rubbing hocks? how to stop it.

[keep the faith]

lady, from the moment i have known her has always had tiny scabs on the point of both her hocks.

she seems to get them from lying down, and as i want to show her next year i'll need rid of them.

her bed is super deep shavings but she has a habit of digging a hole and then lying in it rubbing her hocks on the ground in the process. does any one else have this problem?

i was thinking of neoprene hock boots but am worried about them rubbing somewhere else instead? any ideas?

[Tass Richardson]

My old horse rubbed his off side hock every winter, in spite of having a lovely deep bed. He always wore one hock boot, I used the traditional type because I found that the neoprene ones slipped down, presumably when he was doing whatever it was he did to rub the hock in the first place. I then had several near side hock boots unused!!!!

[Bay Mare]

Try rubber mats.

[sheryl]

My old mare used to rub her hocks on the walls. She was on straw, so I made extra big banks. Worked a treat;)

[Nik-n-Kia]

Have to go with hock boots or bandaging with gamgee and an exercise bandage.

Just cut a point of hock sized hole to stop rubbong and bandage as normal.

Worked for my last horse who used rub her hock sometimes when she was young stopped though never knew why.

Nikki xxxx

[keep the faith]

thanks for your replies. think i'll try hock boots for a while and see how it goes. rubber matting isn't an option as im on a livery yard and yo hates them.

[Jessey]

rubber matting isn't an option as im on a livery yard and yo hates them.
But rubber mats can still be used with a full bed ;) would just stop the hock making contact with concrete :p

Just a note (I've personally never had the problem you do) but my chap is terrible for digging holes and messing his bed right up, I swapped to Hemp (aubiose or hemcore type things) and found the bed was much more stable, it didn't move as much and was alot denser :D

J x