sound trotting downhill - lame trotting uphill??

happyhacker101

happyhacker101

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Mar 19, 2007
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Anyone have any ideas as to why this might be? Highland Rocky has tweaked his hock vet been out and said to keep doing what we are doing

Noticed when CN was here last week that he is sound trotting downhill but 1/10 lame trotting uphill - same hill. Sound in a walk and tracking up well.

Thoughts please
 
I think it's fairly logical - going downhill it's the front legs that take most of the strain, whereas uphill the hind legs will take a lot more. He'll be bringing his back legs more underneath him, which may be why he feels the problem hock.
 
forgot to add - sorry - sound on the flat...

So yes, logical for uphill/downhill but what about on the flat? Not the same amount of power??

Thanks Joosie for your reply and you made me remeber the other bit - no point in half a story!:smile:
 
More strain put on the hocks going uphill than on the flat - in walk/trot on the flatthere's more or less an equal load on all 4 limbs (unless Rocky has a very powerful / exaggerated trot). Is he lame on a circle?
 
Thanks Joosie - yes there's a slight nod on a circle too. Vet doesnt seem too concerned but I am:frown:

ETA Rocky has a very slow trot - typical heavy Highland
 
Always easier not to be concerned when it's not your horse! I don't think I'd be too worried for now though, I'd just monitor it for a while and see if it improves.
 
Definitely don't panic but it might point to SI joint - if you watch a horse trotting uphill the SI joint rolls massively and ends up really unsupported on each stride. I stopped trotting up anything other than very shallow inclines on my horse after he recovered from an SI strain. But that was NOT part of the process of his diagnosis, so I really am guessing.
 
Thanks - am going to phone the vet later on this week as this has been going on for a couple of weeks now with no improvement.

Vet thinks his very light workload has a lot to do with it and that he needs to be kept going but at 18yo and a history of tendon issues am not that happy to do this. Have considered putting him on bute for a few days to see if it helps -but that will only mask the issue?

Am more than happy to take him up to the Dick Vet for xrays if it would help as would love for him to be sound over summer - not that he's bothered - typical Highland:wink:
 
Agree that it would show up more up hills & on circles as there's no way he'll be getting his hocks under him anywhere near as much on the flat , it will be against his work ethics :wink:
 
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