Popping sound

[spots n splashes]

I recently started hearing a popping sound in my weanling's back leg. It doesn't pop everytime he walks but I am concerned it will get worse. What can I do about it and why does it happen?

 

[Minimor]

The popping noise is most likely in his hock, but almost certainly originates in the stifle. It is something to do with the ligament (or tendon?) that runs down from stifle to hock--but don't ask me to be specific about what catches on what and then releases to make that popping sound. While it is related to the stifle it won't necessarily mean that your horse will have a problem with locking stifle. Many horses that have popping hocks never have their stifle lock up.

This doesn't seem to cause the horse pain nor even discomfort--though one horse I saw with this condition did have a slight hesitation when bringing the one leg forward--it was as if the tendon caught briefly and the leg couldn't move quite right until it popped free. A horse with an actual locked stifle will be unable to bring his leg forward at all--the stifle locks in the extended position, which also leaves the hock extended--and this IS painful.

You may find that your horse will outgrow the popping hocks--and it's possible that he will always have it. What to do for it--keep his feet well trimmed. Do not let the hind feet get overly long, and when trimming the hind feet it helps to roll the toes a little bit. Easier breakover seems to let the horse move without popping. I trim feet for a few other people now, and one horse that I trim will get popping quite bad if his feet get long. As soon as he gets trimmed he stops popping, and as long as his feet are trimmed often enough (say every 6 weeks as opposed to being left for 3 months!) the popping does not return.

 

[Connie Ballard]

We took a horse to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY (well known for their expertise in legs) had an Equine Orthopedic Surgeon xray a horse that had a hesitation in his left hind leg. He did a tendon split (up/down cut) in tendon to tighten the tendon so it would not 'catch' It is called upward fixation of the patella. The tendon catches instead of rolling smoothly over the patella.

My horse didnt make a popping noise, but have seen it in horses over the years. I asked the Orthopedic Surgeon about it and he said it is often just AIR in the joint, not harmful or painful.

Told him that when we trimmed the horse (heel down, toe off...squared slightly)...the popping goes away. He said that was good.

So that was the ortho's opinion on both a horse with hesitation and a horse that pops. Felt it was good info to share.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Yep thats his stifle popping. It may get better or it may get worse. Just keep his back feet well trimmed, no long toes, and just keep a eye out for it. It it gets really bad to the point his leg will lock up you can do surgery on him.

 

[spots n splashes]

Thank you all for the reply. His feet do need trimming so I am hoping it will go away after the first trim. I purchased him from a breeder and I am not sure if he ever had his feet trimmed before. I just noticed the popping sound about 2 days ago. Would it be safe to give him a supplement for joints or should I just wait and see if it gets better.

Connie Ballard-the information was interesting so thank you for sharing that with me. Hope his won't result in having to have a surgery though. I'm planning on taking him to Nationals!! Thanks again everyone.

 

[Connie Ballard]

I tried supplements with my horse, didnt see any difference...in the one that popped and the one with upward fixation of the patella. The Orth at Rood and Riddle said doesnt hurt to try supplements, but after 30 days you must ask yourself an honest question, do you see any difference? I did not see any difference in either case with supplements.

 

[MindyLee]

My filly outgrew this BUT a vet recommened if she did'nt... I could have it blistered for aprox $200-$250 to correct the issue. You may want to ask your vet about that route too.

 

[spots n splashes]

I guess I'll first see what my vet says before going for supplements. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Ellen]

Have you had the stifles xrays and evaluated?

 

[spots n splashes]

No I haven't. The vet is due to come out sometime in August to give the weanlings their shots. I will ask her about it then. It doesn't pop all the time so it's probably nothing to big to worry about, but being fairly new to minis I got worried. None of our other mini horses had it before and I don't know much about it so I figured I would get some information on here. Which I did. Now I guess I leave it to the vet.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Another thing to add is let the horse have plenty of room to exercise. If they do it themselves the better. The worse thing you can do to a horse with stifle problems is to keep them locked up. But no added stess like alot of roundpenning or lounging.

 

[spots n splashes]

Another thing to add is let the horse have plenty of room to exercise. If they do it themselves the better. The worse thing you can do to a horse with stifle problems is to keep them locked up. But no added stess like alot of roundpenning or lounging.

He is out every morning until about 8 pm every day. He doesn't really exercise much on his own though because it's between 90-100 degrees here. We stall our babies at night (because of the coyote problem) but thats the only time he is locked up. I can't work him in the round pen because he is a weanling. I started teaching him to walk beside a golf cart though, but just for a short period at a time.

 

[wildoak]

I had a gelding who popped quite audibly, was better after trimming but always came back. I had his stifles xrayed and found they were perfect (vet's words

). He said "he's a 2 yr old and will outgrow it". He was still popping at 3 when I sold him, but he's driving now and seems to have no problem with it.

Jan