# Arthritis & Hock Boots



## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

What a long journey to soundness it has been for my horse and I! For those who have seen some of my other recent posts, my mare was diagnosed with mild arthritis in her front fetlocks in 2014, and was also recently re-diagnosed with more moderate arthritis in her hocks in December 2015. What a tough riding life she has had. :sad: Currently, she is being managed with annual injections which do her wonders. She is a show horse, so we get her lubed up at the beginning of every year to keep her comfortable during training.

We recently moved to a new barn where the arena is not heated. On really cold days her hocks can get sticky, though she stays sound. My trainer is suggesting I pick up a pair of Back on Track hock boots to warm up the joints prior to and during riding.

So how do these work, exactly? I've never seen someone use hock boots, so I'm a little lost. Are they neoprene, like SMB boots, to keep the heat in? Do they offer 'support' to the joint as well? I once had to wrap my mare's hocks to treat an injury and she kicked out at them them quite a bit. I'm hoping that she will tolerate them given time, but I don't want to spent $90 on boots that she won't even bother with.

I also hear that hock boots tend to slip and slide down a lot. Is this true? Reading reviews for the Back on Track brand, these seem to be the better ones on the market.

Anyone else use these, specifically for arthritic horses?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Where I worked many years ago we had competition show horses...primarily hunters.
One horse had arthritic hocks and would be "stiff", not sore or lame but just stiff when he first came out of his stall.
In winter it was normally cold and damp conditions... no heat in the indoor and a outside ring used if weather permitted.
This particular horse wore neoprene hock boots to help keep that stiffness away.
They were adjustable Velcro tabs for fitting and did a pretty good job of staying put.
There was some movement but I would be concerned if there was not of to tight a fit and blood flow restriction.
If you really minded the 1/2" or so of drop the boots could get you put standing wraps on and these then would help support those hock boots better....but it really was not necessary.
Now, you refer to using "Back on Track" brand...._they did not exist at the time, period._
We also _never_ turned out nor rode the horse with those boots on ever.
They were for stall use only.
Once preparing to ride if anything the horse got rubbed in with a liniment first then off he went...
This horse was a 3'6" junior rider horse. He did classes at the time referred to as Medal/McClay and USET among others....He jumped normally 3'6" - 4' courses.
In the division our horses competed in they were _*not*_ permitted to be booted {any type} nor polos applied and enter the competition ring. 
So with that in mind we did not school, ride nor condition the horse with something that was not permitted in the show ring and have our horse be at a disadvantage of a body part not conditioned as the rest of the body. _{did that make sense?}
_We/I did on occasion "sweat" the hocks to reduce fluid build-up that could accumulate and to give some added warmth from sweating agents used if he was real stiff.... 
The horse also_* did not *_get his hocks tapped nor injections done...
 
Not sure that helped you.
No experience with the new "Back on Track" product but can vouch for just "plain old neoprene" boots and that they helped that horse in my care.:wink:
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo.._


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

Oh, so they are not for riding in as a rule, or...? I assumed they were like any boot which you put on before riding. I just had the idea to put them on 30 minutes before riding, but then I assumed I was supposed to keep them on.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I don't know anything about "Back on Track" products, their application and how it is recommended they be used...
My experience was with neoprene hock boots, simple plain neoprene materiel.

_*We used the hock boots only in a stall setting. *_
Removed them during the day when the horse was turned out and returned them to being on for the night time hours.
The horse was ridden daily so I normally had to leave them off when I brought him in so he could dry off first and then brush him clean if I wanted to put the things on...so the girl who rode him usually got to him before I did on my return through the barn doing blanket swaps, brushing and such.

To my knowledge, _which is none on this product....._:icon_rolleyes:
I would still say you use them the same way, removed for exercise then reapplied when done riding and putting the horse away. 
I don't know how long they can be left on safely as I don't know anything about the way they are said to work...
:runninghorse2:....


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

WillowNightwind said:


> Oh, so they are not for riding in as a rule, or...? I assumed they were like any boot which you put on before riding. I just had the idea to put them on 30 minutes before riding, but then I assumed I was supposed to keep them on.


*
No. *The BOT hock boots are NOT meant to be ridden in, or have the horse turned out with. They are meant for when the horse is stationary (stalled or tied up). 

I have the BOT quick wraps for all 4 legs for Red (14" on front and 16" on back), along with the hock boots. I love them. I have not yet splurged on a blanket. 












WillowNightwind said:


> So how do these work, exactly?


Take a read on their website. 
How Back on Track Products Work

In a nutshell, the BOT products reflect the body's own heat back on itself, to aid in circulation. 

In my own experiences with BOT, I wasn't sure if they were doing any good or if I had wasted my money. Until .....
I took Red to a big barrel race where he had to be stalled overnight. He lives outside 24/7 and I know he is prone to stocking up when he is stalled. I would hand-walk him every couple hours to help. I put on his BOT wraps while he was in his stall, and when I came back out to walk him again, he wasn't stocked up at all. Took them off, did my hand walking, and put him back in the stall without them. When I came back, stocked up again!

After that, I was a "believer". They do really help increase circulation.

I use them on a regular basis before we make a barrel run, to help him be "warmed up". I do not use them afterward because I want the legs to cool down afterward. 

You start off using them about 15-20 minutes and then slowly increase the wear time. The longest I will leave them on at a time is 3 hours, and that's usually during a trailer ride somewhere. 

While they say you can use them in hot temps, I am cautious to use them when it's over 80*F outside, or use them very sparingly. Even though they don't create heat per se, it's like putting on a thick blanket on your own skin when it's 80 outside. It still just get hot because you have something on your body.



WillowNightwind said:


> Do they offer 'support' to the joint as well?


No, they do not offer support. 



WillowNightwind said:


> I once had to wrap my mare's hocks to treat an injury and she kicked out at them them quite a bit.


Red took some getting used to them too. I find it made the transition easier for him by putting ONE hock boot on, walking him around with it for a minute. Then put the other one, walk him around for a minute. Then tie him up while they "do their magic". He's used to them now and doesn't have a problem with them.

For what you are wanting to use them for (helping your horse loosen up), I think they would work really well. 

Some people swear by PHT magnetic products (leg wraps and hock boots .... also NOT meant to be ridden with) but I personally did not notice any results with them. They are a completely different technology than BOT. You can't really compare the two because they aren't the same.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

I love my back on track hock boots! I will use them before and after hard work or if it's cold out. I also will turn out in them for a couple hours at a time with no issues. If they slip down, you should put a standing wrap on the hind legs so they can't slip. I've never had to, but I also don't use them over night when my horse lays down. 

I also have the standing wraps and I find the legs to be super tight (in a good way!) after she wears them, more so than just with a regular standing wrap.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

My mare also wears them for trailering, especially if I'm planning to hop right on her.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

beau159 said:


> *
> No. *The BOT hock boots are NOT meant to be ridden in, or have the horse turned out with. They are meant for when the horse is stationary (stalled or tied up).


:lol: See, this is why I asked you guys first. I probably would have ended up in the dirt if I'd ridden in them.

I _just _picked up a pair! We'll see how tomorrow goes.


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