Horse Question

[Barnyard]

Someone is giving away a little Sorrel Filly. I have been talking back and fourth through email with the owner..... so she tells me this morning that the horse is cow-hocked/ sickle hocked. I was wondering if anybody on BYC had any experiance with this? Could you tell me a little more about it?

 

[bethinoklahoma]

I do not... I do know that it depends on how bad it is.... Have you seen for yourself yet ? Try and get some video and try again with that in hand....
Good Luck... free maybe a red flag...;o) but maybe not right now as horse's seem to still be on the lower side.

 

[Barnyard]

I have not seen her yet, but the owner told me I could come and see her for my self anytime I am ready. I did respond to her last email and ask how bad it is, so maybe she will be honest enough to tell me the truth. She did atleast tell me upfront that she is cowhocked..... I was also thinking that "free" doesn't alway's mean Healthy.....

 

[Cara]

It depends on the degree of the problem. Quarter horses have a tendency towards being slightly cow hocked and it doesn't usually affect them if it's mild. Slightly cow-hocked horses might not be suited to very demanding athletic sports, as they typically have more difficulty turning or stopping quickly, and uneven pressure on their hocks may give them problems with time. A severely cow hocked horse will have soundness issues and may be unrideable.

If it's a free filly and they thought it important to mention, it probably is a more serious case, ie. a companion horse/pasture pal rather than a riding horse.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Honestly, free isn't always terrible either. It seriously depends on how badly cow-hocked she is. Draft horses for example are "made" that way for more stability and pulling power. As long as it isn't extreme she should be ok, but the extent of it obviously has to be observed first. It also depends on what you want her for. Just simple pleasure riding or high impact? Get some pics and post them, then we can give a good answer

 

[Cara]

How old is the filly? Is she cow hocked or sickle hocked or both?

 

[Barnyard]

I would be getting her just for pleasure riding. Not sure how old she is I am waiting on another email... I will find out though. Cara, she told me that she was cow-hocked.....I was told by someone else that cow hocked and sickle hocked were the same thing....What is the difference??



ETA: Just went back and read through the emails, she is 6 months old.

 

[joedie]

They are not the same thing! Cow hocked is when the hocks are not straight and go towards the middle when looking at them from behind. Sickle hocked is when you look at them from the side and the hock appears to protrude backwards.

 

[Cara]

A sickle-hocked horse has too much angle in the hock. Their leg will often stand directly under their hip. In a cow-hocked horse the hocks point in towards each other when observed from behind. They are quite different, and it is possible to have both problems in one horse (in which case i'd run!).

Sickle hocked:

Cow hocked:

Ideal:

 

[Cara]

Is she's 6 months it's kind of a tough call. Sometimes they outgrow it, but then if it is particularly pronounced at that age it might get worse/stay that way. I guess utlimately it depends on whether you like the filly's personality and want to take the chance. Finding a horse with perfect conformation and a perfect mind is almost impossible. I'd take an ugly horse with a good mind over a pretty one that's rotten, but at the same time you want a horse that is going to stay sound.