# "Drop Hip"



## tubbydolly (Feb 4, 2014)

At my barn we have a horse that the BO says has a "drop hip". Is there anything that can be done for that? His walk has gotten a lot better then when I first came to the barn but you can still see a slight limp. She said he can't be ridden. So I was just curious. Has anyone ever had a horse with this?


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Dropped Hip/Hunter's Bump | TheHorse.com

Pretty much said what I thought.. "uh what??"

lol. Sounds like the horse just has some sort of long term lameness. What can be done depends on what the lameness is. I guess it's good it's improving on it's own??

Sounds like something that needs a vet and an actual diagnosis.


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## SpicedGold (Aug 2, 2011)

At the stables where I board we have a horse with a dropped hip. Apparently its usually caused by high impact to the hip (she was a rescue.)

She still moves as though she is lame, but there is no pain, and that is just how she moves. Its called mechanical lameness, I think?

She's sound to ride though (cleared by the vet) although her gait is always a bit off. One thing I remembered when I was doing a bit of reading up on it was that dropped hip is often spotted by chiropractors, not vets.

I don't know if that's true, but it might be something to keep in mind.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I have a young horse that has a dropped hip, no need for a chiropractor its pretty easy to spot. 

He is 4 this year and in the process of being broken in. I have no idea when he did it but it must have been some time ago. It doesn't bother him at all though in a circle with the dropped hip on the inside he can have a slightly odd stride. 

I only plan to use him for trail ride as he has numerous faults. He isn't bothered by anything but I'll have to see how hard he can be pushed without over doing it.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

A "dropped hip" meant one of two things back in my day. Either the horse had broken pelvis that has rotated out of place.. so one hip is prominent and the other is much less so because the break has allowed the pelvis to rotate (I actually had a dairy cow with this issue and I sent her to auction b4 she became a down cow). This situation is serious and usually does not self rectify though it may stablize. The animal may go down. 

The other reason for a dropped hip is that the wing of the illium has been broken. This most often happens as a horse rushes through a barn door, knocking into the wing and breaking it. 

While both situations can heal and the horse can be OK on pasture, unless the horse is a valuable breeding animal (and if a stallion the first situation may not allow him to mount.. and if a mare the first situation may not allow her to deliver a foal) my inclination would be to put the animal down. The broken wing of the illium may allow the animal to be riding sound.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

My father had a little mare about ten years ago who broke off the point of her hip running fast between two trees in a paddock. She was leaning when she went around that tree, and crack! It's a really, really painful injury when it first happens. After a few months she felt better. She wasn't lame from it, but always asymmetrical. Nice little mare to ride and drive. Unfortunately died of twisted bowel a few years later. :-(


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## tubbydolly (Feb 4, 2014)

I am told this is a really old injury. He is not in pain. Just has a weird step. I am thinking he could be used as an occasional trail horse if the rides are long and pretty flat. He is also 25yo so he is getting up there. I just feel like he is so board just sitting in a field doing nothing with very little attention cause he is "useless". He is a sweet heart and I always visit him bring him treat and brush him, but I just feel like he has more life in him and its said that he is just sitting.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

While a mechanical lameness (lame, but not due to pain) still isn't good due to the extra stress it puts on the body, I don't see why the horses couldn't be used as an occasional trail horse.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

If he has grass or hay and buddies he probably does not mind in the least.


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