# arthritic horse and jumping?



## savannahsharp17 (11 March 2019)

i have a horse who's been recently gotten arthritis, he had a muscle injection to stop the pain and ive just been doing plenty of flat work and what not for the past 2 weeks but i did jumping before, i just wanted to know when or if i could jump him again, the arthritis is only mild but is in his back left hock? he loves jumping and i hate for this to just stop that i use to compete him quite regularly and i just wondered if that was still possible or not  obviously i want whats best for him he is fed on supplements to keep him nice and strong and has regular turn out as well - (in at night out during the day)


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## Tiddlypom (11 March 2019)

What did your vet say?


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## albeg (11 March 2019)

Agree with TP, this is something you need to talk to your vet about.


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## Pearlsasinger (11 March 2019)

I would ask your vet!


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## Equi (11 March 2019)

A lady on a yard i used to be on had a competition mare with arthritis in both hocks. She had them injected and kept up to date with physio and loads of other things all with the mind to keep her sound enough to just hack, but the mare decided otherwise and would regularly drag her into a jump so she did start jumping again. Mare was used to 1.10etc and up, but the owner kept her to as low as the mare would allow her to go without being offended. If she had a off day, the riding stopped and the vet would be out to reassess.


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## Hormonal Filly (12 March 2019)

Ask your vet, they know him best.

My 10yr old has neck arthritis and a tiny bit of arthritis in his left hock. He had steriods 3 months ago and the specialist vet in this area said to build him up and theres no reason he can't go on and do everything he was doing before including jumping. He explained he travels the world (he specializes in internal medicines) reviewing and medicating 4* eventers, horses who have been to the Olympics, British dressage horses competing at the nationals and they still go on and compete after being diagnosed. He explained to me that more horses than you think have arthritis, specially neck related and it can be managed with steriods. Depends on the individual horse I am sure though.


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## SEL (14 March 2019)

Depends on the horse. Mine loved to jump when she was young (& they were tiny) but one of the signs things weren't quite right were the enormous bucks she started throwing on landing and when her hocks were x-rayed they weren't great. Last year the girls had set up some x-poles in the arena, the surface was good, the horse was feeling well and so I thought we'd pop the fence a couple of times. She was up for it, but was sore the next day.


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## hopscotch bandit (14 March 2019)

savannahsharp17 said:



			i have a horse who's been recently gotten arthritis, he had a muscle injection to stop the pain and ive just been doing plenty of flat work and what not for the past 2 weeks but i did jumping before, i just wanted to know when or if i could jump him again, the arthritis is only mild but is in his back left hock? he loves jumping and i hate for this to just stop that i use to compete him quite regularly and i just wondered if that was still possible or not  obviously i want whats best for him he is fed on supplements to keep him nice and strong and has regular turn out as well - (in at night out during the day)
		
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I think your horse would have had a joint injection not a muscle injection. Its normally steroid with Hylauronic Acid which they inject into the joint.  This has an anti inflammatory effect as well as a pain killing effect.  There's no reason why your horse can't jump again and you need to be governed by your horse - you and your vet know him the best, no one else.

But dealing with arthritis isn't just a case of a odd injection here and there and that's the end of the story.  It involves so much more for the entire life span of the horse once diagnosed.  Managing the weight of the horse so that stress is taken off the joints (hard in a good doer I know).  Its riding on a decent surface.  Its warming up and cooling down effectively.  Its stretching the muscles out.  Its remedial shoeing.  Its pain management and sometimes the vet will also suggest giving bute in some cases or an alternative therapy such as Tildren or as last case scenario fusion if the steroid injections don't work..  Its plenty of turnout.  Its also a decent joint supplement. Regular work at a level the horse is capable of and comfortable with.

So you can see there is a lot more involved than a quick jab. It's a huge comittment too.  Good luck.


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## meandmyself (23 April 2019)

You might also get more responses in another forum on here. Hope you get sorted!


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## savannahsharp17 (26 April 2019)

good news guys, he responded great with his medical treatment and is now out jumping and competing, to keep the jumping to a minimal i jump him once a week! so if i have a show at the weekend its not jumping all week just steady flat work and hacking then back to having a play for the day at the weekend


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## savannahsharp17 (26 April 2019)

savannahsharp17 said:



			good news guys, he responded great with his medical treatment and is now out jumping and competing, to keep the jumping to a minimal i jump him once a week! so if i have a show at the weekend its not jumping all week just steady flat work and hacking then back to having a play for the day at the weekend

Click to expand...

he is also now on a steady diet with regular turn out and this is really brought him back into shape being in regular work too


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## Pearlsasinger (26 April 2019)

Regular work is usually beneficial for arthritis.


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