Re: RC: fusing hocks

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Hi Jeri
Halynov had injury to his back leg and fused naturally at the hock. He
went on to win Regional Championship, beating the several time Reserve
Champion Jezebel (Molly Stanley's prize horse) after only 2 months
formal jumping training so he was going on pure natural ability. The
hock fusion didn't hamper him one bit. 
I've had Charlie Boles xray it and he said it would never pose a
problem, from the way he moves. Now I don't know what kind of fusion
yours would be so I cannot predict your horse per se; I can just say
that a joint fusion doesn't ALWAYS limit your horse in jumping/hunting
competition. Hal continued to jump 5 feet and would have been on his way
to the Olympics in Atlanta (representing Zimbabwe of all places) when he
got a stone bruise which took him out of training. How can these BIG
guys be SO FRAGILE?!!!
Bette
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov
(yes, REALLY!)
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com

DESERTRYDR1@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Once again I turn to Ridecamp for help with this mare.  Fog is a 6 yr old.
> Anglo-Arab, and has been diagnosed by one vet with a stifle problem (lay her
> off for 60 days or take her to WSU or Goldendale) and by another vet after
> the 60+ day layoff with arthritis in the hock joint.  The second vet told me
> last week after X-rays that he could inject cortisone (to relieve pain and
> inflammation and also to help the joint fuse faster) or I could just start
> riding her again, give her bute if she needs it, and it would eventually fuse
> on its own.
> 
> History:  Fog  strained her hock joint as a 2-1/2 yr old, before I started
> her under saddle.  The vet (#1 above) said it was the tendons that ran around
> the hock joint, and just turn her out for the winter.  He didn't seem too
> concerned.  Symptoms: swelling across the front of the joint, very little
> noticeable lameness.  I turned her out, then started her under saddle about
> 8-9 months later, very light riding about a hour at a time, mostly walk and
> trot, some beginning dressage training, mostly flat ground, occasional trail
> ride) for the first year as I was riding her mom mostly.  I started
> conditioning her for endurance when she was 5, more miles (up to 10 miles--2
> hours--at a time, more trotting, occasional short periods of cantering-like
> 30 sec to 1 minute at a time, maybe 2X in a ride, a little hill work-up at a
> trot, down at a walk) She started getting a bit crabby as we drew closer to
> our first planned LD ride, and then at her last shoeing before the ride, had
> different shoe wear patterns between the two hind shoes.  That was when I
> took her to the first vet, he told me stifle problem and said lay her off.  I
> thought at the time that there was a hock problem, but he is supposed to be a
> very good lameness vet.  Now the second vet, not as experienced but much more
> thorough, says hock, and explains that it is probably at least partly a
> result of the old injury.
> 
> I bred this mare myself, and am just sick that she will not be able to do any
> of the things that she showed talent for as a youngster--endurance, jumping,
> dressage.
> 
> Has anyone had a horse that the hocks fused, either naturally or
> artificially, that went on to do endurance successfully?  (I would have liked
> to do 50's on her for completions, middle of the pack stuff)  She does not
> seem to be in pain, but sometimes (after a turnout where she ran a lot) has
> puffiness across the front of the hock.  She runs and bucks and does
> turn-on-the-haunches with the front end in the air at each end of the arena
> when she is turned out to play.   Has anyone had a horse with this diagnosis?
>  How long did it take for the joints to fuse?  Was the horse in a lot of
> pain?  I just don't know what to expect.
> 
> jeri and fog (airborne)
> 
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