Possible hock spavin... advice please

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jenniferharland

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i own a 15.2 british sports horse, 7 year old, gelding called charlie. he is an all rounder who just does a bit of everything - bought in february 2012.

recently when riding my horse he has been uncomfortable with the way he moves. i organised a physio to check him over and this is what he said...

charlie is suffering discomfort in his inside hind leg so is therefore compensating with the other hind leg. as a result of this, there is significant muscle wasteage on the left side of his quarters. after trotting him up, lunging him and stretching his back legs up to his belly, it is clear that his inside hind leg is the cause for the discomfort. although the physio is not certain that this could be a bone spavin, i have arranged an appointment at the vets for x-rays. charlie's hock is not swollen, nor is there any fluid build up or heat. he has been avoiding resting his weight on this leg, which the physio said was a good sign?! :confused:

also... my friend's horse previously had hock spavins in both hocks and her farrier sorted the issue with different shoes.

I was wondering whether i could get a second opinion from someone with experience as i have never owned a horse with this issue before!:(
 
When my old lad developed spavins (both hocks at once, poor lad!) he had no heat or swelling round his hock either. He went in for x-rays and they showed up on there. His were on the lower tarsal bones (there are two rows) and fused without the need for any steroid injections. He also had slightly longer heels put on his shoes to help diffuse the pressure on his back legs a bit better.

What the physio says about him resting that leg being good might be to do with him being quite happy to flex it, as I think it tends to be the flexion rather than extension (as it would be if he had locked it) that hurts if it is a spavin? But it could be something else entirely - higher up or further down! Either way, the vet should be able to do a full work up for you :)
 
Hi :) i went to the vet yesterday and after doing a flexion test and x-rays, the vet said that he will be put on bute for 3 months and be worked regularly. he said that this well help to fuse the spavin as it had only just began. thanks for the help :)
 
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