medicating hocks

spacefaer

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Long story short - we've got a 17.2hh TB x ID horse with fairly straight hind leg conformation. He's reasonably high mileage (evented and hunted before we got him aged 10, lightly hunted every winter since, with every summer off) . He's now 19 this year

He's had back issues this winter which have been physio/chiro treated up til now, but the cause of these problems have been sourced to his right hock.

He is now showing a reluctance to jump. He is otherwise very fit and well so we are planning to medicate both hocks and see how he feels.

Anyone had any experience of anything similar?

He's sound but obviously feeling uncomfortable if his hocks are put under pressure.
 

Impu1sion

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I've had the same issues with my horse, was sound but with issues going forward, discovered to be the coffin joint at the front and hock also. Discussed with my vet and decided the best way forward would be to medicate. We did this last week and unfortunately my horse now has steroid induced laminitis. I was informed of the risk but decided it was worth the chance. Hoping that she will recover from this, it is a hateful thing. It's a difficult decision to make :-(
 

nato

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My horse has spavin in the right hock. We medicated along with medicating the back (as she has kissing spines too) and touch wood no problems so far. That's been 6 months ago now.
 

applecart14

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My horse had this for a few years but then went on to have Tildren, which was partially effective, before going on to having fusion with ethanol. Most horses will be fine with having hocks medicated for a while (usually need to be repeated every 12 months) but before long some may need more frequent injections, others can go longer. It all depends on the horses body and how it copes afterwards.
 

spacefaer

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Thanks for the replies!

I think I'm concerned about 2 things - one being that he'll still be reluctant to jump once it's done, as a memory, as he's not the brightest.

The other being that if we make him more comfortable in his hocks, that tge new found freedom to move will put pressure on his front legs!

If he doesn't jump or becomes uncomfortable/unsound at all then he will be pts, as he's not a horse that will retire well.
 

Clodagh

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My boy had sacroliliac problems which were found to be caused by his hocks. He had tildren, which did nothing, and then injections into the hock. It really helped, although I did stop doing circles with him, his canter really improved and he was much happier. It did need doing again after about 12 months and I have subsequently retired him as he has other problems as well.
I would give it a try, even if it just gives him another year you might be able to have some fun with him.
 

applecart14

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Thanks for the replies!

I think I'm concerned about 2 things - one being that he'll still be reluctant to jump once it's done, as a memory, as he's not the brightest.

The other being that if we make him more comfortable in his hocks, that tge new found freedom to move will put pressure on his front legs!

If he doesn't jump or becomes uncomfortable/unsound at all then he will be pts, as he's not a horse that will retire well.

Your first comment, he won't be reluctant to jump, but you have to build up gradually over a period of rehab, raised trotting poles, followed by cross poles and small courses of jumps before going any bigger. Its all about building up gradually and seeing how the horse copes before moving onto doing other things or putting more pressure on. My horse was jumping up to a 1.05m after Tildren and hock fusion, and he coped really well with it, before going on to getting another injury which was unrelated.

Second comment: the horse may well overcompensate in other areas. Horses are great overcompensators (if there is such a word!) and my horse has spent years doing this, getting one thing fixed, only to overcompensate in another area, so no soon do you get that sorted there is something else where he has overcompensated making him sore. That's where getting a good physio on board right at the start is your best bet and a programme tailored to your vets requirements that you are both in agreement with and that will be suitable for your horse based on the level he is at and his age.
 

paddi22

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my ish had something similar. he ususally loved jumping and hen just started refusing and being very tense. Turned out he had arthritis in his hocks. Got the injections year and a half ago, and after a rehab programme of lunging and poework he (touch wood) is great and back in action jumping better than before. vet scanned his hocks a few months ago and was really happy with them. he gets glucosamine supps to help with stiffness, but other than that he's fine.
 

claracanter

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My 9 yr old TB was diagnosed with hock spavins when he was 5. These were medicated once and he has fine for 4 years, jumping, eventing etc. Off to the vets this week to have them x rayed again as I think they maybe be causing him issues once more, but will definitely medicate again if this is the case. Never expected it to last as long as it has.
 

