Conference noted::equitation

1291.0. "Hock Troubles - No Bending?" by MFGMEM::LEMIRE () Fri Jun 15 1990 20:45

    Please give me some advice about a recent incident with the horse I am
    leasing (Cody).  This is a 9-year old gelding, somewhat green, due
    to back problems that were finally resolved a couple of years ago.
    I began riding him last Fall, after he had been introduced to jumping
    in the Spring.  I have been showing him lightly over the past
    several months in hunter and equitation (3').  We always do a lot
    of bending and circle work in our lessons - the horse is stiff, and
    somewhat strung out, and this work greatly helps.  His owner also
    rides him, doing bending work, but no jumping.  Between the two
    of us, he gets ridden about six times a week, and at least one of
    those days is a trail ride.
    
    A couple of weeks ago, I noticed he was off when I began riding
    around the ring, and he did not work out of it.  He is usually
    "off" for a few minutes every time, but would normally be okay
    after a few minutes of trot and canter.  The next day the vet
    came out, did flexion tests, etc., and determined he was off in
    his left hind leg.  Because he had a bad injury there 3 years ago
    (I was unaware), she knew to pull some fluid out of the hock, saw
    it was watery, not viscuous as it should be to lubricate the ligaments,
    and then gave him a shot of hieronic (sp?) acid to get the viscosity
    up.  2 1/2 years ago he had gotten a similar shot, so she said
    it was pretty good that it had lasted so long.
    
    Instructions were to ride him, especially trail-type work, long, low,
    keep-him-moving, type of stuff, jumping okay, but to take it easy
    on the bending.  After two weeks, he is progressing nicely, doing
    his flying changes much easier than previous to the shot, and sound.
    
    Now the owner is saying that we should not do any 20-meter circles
    with him, ever!  She wants to avoid stressing his hock.  I can
    understand her point, but it seems to me that if you can't do
    20-meter circles, then you shouldn't do serpentines, walk-canter
    transitions, shoulder-in, or other similar movements that also
    actively engage or otherwise stress the hocks.  Am I over-reacting?
    I wonder how much better we can do at shows if we have to
    avoid a lot of this type of work, but I don't want to injure the
    horse, either.
    
    Let me know what you think, 
    Jennie
    
    

    Just my humble opinion but...
    
    If the horse shouldn't be doing 20M circles, then he certainly
    shouldn't be jumping.  Think about the amount of stress launching
    1000 plus pounds of horse and rider 3 feet into the air puts on
    a hock!  If the owner is really that worried, it might be time to
    retire the horse.
    
    I believe what your vet used is a synthetic joint fluid.  Jumpers
    and upper level dressage horses (and horses with conformation problems)
    put lot's of stress on the hock and I've seen quite a few horses
    undergo this treatment with good results.  The vet will draw out some 
    of the old fluid and replace it with this thicker stuff. Usually the
    horse will be fine for quite sometime and then this fluid will break 
    down just like the natural stuff. When that happens, it is replaced again. 

    You really shouldn't run into bending causing hock problems unless
    you're doing major extensions and collected movements.  The basic
    training and 1st level movements should actually help the horse
    be more comfortable.  I know that my jumper had this proceedure
    done a few years ago and the only time he's uncomfortable is when
    we DON'T do the bending work.
    
    In your position I think I'd sit down with the owner and the vet
    and discuss what kind of work Cody should be doing.
    
    -maureen
    

    Maureen,
    
    Thanks for your reply based on experience.  I mentioned my concern
    to the owner and my trainer (who is in final months of vet school),
    and we discussed it together on Saturday.  The trainer felt as you
    did, that any horse that can't work on a 20 meter school shouldn't
    be showing, jumping, etc.  And he pointed out that the horse seems
    to move better when he is collected than when he is strung out
    (the owner agreed), and the only way to tell if the horse is really
    injured is to work the horse - which will either strengthen those
    areas, or point out the problem clearly.  The owner agreed.  
    
    The regular vet is coming out today, and I'm sure the owner will
    review this decision with her as well.  
    
    By the way, Saturday we did work the horse with a lot of bending,
    etc, took him to a show Sunday, and he came out of the trailer
    into the warm-up ring moving much better than he has in three weeks -
    so I think you are right that the exercises help.
    
    Jennie