Rehab after medicating hocks

alsxx

alsxx

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Just after opinions on suitable rehab after having both hocks medicated please.

My 14yr old OTTB had both his hocks medicated last Wednesday, and we stuck to the advised 2 days box rest, 5 days field rest before commencing work (work as usual, as advised by vet). I had him checked out as sometimes on the lunge noticed he could be a bit lazy with one hind, and had noticed he would sometimes feel a little stiffer on one rein (with the offending hind I had noticed on lunge, as the outside hind). The good news was he wasn't found to be lame, and had no tension or discomfort in the back or pelvis area, and only mildly positive after flexion on the one hind, although on lunge vet agreed he just didn't pick up his hinds as well as he should and would hop up into canter.

We went for a short hack last night, mostly walk and I focussed on asking him to really walk out and for straightness. Popped him on the lunge for a couple of circuits this morning to see what he looked like, and whilst the lazy hind is no where to be seen (good!), he isn't picking up his hinds any better than before!

So just wondering if there is anything in particular I should focus on for the next week or so to get the best improvement we can following the medication. Also, when would be ideal to start introducing some pole work to encourage picking up the hinds a little more? I guess I just don't want to overdo anything and cause problems, (although of course he wasn't lame in the first place) but if there is no chance of that, someone just tell me to crack on!
 
We did a mind numbing amount of walking over poles, in hand, on the lunge, under saddle. We were told by the vet to start doing poles after the first week, but only in walk initially. It took time to build the new muscle. He also had physio who did H wave on the hindquarters to loosen everything off as there was a lot of residual tightness. A few weeks on there was a big difference.
 
Mine had exactly the same problem. Lazy left hind. Medicated the hocks for a couple of years, and after the most recent medication didn't notice any improvement so decided to x-ray.

Completely clean hocks!

However, we decided to do a bit more investigation and scoped for ulcers. He did have ulcers, which have been treated, and within a couple of weeks he was moving SO much better behind. Honestly like a different horse. He is still weaker on one side and has a bit of sacro discomfort after long rides which we are seeing a physio for. May eventually have a look at that region with a vet but going down the physio route first.
 
Thanks both! Will dig those poles out now then and start in walk :-)

Pigeon, he has a history of ulcers already, but his biggest issue is actually hind gut ulcers which he is on constant supplementation for. We don't think is part of the 'issue' right now based on his history and how he has presented.
 
Sorry one more question! Hills??? Any reason to avoid or use right now? We are blessed with many, but steep hills, so it's not easy work by any stretch of the imagination! :-)
 
alsxx said:
Just after opinions on suitable rehab after having both hocks medicated please.

Popped him on the lunge for a couple of circuits this morning to see what he looked like, and whilst the lazy hind is no where to be seen (good!), he isn't picking up his hinds any better than before!


I was instructed to stay away from lunging for at least a month after medication, and not to do any smaller circle work than 20M under saddle. Straight lines & trotting up hills after a couple of weeks walking only really helped mine strengthen in that area, then consistent work.
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My horse also has a lazy left hind and can be stiff bending to the right and it was also down to abdominal hindgut discomfort and mild ulcers, the majority of the colon lies to the up to the right side apparently so don't necessarily rule this out as a cause of hindlimb stiffness and asymmetry.
My mums ex racer did have hock arthritis, and had injections and she had to hack for a couple weeks before commencing proper work.
 
Des-rocks that's interesting, wasn't advised to not lunge. As I said, he only did a couple of circuits each rein; I don't have anyone that can trot up for me. We've just been hacking since anyway, and mostly in walk concentrating on forwards, straightness etc. he's definitely feeling better.

Firewell, given his history and known issues with HGA, we ruled this out first. We are very confident that it's not his hindgut, when he has issues here he actually struggles to bend to the left, as he is stretching the right side of the body where the hindgut lies. It also manifests as other behavioural and physical symptoms and he has none of these, so we are confident that's not the problem. We've been hacking the last couple of weeks, and he's definitely feeling better, much happier to flex and bend right whilst keeping straight, and generally feeling more even into both hands and really powering along :-)
 
my big guy has his hocks medicated yesterday at glasgow vet school. we were told 24 hours box rest then bring him back into full work over the next two weeks. no mention of small circles or lunging not being allowed.
 
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