Broken Bones in a Horse's Hock

The horse's hock is a hind leg joint angled backward.

The hock is a weight-bearing joint halfway down the hind leg of an equine. Although not as common as other hock problems, fractures can occur due to injury or disease.

Causes

The hocks are susceptible to breaks when kicked by another horse. Self-inflicted injuries happen when a horse kicks out and its hock meets a solid object such as a cement wall in the stall. Diseases in subchondral bones, if not detected and treated early, can produce breaks in this joint.

Diagnosis

Broken bones are serious but often repairable. A veterinarian may palpate the hind leg to pinpoint the lameness and will X-ray the hock to determine the extent of the fracture.

Prognosis

Veterinarians use a Robert Jones bandage to splint the hind leg. This thick wrap stabilizes the injury, allowing it to heal.

Recovery

Recovery includes six months of stall rest. The horse's caretaker must adjust its diet to compensate for lack of exercise and administer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. As the horse's leg heals, its caretaker can hand-walk the horse until it is fully recovered. A veterinarian may also recommend physical therapy.

Prevention

Horses are herd animals, but separating two dominant ones will prevent injuries.

Separating horses that fight is a practical solution for preventing wounds and broken bones. Padding a cement stall wall is more cost-effective than treating the horse after it's been injured.

References

• CSU Equine Orthopaedic Research Center: Preventing Lameness in the Horse With Early DiagnosPis
• Penn Veterinary Medicine: Palpate the Hock
• University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine: Robert Jones Bandage
• Robert Barber, DVM; Team Barber, HITS; Ocala, Florida
• CSU Equine Orthopaedic Research Center: Traumatic Joint Injuries and Disease
• Broadstone Equine Insurance: Did You Know? Tips for Handling a Horse on Stall Rest

Resources

• CSU Equine Orthopaedic Research Center: Helping Horses and Humans
• University of Pennsylvania, George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals & New Bolton Center
• Penn Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania