Very Common
Less Common
You also might be observing
Observation
What you see. The starting point for addressing any equine health related issue is your observation.
YOU ARE OBSERVING
Hock Hyper-flexes, Hind Limb Held Up and Flexed Inappropriately.
Summary
Summary
You see a hind leg snap up toward the belly higher and more sharply than normal, and the horse seems to hold it up for a moment before putting it back down — as if the hock "over-flexes" on its own. It can seem spastic, and it often shows up when you ask the horse to back up, turn tightly, pick up a hind foot, or when it first moves off after standing. The movement can look jerky or exaggerated, and some horses tremble in that leg while it is flexed. What you are describing is the movement itself, not a diagnosis — several different conditions can produce it, so the value is in noticing it clearly and getting it looked at.
You see a hind leg snap up toward the belly higher and more sharply than normal, and the horse seems to hold it up for a moment before putting it back down — as if the hock "over-flexes" on its own. It can seem spastic, and it often shows up when you ask the horse to back up, turn tightly, pick up a hind foot, or when it first moves off after standing. The movement can look jerky or exaggerated, and some horses tremble in that leg while it is flexed. What you are describing is the movement itself, not a diagnosis — several different conditions can produce it, so the value is in noticing it clearly and getting it looked at.
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Code Orange
Call Your Vet at Their First Available Office Hours- If this problem seems severe and has come on suddenly.
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Code Yellow
Contact Your Vet at Your Convenience for an Appointment- If this seems to be a slowly changing problem not seeming to cause the horse much difficulty.
your role
What To Do
Watch and note the pattern: which leg or legs, how often, and what brings it on (backing, turning, picking up the foot, cold weather, first steps after rest). A short phone video of the horse backing and turning is worth more to your vet than any description. Warn your farrier — a leg that flies up or is hard to hold can be dangerous to work around. Avoid repeatedly asking the horse to back up, since that is usually the hardest movement and can trigger the episode. Keep the horse moving with turnout and regular light exercise rather than stall confinement, which tends to make these movements worse. Then have your vet examine the horse so the cause can be sorted out.What Not To Do
Don't force the horse to back up over and over to "show" the problem — you risk injury to the horse and to you, and it rarely changes what needs to happen next. Don't assume it is just stubbornness or stiffness that will pass; let your vet decide whether it is mechanical, behavioral, muscular, or neurologic.Don't discipline the horse if you are not sure whether there is a physical problem causing the behavior.
Skills you may need
Procedures that you may need to perform on your horse.
your vet's role
Your vet watches the horse move — walking, turning, backing, and picking up the feet — and does a hands-on and neurologic exam to decide whether this is a muscle, nerve, behavioral or coordination problem. Depending on what they find, they may discuss conditions such as Shivers, stringhalt, EPM, upward fixation of the patella (a different "stuck" pattern, in extension rather than flexion), or a muscle disorder. They will help you decide whether the horse is safe to keep working and whether any tests or treatments make sense.
Diagnoses (differentials): Shivers (record id — Doug confirm); #1178 Stringhalt; #293 EPM; #431 Upward Fixation of the Patella (rule-in/rule-out — opposite mechanism); #347 PSSM (co-occurs in drafts, not causally linked).
Diagnostics: #79 Lameness Exam; #48 Neurologic Examination.
Skills: #146 Perform Whole Horse Exam (WHE).
Diagnoses (differentials): Shivers (record id — Doug confirm); #1178 Stringhalt; #293 EPM; #431 Upward Fixation of the Patella (rule-in/rule-out — opposite mechanism); #347 PSSM (co-occurs in drafts, not causally linked).
Diagnostics: #79 Lameness Exam; #48 Neurologic Examination.
Skills: #146 Perform Whole Horse Exam (WHE).
Questions Your Vet Might Ask:
- Do you notice any lameness?
- When did you first notice this problem?
- Is the problem getting better, staying the same, or worsening?
- Has the problem seemed to worsen over time?
- Do you notice evidence of physical injury, such as hair loss or swelling?
- Is the horse kept on pasture?
- What breed is the horse?
- Is one hind limb affected, or are both affected?
- What are the results of the Whole Horse Exam (WHE)?
- Do you think the horse's attitude and appetite are normal?
- What makes the problem worse: backing, turning tightly, lifting leg?
Diagnoses Your Vet May Consider
The cause of the problem. These are conditions or ailments that are the cause of the observations you make.
Treatments Your Vet May Recommend
A way to resolve the condition or diagnosis. Resolving the underlying cause or treating the signs of disease (symptomatic treatment)
Very Common
