Hock Spavins info please

charlie76

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Could anyone with any experience with hock spavins give me any information as to symtoms. I am worried that my horse might have some low grade pain in the hocks.
 
It is basically arthritis if it is lower down in the three smaller bones the horse has a good chance of coming sound on its own but it takes time up to 18months. Some say to ride them daily in straight lines to speed up the process but i would think that would be painful.Steroid injections can work. If the spavin is higher up in the hock where most of the movement is that can be a different matter but again injections can work. I had a horse years ago that had it in the hocks and nothing worked so i had to do the humane thing but dont despair there is a good chance of the horse going sound the vet will give you the best advice. The thing with this is where it is and how the horse responds to any treatment but most of all it can take time so dont go writing the horse off give her every chance to come sound and get as much information as you can before you make decisions. So keep your chin up give it time and i am sure it will work out lots of horses have it in the hocks and go on for ever.
 
Mine has steroid injections 6 weeks ago into hocks for this. There's a 50% improvement. She'll have more injections in a weeks time.
You need a vet to do a lameness check in the first instance before you go imagining all kinds of scenarios.

Mine was motorbiking around corners, and the back leg would come to the outside in canter, causing her to canter in a slight sideways kind of way - she was also stiff through her back, where she'd compensated for the pain, tripped often, wouldn't work from behind and dragged her back toe very slightly, wearing the shoes down unevenly. She would also stand with her leg right underneath the centre of her belly. Trotting away from me, you could also see a dip to one side more, according to vet, though I couldn't see it myself. Also head placed slightly off centre, making schooling/balance difficult to attain for her.

Farrier said he's seen hundreds like this and not to worry too much, common problem, she has wedges under her shoes on vet recommendations, but farrier reckons wedges don't do much, except cost.
 
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