Hock arthritis and jumping?

Not straight away but after two lots of steroids and 6 months of fitness work we did jump logs, streams etc out hacking until he injured himself elsewhere! He could certainly have gone xc or hunter trialled.
I didn't jump him in an arena - not because he couldn't jump but because tight turns would put stress on his hocks and I didn't think it was fair to ask him. He is mechanically unsound/stiff and struggles with left bend/canter lead, the vet thinks this is because of the location of bone spurs around the hock joints.
So I think it probably depends on the individual horse.
 
I say yes because I have two horses still doing their jobs (hunting ) with arthritis in the hocks in both cases it was picked up on preseason checks both presented one tenth lame on flexion neither showed symptoms in work and where xrayed mild changes where found .
They are 14 and 15 and both have worked hard in their lives they had steroid jabs and a Tildren type drug the name if which I can not remember both returned to work after two days .
One has had his work load slightly lightened the other worked less than the first one and does the same job .
The hope is that quick invention will allow us to manage them as time goes on .
I have upped the pole work on the lunge with both to maintain function as much as possible .
 
Be careful of secondary gastric ulcers caused by increased workload and associated pain. Get vet advice if horse is stiff or lame .... There is a big difference. I was advised by my vet that straight lines are best during increased workload. I wouldn't jump a horse with hock arthritis and have retired one.
 
Last edited:
pistolpete said:
Anyone keep jumping after hock arthritis is diagnosed?
Click to expand...

Yes. Retired from eventing at 14 due to arthritis; hunted until 21 with various packs, including Quorn. Kept latterly in work off-season (hacking, pleasure rides and low level unaff show-jumping). Did a couple of seasons only with very short outings on the slower one horse days, then retired to paddock for 18 months and then put down.

Had steroid/HA injections, Cortavet HA, Cartrophen for last 24 months and as much turn out as possible plus schooling to get him to use his body as much as possible. (Use it or lose it! However, this has to be done with a jockey that has 'feel.')
 
pistolpete said:
Anyone keep jumping after hock arthritis is diagnosed?
Click to expand...

Yes following steroid injections for a good while. Then following Tildren for a few years. Then following ethanol fusion, all on vets advice, all after horse became sound. THe whole point of treatment is to get the horse to the level it was at before spavin was diagnosed. So long as the horse is happy with its work, and keeps jumping then there isn't a problem, if it starts refusing fences, or won't go fowards then you know you have a problem. Luckily I have a horse who will always let me know if he isn't happy and he does this with stoping at fences or will buck me off as in the case of my saddle woe. I am always guided by what the vet thinks is the best thing. I am careful about what surfaces I work him on, and the turnout that he has, as obviously this has an impact on his hocks.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top