Sore Back
Girthy, cold-backed, hollow when you ask for round, flinching when you brush the loin.
Read more → Horse Care
Sore Hocks
Short behind, reluctant to stop, fussy in the turns. Hocks are the first thing most performance riders learn to watch, and the first joint we learned to support.
First, know what you are looking at
Heat, filling, a horse that is consistently short behind or resists collection: these are reasons to have your veterinarian look at the hocks before you reach for a product. Recovery gear is for maintenance and support on a horse your vet has already looked at, not a substitute for the exam.
What we put on hocks
Two tools, used differently. Back on Track Royal Padded Hock Boots Deluxe are shaped to the joint and built for overnight wear, with Welltex fabric designed to reflect the horse's own warmth back to the area. XLR8 Redlight Hock Wraps are a cordless 15 to 20 minute session before or after work, delivering red and near-infrared light to the joint; XLR8 lists arthritis in aged horses and fusing hocks among their uses. Both go on a cool, dry leg.
The routine around them
Cool the hind legs after work, especially after stops. Walk out properly. Keep turnout in the program; standing in a stall is hard on hocks. For the inside, talk to your vet, then ask us about CEP Revamp and the Magic Trio for a horse in regular work.
CEP supplements are ordered by phone so we can match the program to your horse: 720-504-5536. See the full CEP line.
Questions we get a lot
Can I use hock boots and red light hock wraps on the same horse?
Yes, at different times: red light as a short targeted session, hock boots for overnight. Introduce each gradually and follow the manufacturer's directions.
How long should a horse wear Back on Track hock boots?
Back on Track recommends introducing the product gradually over the first days and then building up to longer wear. Follow the directions that come with the boots.
Will hock boots fix a horse that is lame behind?
No. Lameness is a veterinary issue. Recovery gear supports a horse your vet has evaluated; it does not diagnose or treat the cause.
Talk to a rider. Text or call 720-504-5536 with your horse's age, workload and what you are seeing. We will tell you what we would use and what is on the shelf.
This page is general horsemanship from our own barn plus the manufacturers' product information. It is not veterinary advice. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Work with your veterinarian and check your association's rules on gear and supplements.
More horse care
Other things riders ask about
Tendons & Suspensories
Soft tissue is slow to heal and quick to re-injure.
Read more →Hauling & Trailer Stress
A horse standing in a trailer for six hours is working: bracing, balancing, not drinking enough, sometimes not eating.
Read more →Ulcer-Prone Horses
Girthy, picky, dull coat, cranky under saddle: a lot of performance horses live with stomach trouble.
Read more →Breathing & Dusty Arenas
Indoor arenas, dry pens, hay in a closed trailer: a performance horse's airway takes a beating before it ever makes a run.
Read more →Fly Season
Stomping all day wears feet, splits hooves and sours attitudes.
Read more →