Can a Horse With Hock Problems Be Jumped?

Jumping is one of the most strenuous activities that riders ask their horses to compete in. Horses that jump regularly put a significant amount of strain on their legs and joints, especially the hocks. Whether or not a horse with hock problems can be used for jumping depends on the severity of the hock problems, the long-term prognosis of the hock injury and the extent of the jumping activities.

  1. Hock Injuries and Problems

    • The hock is the large, bending joint in the middle of your horse's back legs. The hock functions similarly to a knee. Common hock injuries include bone chips and arthritis that sets into the joint after years of use and strain. If a horse has been jumped extensively during its lifetime or was jumped at a very early age before its leg bones had finished developing, severe arthritis may set into the hocks and cause the horse to become significantly unsound. Bone chips are often the results of falls or accidents, such as a direct kick by another horse. Capped hocks occur when the injured joint becomes fused.

    Severity of Hock Problems

    • Hock problems can range from relatively minor to severe enough to make the horse lame on a regular basis. A hock problem may show itself as a slight stiffness in the joint, an unwillingness to fully extend or put weight on the joint, a full-blown lameness issue or it may not have any visible symptoms at all until put under significant stress. If you notice that your horse seems to have a hock issue, first contact your veterinarian for a full evaluation. Discuss your horse's treatment plan and future options with your vet. Hock injections and supplements can make a big difference for some horses, noticeably extending their competition careers.

    To Jump or Not to Jump?

    • If your horse is regularly lame just from walking around and performing basic activities in the pasture, then jumping is probably completely out of the question. You should never attempt to ask a lame or borderline lame horse to jump anything, regardless of size. If your horse appears sound, you may want to try jumping some low obstacles and seeing how the hock reacts; if your horse stays sound you can continue gradually increasing its jumping workload. If your horse becomes unsound during jumping work or seems to be in pain and reluctant to jump, you should not continue to ask the horse to perform the tasks. Instead consult your veterinarian about treatment options.

    Other Factors

    • The height of the jumps and the frequency at which you ask your horse to jump will both play a part in whether or not you will be able to jump your horse without aggravating its hock problems. Going over a handful of low jumps once in a while will not put the same strain on a horse's legs as jumping an entire course of three-foot-tall jumps on a daily basis. To minimize the risk of harming your horse, vary its work so that your riding activities do not put constant strain on the hocks. Remember that if your horse does not have good hock conformation to start with, you will have more problems than if the hock is physically correct.