Hock rotation

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    • #20350
      soday
      Member

      I have a 15 year old TWH gelding. While he was being ridden a friend noticed that his hocks rotate outward when he travels forward. Reflecting on this information I realized that occasionally he seems to collapse a little in the hind end when moving forward, but then recovers and continues on without showing lameness. This is not frequent, but it has happened at least 3 times in the 4 years I’ve had him.

      I looked through the files but cannot find pertinent information about this, which may mean I am not good at searching, I know. Anyway do you have any thoughts about what this comes from, or how to help him improve? Right now he’s resting and his farrier wants to put corrective plastic glue-on shoes on his hind feet and is recommending turn-out and hand walking.

      Any files or reading that you can recommend?

    • #20354

      Hello Soday, is this a new finding or has your horse always been this way? I have seen gaited horses that have a bit of apparent rotation in the hind leg particularly if the conformation is a little base wide or narrow. As to the occasional collapse behind I don’t know of any horse that does not have the rare to occasional hind limb stumble. Before you go down a long road of expensive shoeing options have a veterinarian or experienced horseman you have a lot of respect for examine the horse moving under saddle and from there discuss options with you. One thing that would concern me from a shoeing standpoint is if the foot is also rotating while placed on the ground as the horse moves over it. Try watching on a firm but somewhat loose ground where you can see the whole foot. Something that helps in these situations is videoing the event so it can be reviewed in slow motion.
      DrO

    • #20356
      soday
      Member

      Thank you very much for your reply. I’ll follow up.

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