This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Trail Riding Skills » Trail Riding Skill topics not covered by the above »
  Discussion on Downhill on a sickle-hocked horse
Author Message
Member:
Wolfydoc

Posted on Friday, May 28, 2004 - 9:26 pm:

Help! I am so bummed by what I was just told by a very experienced, very well-renowned gaited horse expert.

My 5 year old Tennessee Walker "Elvis" is sickle-hocked and mildly cow-hocked. He already has mild radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease in his hocks, likely related to his poor conformation. If I knew last summer what I know now I would not have bought him but I love this horse now and he is very amenable to learning. I have him on ChronDrOprotect for his hocks and he seems to be doing well.

However, this gaited horse expert told me that sickle-hocked horses should never be ridden downhill - they are dangerous and it's not good for the horse either. She told me Elvis should just be a "flatlander".

On the other hand, another less experienced trainer told me a few weeks ago that I could teach him to go downhill better than he is currently (he "jigs" down, and if I slow him down, he just does a really slow jig, very uncomfy for the rider). She gave me some tips on getting him to just walk down, and some exercises to do on hills to get him to keep his long hind legs under himself better while going downhill.

I am devastated. I am really bonded to this horse and I got him to be a trail horse. I just can't believe that I can't train him to go down hills in a safe (for both horse and rider) manner. Is this true?

DrO, I know you have Walkers, and you do a lot of mountain riding. I would so appreciate your input.

Thanks in advance,
Cindy

Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 3, 2004 - 9:12 am:

Sickle hocked horses cannot go downhill? Cynthia this sounds like nonsense to me. Can you post some conformation pictures so we can see this horses sickle hocks?
DrO
Member:
Wolfydoc

Posted on Thursday, Jun 3, 2004 - 4:52 pm:

Oh what a relief!

I don't have any good pictures of Elvis at this very moment but I will gladly get some and post them. Give me a day or two.

It seems to me that a sickle-hocked horse could sit down on his butt more easily going downhill if he had to (if he was on loose footing for example). I think Elvis just needs some training to get him to go down one foot at a time without any jigging. Today I built a trail coming down a hill on our property and hand walked him down one step at a time. He learned what I wanted right away. Then I added some rocks to the trail and repeated. Then I put his saddle on and hand walked him down. Then I rode him down. No jigging and no problems. I suppose I now need to go off the property and repeat these steps if he doesn't automatically apply them under saddle at first, which I'm sure he won't.

Yesterday we rode with a group up and down sand dunes near Washoe Lake, NV - short steep ups and downs. It was a fast-paced group so I let Elvis keep up at his own pace. He came down those hills no problem.

I will get some pics asap. Thanks so much DrO.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC