Hypermobility

[CanteringCarrot]

This has been weighing on my mind a bit. Current horses fetlocks drop a fair amount during collected work, or when the limb has a heavy load on it (for example, when all of the weight is on his outside hind when all other 3 legs are in the air in canter). The fetlock is basically in the dirt.

It doesn't necessarily remind me of DSLD because when he stands or walks normal, the fetlocks don't sink so dramatically. No excessive drop, leg straightening, or pattern more parallel to the ground.

So I wonder if my horse is hypermobile or if this is just his natural spring and recoil mechanism? I imagine it could effect his soundness eventually? However, I do see other horses with his extent of drop (in piaffe or canter, for example), that are a few years older than him and still successful (dressage). He has a nice jump and makes jumping look easy, but I'm hesitant to really jump him a lot. Is that a legitimate worry? Am I being paranoid? Or is this something to watch? It just weirds me out when I look at video stills and it's flexed so much.

I feel as though it is something I might be more wary of should I ever buy another horse.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

If it's only when the limb has a heavy load, doing something that logically justifies needing lots of 'shock absorbing' then I wouldn't worry.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

If it's only when the limb has a heavy load, doing something that logically justifies needing lots of 'shock absorbing' then I wouldn't worry.

That's kind of what I thought, but it still weirded me out looking at video stills...that and some horses don't drop as much. It's mostly at the canter, and yes one limb appears to have a heavy load.

Examples:


The last two photos are from jumping. He's on his hind end in "ready to launch" mode (but controlled ?) moreso in those photos.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

This is exactly how a horse's hind limb has evolved to work. Stills definitely look different to 'real life,' remember that no-one even understood how a horse moved its legs during gallop until Muybridge did his photos. Don't send yourself loopy with worry or overanalyse, especially about someone else's horse.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

This is exactly how a horse's hind limb has evolved to work. Stills definitely look different to 'real life,' remember that no-one even understood how a horse moved its legs during gallop until Muybridge did his photos. Don't send yourself loopy with worry or overanalyse, especially about someone else's horse.

Yeah, I thought about this, but wasn't sure because there seem to be different levels of drop.

The photos are all of my horse.

I'm not trying to send myself loopy about anyone else's horse. Just comparing in my mind because they seem to drop differently, if that makes sense. I'll remove the mention incase it's offensive or comes off wrong.

That and everyone seems to be going on these days about how they're hypermobile and/or their horse is hypermobile...so now I wonder what is normal? Mostly stemmed from my doctor saying that this condition is over/wrongly diagnosed (or self diagnosed) in people. Which, idk that there is truth to that, but naturally my mind wandered over to horses ?

 

[Lady Jane]

I don't believe is hypermobility in horses is a clearly defined condition - is clearly exists but at what point are they actually hypermobile? Many of the top dressage horses movement is so massive that is a kind of hypermobility. If your horse seems fine just enjoy a big movement

 

[BBP]

My horse shows an excessive degree of mobility in the walk and trot which for me is more of an issue, because if the fetlock joint is at full extension in trot where the weight is distributed across two limbs, there is no capacity for further shock absorbing capacity in the single leg stance of canter. The images below are a working trot. He has suffered from ligament damage in suspensory, sacroiliac joint and his spinal ligaments.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Here's the trot:

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My horse shows an excessive degree of mobility in the walk and trot which for me is more of an issue, because if the fetlock joint is at full extension in trot where the weight is distributed across two limbs, there is no capacity for further shock absorbing capacity in the single leg stance of canter. The images below are a working trot. He has suffered from ligament damage in suspensory, sacroiliac joint and his spinal ligaments.View attachment 91116View attachment 91117

How did the spinal stuff present?

 

[BBP]

How did the spinal stuff present?

It was identified as he started to have problems getting up from rolling and was toe dragging badly behind. I had scans and X-rays done of his back and pelvis. He has had a lifetime of soundness issues and injuries and lack of power behind which I wonder if they are linked.

I’ve seen plenty of horses at top level dressage that have extreme fetlock extension in trot and canter. I have no idea if they are harder to keep sound or not. If your horse is sound and happy I would try not to obsess over it (I’m still obsessing over mine!), mine had always had ‘engine issues’ and gives me plenty of reasons to obsess ?