Hock Arthritis, PSSM Rolling and lying down

[burtie]

Need some opinions on my mature warmblood. He is a PSSM horse but has also developed hock arthritis in the last 2 years. He had a steroid injection a couple of years ago into his right hock which was the worst and was then fine until this March, when he went very stiff one day coming out the stable in the morning and was stiff for a few days, he then had quite a serious hind gut colic which did clear but after was very stiff and slow. I massively increased his turnout and is out 24/7 in summer anyway. The vet assessed him and re-injected his hocks as they both were bad but right worse. He was then a bit better but not great so we a bute and initially on 2 bute a day he seemed back to normal, even rolling in the field after riding and lying down. But this is the main thing I have noticed is that since the March incident until the 2 bute he did not seem to lie down much and stopped rolling after riding. He is out 24/7 so it's hard to say he never lies down, but I don't see it and his rugs are quite clean. So really after opinions on the lying down and rolling, does it matter? Is it potentially a sign he is in discomfort, do older horse roll and lie down less and am I overthinking?

 

[SEL]

I think if they don't lie down then it's very likely they are in pain somewhere - esp if they won't do it in the field. Does he have company? Horses often won't lie down if they are on their own.

I'm assuming PSSM type 2 given he's a warmblood so have you tried playing around with vitamin E and magnesium dosages?

I keep my arthritic PSSM 1 gelding on 1 x bute per day plus some herbal stuff for joints. He still rolls, sleeps and squeezes through electric fencing but the day that stops and can't be managed with bute will be the day I know his joints have had enough sadly

 

[burtie]

Thanks SEL, it seems to have all suddenly worsened since March when normally he is much better in the summer! He does have company and gets on with him well. I think I know in my heart it's that right hind as you can see from hoof wear between farrier visits that he twists it and walks on the inside as the outside flairs out. He is now on 2 bute/1 bute alternate days and I'll keep an eye on things over the summer. He has to come in at night come winter so unless I see some improvement I think I may have some hard decisions. Although he is PSSM and on the Vit E/mag supplements, for most of his life he's competed and with living out and daily work you'd not really know, other than the fact he is slow for the first 20 mins of a ride!
Edit : Type 2 yes!