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Home / Community home / Equestrian Advice & Guides / Thoroughpins - What Causes The...

Thoroughpins - What Causes Them & How Should They Be Treated

Thoroughpin is a condition in which the tendon that’s located over the hock has swollen. This condition does not cause pain to your horse and generally won’t cause lameness.

In some cases, Thoroughpins are caused by poor conformation in the hock area. It can also be common in young horses who are new to work and horses that carry out heavy duties due to the added pressure and stress placed on their legs.



How can thoroughpins be treated?

It’s important to have a veterinarian examine the swollen area to asses any changes in your horse. It’s also recommended that your vet performs a lameness exam for piece of mind.
Firstly, your vet will need to eliminate any other conditions that tend to cause a swollen hock, for example, bog spavin or capped hock.

X-rays will highlight any changes in your horse’s joints and bones while an ultrasound will show changes in soft tissue areas, being tendons and ligaments.

Typically, no treatment is necessary nor recommended to cure cases of thoroughpins, however, you may need to re-evaluate and adjust your horse’s routine and upkeep. This could include things like trimming/shoeing, arena surfaces, exercise routine and work schedule.

It’s essential to make some changes to these elements, if necessary, to prevent longer lasting problems in the future like arthritis.


Finding the right supplement to aid the inflammation could be useful, but we’d recommend consulting your vet about this first.