fusing hocks

[DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]

Once again I turn to Ridecamp for help with this mare.  Fog is a 6 yr old. 
Anglo-Arab, and has been diagnosed by one vet with a stifle problem (lay her 
off for 60 days or take her to WSU or Goldendale) and by another vet after 
the 60+ day layoff with arthritis in the hock joint.  The second vet told me 
last week after X-rays that he could inject cortisone (to relieve pain and 
inflammation and also to help the joint fuse faster) or I could just start 
riding her again, give her bute if she needs it, and it would eventually fuse 
on its own.  

History:  Fog  strained her hock joint as a 2-1/2 yr old, before I started 
her under saddle.  The vet (#1 above) said it was the tendons that ran around 
the hock joint, and just turn her out for the winter.  He didn't seem too 
concerned.  Symptoms: swelling across the front of the joint, very little 
noticeable lameness.  I turned her out, then started her under saddle about 
8-9 months later, very light riding about a hour at a time, mostly walk and 
trot, some beginning dressage training, mostly flat ground, occasional trail 
ride) for the first year as I was riding her mom mostly.  I started 
conditioning her for endurance when she was 5, more miles (up to 10 miles--2 
hours--at a time, more trotting, occasional short periods of cantering-like 
30 sec to 1 minute at a time, maybe 2X in a ride, a little hill work-up at a 
trot, down at a walk) She started getting a bit crabby as we drew closer to 
our first planned LD ride, and then at her last shoeing before the ride, had 
different shoe wear patterns between the two hind shoes.  That was when I 
took her to the first vet, he told me stifle problem and said lay her off.  I 
thought at the time that there was a hock problem, but he is supposed to be a 
very good lameness vet.  Now the second vet, not as experienced but much more 
thorough, says hock, and explains that it is probably at least partly a 
result of the old injury.  

I bred this mare myself, and am just sick that she will not be able to do any 
of the things that she showed talent for as a youngster--endurance, jumping, 
dressage.  

Has anyone had a horse that the hocks fused, either naturally or 
artificially, that went on to do endurance successfully?  (I would have liked 
to do 50's on her for completions, middle of the pack stuff)  She does not 
seem to be in pain, but sometimes (after a turnout where she ran a lot) has 
puffiness across the front of the hock.  She runs and bucks and does 
turn-on-the-haunches with the front end in the air at each end of the arena 
when she is turned out to play.   Has anyone had a horse with this diagnosis? 
 How long did it take for the joints to fuse?  Was the horse in a lot of 
pain?  I just don't know what to expect.  

jeri and fog (airborne)