hock arthritis and exercise

[Penny Less]

Those of you who have horses with arthritis and keep them on bute/danilon, what degree of exercise do you do, just walk, or trot? My hacks would usually comprise mostly walk, couple of short trots, but I do like a canter. Only usually out for an hour or hour and a half.
Would you canter on bute ?

 

[chestnut cob]

My big lad has spavins in both hocks and the more work is in, the better he is. He's only let down by his ringbone in a front leg but if it wasn't for that, I honestly believe he'd still be happy jumping every week. FWIW, he has Previcox daily because that relieves his overall stiffness and allows him to do the work he needs to do to stay active (if that makes sense). He did 8 days of hunting last winter, including plenty of cantering, galloping and some jumping. He thrives on the work and TBH he's only stiff now because I went and gave him a month off.

So yes, I would canter on bute on my horse if he's up to it. Mine will hack for hours too, I don't limit him to 1.5 hours unless he's having a stiff day (and then he might only do half an hour). However, he struggles more with his ringbone in front but you asked about hocks so I won't go into that.

 

[Penny Less]

Thanks, hope I will be able to keep riding him The lameness doesnt wear off when he is warmed up( without drugs) so bit worried its going to mean retirement,. Ill try and stop worrying too much until the vet has been !

 

[chestnut cob]

Lameness is different to stiffness. Mine works when he is stiff, he doesn't work if he is lame. I also know him well enough now to know when he's *just* having a stiff day and when he needs a rest.

Definitely talk to your vet as if the horse is actually lame then I wouldn't be hacking in walk, nevermind thinking about cantering.

 

[Lucyad]

Discuss with your vet - there are various different types of hock arthritis - for exmaple upper or lower hock, and it can also be at various different stages.

I was told by my vet to continue to work my horse when he was lame with bone spavin (and undergoing treatment via Adequan intra muscular injections), at walk only (and in striaght lines). This was part of his treatment and aparently very important.

Now he is sound again after 2 episodes, one in each hock, and 2 treatments, 3 years apart. He is now back in normal work - cantering, galloping, jumping (as he was in the 3 years between left and right hock going).

 

[Penny Less]

Sweating on the vet visit now. It wouldnt have been a big deal really if he'd had to retire as he is a so and so to get out alone and I hadnt been going out much. However, just found someone to hack out with, and now law of s*d we'll possibly have to stop! Onestep forward two steps back

 

[Boulty]

As has been said depends on if he is just stiff or actually lame (if he was just stiff you would expect there to be improvement as he warmed up) and the amount of bute needed to help him out. I'd say if a low dose of bute helps him keep sound then you should be ok to keep doing what you're doing, especially if the problem is more related to stiffness. My boy was on a low dose of bute for several years and was happily walk, trot, cantering and doing small jumps. He has recently become quite lame and started having issues picking his back legs up. He is now on quite a high dose of bute to try and make him comfortable and at the moment I don't see him being ridden again, as last time we tried dropping the dose down he came lame again. I'd see what your vet says and take it from there

 

[K27]

One of mine has mild bilateral spavin- it is very common apparently, if he is just a bit stiff rather than lame then a short gentle canter would prob do no harm, would prob help loosen him up anyway!. My horse is working medium level now at home and you wouldn't know he has spavin at all, he gets his hocks medicated on average once per year with a long acting steroid. There are also other treatments like Tildren etc as well, apart from butes so maybe see what your vet suggests as well- good luck!