SusieT

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He's 19. I would retire him to an easier lifestyle - low level dressage/hacking and occasional hunting - the steroid injections are only temporary and have risk. ethically I think he's been a good servant so I would respect that he now needs to step down a level
 

AdorableAlice

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He's 19. I would retire him to an easier lifestyle - low level dressage/hacking and occasional hunting - the steroid injections are only temporary and have risk. ethically I think he's been a good servant so I would respect that he now needs to step down a level

He will still need to be comfortable so are you saying bute rather than inject him.
 

spacefaer

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He's 19. I would retire him to an easier lifestyle - low level dressage/hacking and occasional hunting - the steroid injections are only temporary and have risk. ethically I think he's been a good servant so I would respect that he now needs to step down a level

If he was any other horse, I would totally agree with you and I am full of respect for the horse. However, he doesn't have the temperament to semi-retire. He hates dressage (and to be honest, going back in an arena after 5 years out of one, with lots of turns and circles, would probably be as bad for his hocks as for his brain). He's not a novice ride either hacking or hunting - and he'd never hunt quietly at the back. He is an all-or-nothing horse - very fast, very very strong and with a huge, scopey, chaser type jump. We are trying to provide him with the lifestyle that he is best at.
 

spacefaer

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He will still need to be comfortable so are you saying bute rather than inject him.

We tried bute..... he had it in his feed for 4 days and stopped eating. He also put in the most massive bucks - 4 on one hack - that he has ever done in his life (and this from a horse who has never bucked under saddle, and doesn't even buck in the field)
 

AdorableAlice

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If he was any other horse, I would totally agree with you and I am full of respect for the horse. However, he doesn't have the temperament to semi-retire. He hates dressage (and to be honest, going back in an arena after 5 years out of one, with lots of turns and circles, would probably be as bad for his hocks as for his brain). He's not a novice ride either hacking or hunting - and he'd never hunt quietly at the back. He is an all-or-nothing horse - very fast, very very strong and with a huge, scopey, chaser type jump. We are trying to provide him with the lifestyle that he is best at.

I am totally with you, I would medicate and take the risk. Let him work and enjoy life.
 

PorkChop

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I am totally with you, I would medicate and take the risk. Let him work and enjoy life.

Me too, also there are other drugs you can try if you don't get the desired effect with steroids, that don't carry significant side effects.

Different scenario, however I have recently had one of mine injected into a joint with steroids. She did come down with steroid induced laminitis, so if you do go ahead keep a very close eye on any warning signs - it is a small risk with that type of injection.
 

Impu1sion

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Me too, also there are other drugs you can try if you don't get the desired effect with steroids, that don't carry significant side effects.

Different scenario, however I have recently had one of mine injected into a joint with steroids. She did come down with steroid induced laminitis, so if you do go ahead keep a very close eye on any warning signs - it is a small risk with that type of injection.

As long as you are aware of the risk: today I lost my horse to this.
 

Bernster

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I am totally with you, I would medicate and take the risk. Let him work and enjoy life.

Agree, worked v well for one of mine although did need to re do after about 9 months or so which vet said was not unusual. Coupled with a good joint supplement and careful rehab.
 

noblesteed

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Sorry to hear someone lost their horse to steroid lami.
Mine is on his 3rd set of hock injections and is lami prone. I have had to get his condition right down to the underweight side, drop feed etc to keep him safe for injections. Top Spec lami balancer is good.

He was fine to jump again after around 6 months of his hock injections but he's not sound to right bend. He tries but he just can't do it. So I can't school him or jump in an arena but he would be fine to hunt etc.
He overcompensated and blew his annular ligament on a hind leg. He's come back OK but I have decided to knock jumping on the head and just take it steady and light hack him. However as he is getting fitter I have realised he's going to have to do what he needs to do - he's not ready to slow down. So I take each day as it comes now, boot him up, make sure his feet are in good shape, feed him plenty of supplements (turmeric, devil's claw and glucosamine) and when the opportunity arises he will be allowed a little gallop and some jumping in his life!
 
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