Re: RC: Re: Cowhocked Horse

[DVeritas@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/01 1:42:24 PM Mountain Standard Time, suendavid@worldnet.att.net writes:


>  The
> conclusion was that cow hocks didn't seem to be a significant detriment even
> in the Olympic calibre horses.
>
> Couldn't tell you how relevant this is to endurance horses.


The only thing I would add is, watch the hock as the horse "unloads" the leg and pushes forward.  Is there: 1) no lateral movement of the hock, (2) a little lateral movement of the hock, or (3) a lot of lateral movement (i.e., the hock actually moves left to right, right to left as the horse unloads the leg and pushes forward. 
    A rear leg of proper length and hock of proper angle will have no lateral "give" as the horse moves forward.  The hock will move only in the manner the mechanism was intended in a properly conformed horse.
    If there is lateral movement, proper training (strengthening and flexing) of the hock can help, unless the lateral movement is too great.  THEN, the weakness will present as lower back pain (sacro/lumbar area), sore stifle area, or sore hocks.
    Seems in an endurance horse, this particular physical anomaly (lateral movement in the hocks) could be something to consider.
    Some folks have taken a horse with this problem and inflicted "trailers" on the rear hooves....in an endurance horse, the stifling of the natural limb alignment and respective mechanical response of the hock, "trailers" can spell disaster.
     Good luck.
        Frank.