hock spavin - what work can he do?

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dorito

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What sort of work would be unfair to a horse that has/had a hock spavin (arthritis)? I am thinking particularly of school work, especially lateral work?

Does an occasional flare-up mean the problem is getting worse?

Not my horse BTW
 
each case is different, many horses continue with successful competition careers with mild spavin.
 
One of mine has spavin and I school him 5 times a week. He copes just fine, although I don't do canter work if the school is riding deep. There is no reason why a horse with spavin cannot do everything a horse without can. Once the bones fuse the horse will become pain free. My horse is not lame but would not pass flexion tests. When he was operated on for a bone chip in one hock the specialist said he would return to 'full athletic soundness' and so far he has. We have two other with spavin on the yard. One can do absolutely anything, the other shows up stiff occasionally but works through it and schools beautifully. None of them are on bute.
 
A horse of mine had a hock spavin and could do no work at all in the school - it was simply too difficult and uncomfortable for him.
 
Yes, I thought once the bones fused the horse would not be in pain...the horse I am thinking of is on bute (don't know how often/how much) but apparently his hock is playing him up ATM - he seems really reluctant to flex his back end in either direction.
 
Personally I'd ask the horses vet - less easy when it's not your horse! Hopefully the owner has it all in hand.

I've had two ponies with spavins, both of which happily jumped county level workers for many years afterwards but we did liaise closely with our vet while the bones were fusing on both.
 
dorito said:
Yes, I thought once the bones fused the horse would not be in pain...the horse I am thinking of is on bute (don't know how often/how much) but apparently his hock is playing him up ATM - he seems really reluctant to flex his back end in either direction.
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Then I would not do too much schooling with him. I would just hack out or if the arena is extra large (mine is 60 x 30) then just work large and keep him stretched long and low. A bit of work like this will be good for himbut not proper collected schooling whilst he is feeling so sore. I hope he comes right in the end.
 
My boy was diagnosed with bilateral spavin's a year ago. He's had several courses of Tildren and injections and is on half a bute a day. We had him re xrayed yesterday and the bones have almost fused so he shouldn't need more injections. He finds schooling more difficult but we're about to restart him and hopefully help him to work in a way he'll find more comfortable. He's fine to hack and pop the odd jump- doesn't seem to stop him tearing around when he feels like it!
 
Mine has spavins in both hocks.

I was told it was likely he'd need bute forever and he's sound now (fingers crossed he stays that way) and not on any bute.

My vet advised no lunging, no streneous schooling and to avoid boggy or really hard ground.

We were also advised to have him shod behind with lateral extensions, work him daily and put him on Cortaflex.

Now he's sound I've been told I can resume normal work.
 
I have one with mild spavin in both hocks- one is very slightly worse han the other.

He had it diagnosed 3 years ago at which point he had both hocks medicated with Cortisone, and then easy walking for 2 weeks and then back into full work (which was built back up gradually again over a few weeks)

Although spavin is degenerative, it can be managed- i was advised that in many cases the bones may fuse, but in a lot of cases they do not, and it depend on which joint it is in the hock.

My boy is now working ele/medium level at home, and he moves well, people are surprised when i tell them he has spavin!. I try to treat him just as a normal horse, keep his muscles well built up to carry him- he never gets sore or lame! He's in full work and he also gets a lunge (on a big circle) once a week in the pessoa, schooled approx 3 times per week and is hacked out a couple of times at least too as the hilwork is good for him, in keeping his back end strong!

He gets his hocks re medicated roughly once, sometimes twice per year and gets Cortaflex too!
 
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