Q: I’ve been told my horse has a curb on his hock. What does this mean?

A: A curb on a horse’s hock is a form of soft tissue swelling or thickening that appears just below the point of the hock, at the back of the leg.

It’s usually caused by strain or injury to the plantar tarsal ligament (sometimes called the long plantar ligament) or to other soft tissues in that region, and the result is a distinct bulge or enlargement on the back of the hock, most noticeable when viewed from the side.

Curbs are generally the result of excessive strain from sudden exertion, slipping, or kicking out; poor conformation, especially sickle hocks (overly angled hocks), which put more pressure on the ligament; or repeated hard work in young, unconditioned horses.

A curb appears as a visible thickening or swelling at the back of the hock, and in some cases, when the injury is fresh, the horse may have pain in the region or be lame. Over time, many curbs become cosmetic blemishes with no impact on soundness.

Cold therapy, rest, and anti-inflammatories can help in the acute phase; however, in most horses, once the inflammation subsides, a curb is more of a cosmetic issue than a performance-limiting condition. Long-term, horses with curbs often return to full work, though the swelling may remain visible.