Value of flexion tests

[soloequestrian]

Just musing really, though I know someone who is looking for a horse and each time she finds one that seem suitable, it fails on flexion tests.
So I was wondering how reliable they actually are? Have there ever been any studies done to see if they are useful in predicting future lameness/ soundness, or or are they just some ancient tradition that sneaked into vettings from somewhere? I don't think I'd let anyone flexion mine - it always looks like a really good way to start a problem or break something that the horse was coping with otherwise.
What does everyone else think?

 

[ferrador]

i reckon the flexion test is a con . if i did it to anything ,nothing would move right for ages . it all depends who does it and how, there are so many different positions to hold the leg and no gauge on how much pressure is exerted a total money making con
chris

 

[star]

they have their place but they need to be interpreted properly. just because a horse is 1/10 lame after a flexion does not necessarily mean it should fail a vetting. it's very easy to just fail a horse, much harder to use your head and think if it is really likely to affect it as a RC horse or whatever.

there are plenty of horses out there who can pass flexion tests with no probs - my 8yr old did 3yrs ago. even my 24yr old passed them when he was 15. when he was 16 i noticed a stiffness after being tied up, but no actual lameness once he got goign. did get the vet out and he was 9/10 lame after flexion. now you wouldn't ignore that would you? turns out he had high suspensory disease. a few months later he was fine after flexion again.

dont think i'd pass a flexion test - doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with me, but what is wrong with me doesn't stop me doing my job. that's how they need to be assessed.
maybe the problem with deteriorate in the future maybe it wont. it's a risk. you might look around forever finding that horse that's perfect in every way and 100% after every flexion test though.

 

[ImogenBurrows]

Flexions have always been the most controversial point in a vetting for both the purchasers and vendors.

The idea is that with reasonable pressure (I seem to remember that the researched force was 75Newtons...) any possible subtle underlying joint problems may be exacerbated and a lameness detected.

I use them in every vetting and they are part of the standard format. You can't really decide to take them out TBH, and I had a awkward situation with an insurance company recently when I did not do flexions on hindlegs in a 5 stage vetting for safety reasons (the horse had kicked me during hindlimb palpation quite badly already ). I was informed that my vetting exam was incomplete and initially they refused to insure the horse. I felt this was a little daft, and said so - it's now insured.

I agree with the resident vet that the secret to flexions is how you interpret them, but also how you do them. I pick the limb up to a relaxed flexion...not so I'm hoisting the horse into the air, and hold it there for 1 timed minute. I'll give a 5 sec countdown and then trot away and back.

It's a non-specific crude test, but can be really useful, especially when assessing purchase risk. It's easy to get fixated on them though and blame them for "causing" a lameness.

Imogen