Hi

Rubs and so on are of limited help, but do relieve some of the muscle ache just as they would for people.  A good one to use is blue lotion, or steam-it, or tuttles, but if you use tuttles you must move them, or they can cease up, it give instructions on the bottle.  Deep massage of the stiffle with your hand will help, as I would imagine that it is not just the cords that are hurt, but the muscle as well.  As to the cords, there is the option of cortizone injections, but if you go this route, you must make sure that there is linement on the area for at least 3 days before and 1 week after.  Also if you do this you must move them-- ie walking them and turn out, as it works best if they are not allowed to stiffen up.  For her hock, I have found that biotin (not spelled right I think), suplement helps, as does glucosomin, if your horse has a good stomach as it can annoy a ulcer horse.  Hocks also do well with hock sweats and gentle sweat linement such as furazone (I like the paste better for this than the liquid).  I have never done them, but streatching exciersize might help your mare, you could look these up on the net as well.

I come from a background of standardbreds, and have had horses that have come up very lame with these type of injuries, once from being cast, but usually from injuries on the track.  I have found that stall rest for more than a day or two does not help, easy movement is better, and as soon as possible they should return to low impact work, for some reason the stiffle does better with work than without.  The worst news is that once this area is hurt it is easy for it to be reinjured, so precations must be taken to keep the horse on good footing or to wear some type of shoe that will give the horse traction that it would not otheriwse have barefoot.  IE: corks, calks, toe grab at least on the front, often even though it is the hind end, I will shoe a horse with good grab on front, and light grab behind, usually just a couple of small toe cork, with two light toe corks on front, I am not a fan of cork on a horse that is hurt behind, but in the case of slipping on muddy sufaces and the like I would prefer that the horse had a little cork rather than slip.  The lesser of two evils as it were.

The method if it was one of my stbs, would be to sound the horse (whether I ride or race the horse) up with rubbing and sweating for a week, one week of no linitment, then inject the cords and if the joint was involved the joint, then after a day start walking the horse, and lots of turn out, then as the horse healed jog (ride) it until the horse showed really sound.  I would also not lunge this type of horse or do any tight circles at all as cirlcling, or turning is very hard on the stiffles, and hocks.  I would once the week after injecting was done would go back to rubbing and sweating, continuing this until well after the horse showed sound, as horses are great at hidding lameness, and are usually hurting well after the head nod, or hitch seems to have gone away.

Good luck

Deb McDaid  

You could ask the vet about DMSO and whether it might help. It must be used carefully so get proper advice on it. Do not mix it with the use of any other linament (unless the vet specifically says so). I used it on my own self once (not recommended for human use) when both my knees were completely swollen and stiff. Swelling went down in 15 minutes and no stiffness at all after that, one application. If it doesn't help some after using once, it probably won't do much longer term. Whatever works, of course you still need to do careful but consistent walking exercise with her as suggested above as long as vet says it is okay. it might also help keep her from getting so bored that she overdoes it when turned out. As long as she is in muddy paddock she may not heal very well or re-injure. My guys paddock is like slimy soup when it's muddy and even I can barely keep my footing and muscles tense up even without falling. I spread shavings or anything to get a bit of traction. Watch her weight very carefully. She needs good nutrition, but any extra weight will stress tendons and joints.

She sounds like she needs some chiropractic work and then massage. Also Bowen may help.

http://www.figuerola.net/products/JointSaver-Equine.html

The supplement above is the best. I am on the human version and is has been very helpful as I injured my left knee on December 5 and I was off for 2 months. It healed well and now I am back riding.