locking hindleg

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kmat

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just wondering if anyone has experience of this with their horse and was any treatment done to resolve it... new horse, had 5* vetting but couple weeks on first thing in morning when asked to move over or back he appears to lock his hock or hindleg then once it frees up he is fine. he is very sound incl on a trot circle on lunge on hard ground to test him and a very soft mover. was a mare once in yard who did this only when tied up at one certain ring point but never anywhere else. This boy only does it in stable. have had vet out and it is being discussed within the practice, but would appreciate input from anyone with experience of this. Thanks
 
thanks for the link, yes it is the stifle area the vets are looking into, they are talking possible surgery, but dont know if there are other treatments..or if it may self right. The mare self righted and as I said oddly she only did this when tied up to one particular ring and never anywhere else..
 
Surgery is last resort, and if it goes wrong then you never get another chance, try work, hill work, no lunging, and plenty of hacking this will strengthen the area and it works for mine and plenty of others on here, vets don't usually talk about surgery for this anymore, I got told by my vet to crack on with it!
 
I had one that did this. I also had one that unlocked his stifle and fell over.. completely bizarre!

Often its something that will improve with strengthening up behind because the muscles will support the joint. I would worry hugely if the horse is sound. It should happen less and less the fitter they become. Also, I find its worse when horses are kept in and still so I'd always suggest loads of turn out but then I always suggest loads of turn out anyway.

If he/she locks it then you can just ask them to walk backwards and it very often sorts itself back out.
 
Thanks for the reply,
yep he is fairly fit but we can do more hill work with him. the aim is eventing in the spring. He is fit for sj and dressage at the moment (at novice levels) and is turned out every day and hacked regularly. hopefully it will ease. It does not happen every day, so fingers crossed. always good to see if anyone else has had experience of these quirks.
 
Hiya :) I have a mare who has a locking stifle and with work and lots of hills i found it lessened. It still pops up occasionally but overall it's a lot better. Apparently it affects young horses or horses that have been very fit and then slackened slightly.

Hasn't affected my mare in any other way apart from it looks rather strange when she unlocks it.

Backing them up helps as they have to use their stifle and other flexion exercise :)

Best of luck!
 
i agree with the exercise approach, just be sure there isn't anything else going on in the stifle joint. i had a mare with this problem and she had a small bone spur which had to be removed surgically, after which she was absolutely fine, and the hill work etc finished the job.
 
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