Hock arthritis

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asterid

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Hi, please can you post your success stories of horses with arthritis that you are still able to compete and at what level. And how you manage them.
Thanks
 
Minto got it at 13. He had 2 steroid injections I think about 3 weeks apart. He was never terribly lame and it only showed up the day after a ht. he came sound again very quickly and we carried in as normal. He never needed another injection and he was never lame on it again. I used stable wraps over night when it was cold and magnetic boots if he had worked hard.
 
My horse has had hock injections and although we don't compete, she jumps enthusiastically and dances a beautiful dressage test at home. I do additionally feed Devil's Claw Root granules which is an anti-inflammatory and I really rate very highly.

As long as your vet approves, you are always sensitive to the comfort of your horse and warm up gently, there is no reason not to compete to the best of your horse's ability.
 
For mine the steroid injections didn't work effectively and he is now on Osphos and 1 x danilon a day. I don't jump him but his dressage is hovering around novice level at the moment. I tried using hock wraps but they gave him mud rash (?) through overheating I think. I also use devils claw and a joint supplement.
 
Mild hock arthritis in 10year old mare, aswell as PSD and SI joint disease. We did medicate the hocks once but didn’t bother again. Horse is in light work (hacking and light schooling), sound and comfortable. Tried hock wraps and things but found they made no difference.
 
Mild hock arthritis diagnosed aged 15 when looking for something else. He's fully retired now but that is due to lung damage, the hocks actually look great. He's had them medicated twice, worked really well both times. Joint supplement (suppleaze gold) seems to help, noticed the difference when he wasn't on it.
Long slow hacks, no trotting/canter on hard ground, long slow warm ups. Plenty of lateral work in walk, I dropped him down from competing at BD Elementary to Novice partly due to age and not wanting to push him after they were injected age 16.
Stable wraps overnight in winter, and make sure he doesn't get cold.
 
Slight hock arthritis diagnosed at 14. He had the steroid injections and three years later is still sound and working PSG. I feed him Boswellia as a precaution.
 
mine had hock arthritis and got the injections when he was 11, about 7 years ago. Touch wood he hasn't needed them since and a recent enough X-ray showed it hadn't gotten worse.

He competes at one star and I give him a joint supplement and I really mind him. I warm him up very slowly. I do long slow hacks, I don't trot on roads much. Tons of lateral work helps him and keep him supple. I am very cautious about the ground he events on and I won't run him if its too hard or soft. I don't jump him that often and I don't put extra mileage pin him that he doesn't need. I really rate the back on track products and use their hock boots and rugs, and I can feel the difference in him when he's had them on.
but occasionally a judge will mention he looks slightly unlevel or reluctant to push off during mediums but it hasn't affected us massively.
 
Those of you that have had this done , what was the cost please ? I've got an old pony who is stiff but level, and could probably benefit
 
Wow love all these positive posts my vet must think I am a right woss. I have now agreed to my 20 year old mare having a hock injection I was very scared to have them because I lost a horse that had a coffin joint injection 16 years ago, because the second injection got infected. So fingers crossed all goes well for my mare next week!
 
I echo everyone above who has mentioned long slow warm ups, lateral work, hacking, no trotting on roads etc. This has really helped my horse too. Also working with bum bands (equicore) really helped him (not lunged though - loose schooled).
 
Arthramid gel injections were a game changer for my mare - steroids did nothing.

Obviously she then decided to damage something else because who wants to be a ridden horse anyway?!
 
Simbapony said:
Those of you that have had this done , what was the cost please ? I've got an old pony who is stiff but level, and could probably benefit
Click to expand...

My cob had them done last week. For steroid injections in both hocks, done at home, it was a hair under £400 including call-out, sedation, etc..
 
SEL said:
Arthramid gel injections were a game changer for my mare - steroids did nothing.

Obviously she then decided to damage something else because who wants to be a ridden horse anyway?!
Click to expand...
Hi I’m thinking of getting Arthramid in my boys stifles. The extra did show them to be to bad but there is effusion there. Once we did that and got him over his grade 4 ulcers he was going amazing. He’s just finished his third lot of treatment for ulcers and sadly they look like they’re coming back. I think the The stifles may be bothering him again going to look into using this type of gel did you get a guesstimate of how long your vet hope that last x
 
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