This might include refusing to jump fences, excessive bucking, trying to bite you, or general bad temper. 53 These lesions produce lameness in the horse, and diagnostic arthroscopy may be necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. But it will likely consist of combination of rest, dietary changes, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, intra-articular (arthritic) medications, and oral joint supplements. That’s a lot of success. But don't stress—locked stifles are relatively common.

I mean, almost 90% of the horses were much better three weeks after they were examined. When this happens, its back leg appears to be stuck in extension, often causing alarm. Early signs of osteoarthritis in the equine stifle are most commonly recognized as cartilage damage over the medial femoral condyle, which occurs secondary to joint injury or trauma. Horse working cavaletti exercise to strengthen the stifles and quadriceps. If your horse's hind leg is stuck in an extended position, it may be suffering from a locked stifle. Occasionally, a stifle joint becomes locked due to overstraining or genetic joint problems. How to Treat Locked Stifles in Horses. Stifle disorders are not often recognized in the horse, and because the stifle is a very complex joint, treatment success is not as high as for problems in other joints. You see, after the injections, horses were rested and walked for three weeks before they were re-evaluated.

To tell if your horse needs hock injections, look for changes in behavior that might indicate that your horse has pain in its hock, or hindquarters.

This exercise is also useful for teaching the horse to work off his hind end. Similar to the human knee, a horse's stifle joints are like hinges—some of the largest in a horse's skeletal system. Treatment of Osteochondrosis of the Stifle in Horses The treatment plan recommended by your veterinarian will, of course, depend on the results of the diagnostic portion of the evaluation. But it may not all be due to the joint injections. “When horses get to the upper levels, they often begin to need support in the stifle or sacroiliac joints as well.” The Right Time for Joint Injections According to Swerdlin, he rarely treats a dressage horse with joint injections because of an actual lameness.

Stifle soreness can have a number of causes.