Sickle hocks - a bad buy?

[Jericho]

I looked a lovely horse to buy today who is perfect for me in everyway but he has sickle hocks. Not horrendous but it is there and the owner was quite upfront and said his price £2600 reflected the conformation fault. Stats are 12yr old TBxID 16.1hh - lovely laid back chap, won and placed ODE consistently over last 4 years up to 3ft 6 and his legs are very clean and blemish free (i.e no windgalls). He tracked up fine and his paces were free and long and his back nice and swinging and other than being rather lazy and unfit he was perfect with a temperament to die for (which is very very important to me) - soooooo how much a problem is sickle hocks?? What could I be letting myself in for?

I only want him to hack out, and do a bit of local shows nothing too high level and no showing. Owner says he has never had problems with persistent lameness - the odd knock here and there on fore limb causing a day or so of lameness but no medical problems (so she says....) What do you think?

Many thanks for any advice ... good or bad!!!

 

[ladyt25]

Would you be having him vetted or have you had him vetted? Personally if he is perfect for you in every other way then i woulnd't be overly worried but mayb do some research as to potential problems. I think (and this is only a 'think') you are best to be sickle hocked that too straight in the hock as you are better for the horse to be cow-hocked that bow-hocked but I do not know on what this theory is based.

It could mean he is more prone to developing arthritis in his hocks but then any horse that has been used competitively could develop problems. Hirse buying is a risk whatever. I would get a vet to have a look, see if there are any visble changes at present and ask their opinion. To me though, it doesn't sound that horrendous.

 

[Rainbowrider]

Quite often horses with sickle hocks also have curbs. Have you checked for these? Personally, I wouldn't buy a horse with a curb, although that's up to you of course.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

I have an ex racer TB that has sickle hocks and she has never had a problem whatsoever. She is 18 now and I would have no hesitation buying another.
I don't think there is any such thing as the perfect horse and if the horse is capable of doing the job you want and it does sound lovely then go for it.
I would advise having it vetted anyway just in case anything else came up.
Good luck and he sounds lovely!

 

[Leah3horses]

Can't advise you what to do, but I will say if I was in your postition, and for what you'd like to do with the horse, if you like him so much in every other way I'd buy him.But we all have different levels of experience on which to base a decision like this.Curbs per se aren't an issue,they are if they cause lameness and are usually seen in horses with comformation faults in their legs who have also had a very high workload over their life.Sickle hocks don't necesarily denote propensity to unsoundness.

I agree with you that temperament is vitally important,and for the level of work you want to do the horse should be more than capable. You shouldn't have any particular problems long term,any more so than with any other horse as they get older. In some American gaited horses slightly sickle hocks are considered a benefit,and these horses are as sound for as long as any non- sickle hock horse.

Vets may be wary of passing a sickle hock horse, just as they may be wary of passing a horse that plaits/drawers/is straight in the hindleg etc., in these days of high expectations. One very experienced vet I worked with told me my Clydesdale 'was very close together behind, almost cow hocked'.This is correct for the breed!

Don't base your whole decision on the outcome of the vetting regarding his sickle hocks, as long as he is sound with no tendon damage at the time that's the best verdict for any horse.

He sounds nice and is priced fairly, hope you have years of enjoyment together if you do get him.