My horse has hock arthritis after i ride her should i use hot or cold treatment?

Question

my horse has hock arthritis, so her bones need to fuse. my vet said i should continue to ride her. after i ride i want to either ice or heat her hock. but i dont know weather i should use cold or hot treatment and for how long? i have also been looking at magnetic hock wraps( if you have ever tried using magnetic therapy on your horse please let me know your results) ?????

Answer 1

In chronic arthritis the inflammation is not a part of the healing process as it is with an acute injury, so the treatment is different.  The inflammation actually contributes to furthering the degeneration of joint tissues and making the problem worse.  Heat is usually used, since it brings more blood flow to the joint which helps to maintain the healthy tissue, and carry away byproducts of inflammation.  Alternating hot and cold is usually reserved for acute cases, as when an injury occurs...unles there is new info that I am not aware of.  Again, chronic arthritis is treated differently than acute arthritis.

If your horse had just injured the hock, alternating cold and heat would be advised.

Magnets also increase blood flow to the joint, so they are beneficial.

Answer 2

I am around jumpers and dressage horses all the time that have the problem that you are refering to. The best thing that I think you can do the hock magnetic wraps, this will increase blood circulation flow to the area that is being affected helping to stop damage. I have had jumpers with bowed tendons this has helped, because it keeps swelling way down. What I would HIGHLY! reccomend is getting you horses Hocks Injected with somekind of Hyaluronic Acid injection. Legend and Adequan works wonders for some of my friends jumpers that have this and it can injected directly into the hock, but you need to get them once about every two months or so depending on the severity of the case. I would do this because it will cause instant relief to your horse as long as they are on it. You can also try cold hosing it and bute to help relieve swelling, I know that they make hock ice wraps and they help as well, you can leave them on for 15-20 mins at a time. I hope that all of this information helps you!

Answer 3

my old mare has hock arthritis! it took me a year to get her right. I used hot treatment and water therapy. I bought vet ice wraps, and soacked the im hot water, then put them on the hock and bandages over it for half hour. The water treatment, was in the form of a big boot, fed by warm water from a machine. It was expensive but worth it (i got it half price as the son on the yard were i work is an expert at it). You can choose hot or cold water with this. Its like having your leg emerged in a spa bath, with the water jets on certain points. I also used magnets. She had magnetic hock boots, which helped with the circulation. i also made sure her hock was bandaged up when she was in the stable if it was cold, which kept her more comfortable. Magnets really did work on her, and i would use them on other horses. good luck.

Answer 4

If she's inflamed then cold, if stiff then hot.

You could also try healing crystals. I know it sounds bizar but worth a go... Crysocola is very good for Arthritis.

You can make an elixir and use the water for washing the hock or put a good sized chunk in her water bucket, or even put a piece on her bridle. I have been making them for clients of late. Where are you. I can make your horse one if you like?

Answer 5

I recently read in a magazine that alternating hot and cold treatments works very well. I have not tried this but a study has proved it!

Answer 6

my hubby just mentioned that you could put bengay on the hocks and wrap it before  you ride. And put some more on after you ride and rewrap it.

Answer 7

I have had wonderful results using this product for arthritis.

http://www.lubrisyn.com/how/

Answer 8

Use heat.  Cold is for reducing swelling and inflammation.  Heat will enhance circulation and healing.  Try to do about 1/2 hour of therapy.  I've never tried magnets.

Answer 9

hot for sure cold is more for stinging pains and burns hot is for muscles and aches

Answer 10

You could use a liniment...... It works like Icy Hot  (pretty sure that would be ok to use aswell