Re: RC: For Tom - hocks/stifle

[Tivers@aol.com]

<< Tom,
 
 I thought it was for sure a stifle problem, but the vet
 says no. He said that because the "locking" or stiffness in
 the trailer happens when the horse's leg is "under" him instead
 of out behind him, that rules out the stifle and points to 
 the hock. I originally thought
 that falling out behind at the trot was another stifle symptom,
 but I've been told by numerous (supposedly knowledgable) people
 that that's a hock issue too....I'm not 100% convinced that
 it IS hock instead of stifle, but for now I'm at the mercy of a 
 vet's opinion (albeit a respected "lameness" vet, for what 
 that's worth...)
  >>


The hock can't "lock". At least I've never encountered such a thing. Maybe a 
fracture or a severely torn ligament might cause something like that in a 
hock, but I've never seen it. On the other hand, there are several ways you 
can get a locking effect from a stifle--or even a hip joint.

ti