for the main part, just him - whether there is anything more sinister i can't say obv. But i'm sure i have pictures on my photobucket account of him from the first time i came to see him, and he is moving similarly in them. This was only about 18months after you brought him i think, so the initial vetting records would have been more helpful back then.

I will try and post pics later, but photobucket isn't letting me into my account right now - which is mildly annoying!
 
Governor, if it is something you are worried about or thinking about then I would take him to the vets for some flexions, trot ups on hard surfaces etc etc. As someone has mentioned, this straight legged action can be as a result of PSD, but it can also simply be his way of going and nothing more.

The only reason I suggest having a vet look at him is so that you can put your mind at ease... I know what it is like to be thinking about things when you are trying to school
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