High severity

Capped hock (Calcaneal bursitis)

A capped hock is a swell of the calcaneal bursa at the point of the hock — often from a knock on a stall wall — not curb (plantar tarsal ligament below the point), not bog spavin (soft tarsocrural effusion), and not bone spavin (lower-hock osteoarthritis). A photograph cannot diagnose a capped hock. A still cannot tell a capped hock from curb, bog spavin, bone spavin, a sprain, or an infected bursa. Diagnosis is a vet exam. The conformation scan is a first look at the point-of-hock swell, not a verdict that your horse has a capped hock, and there is no capped-hock scanner.

Symptoms to watch for

A soft or firm swell right on the point of the hock (the calcaneal bursa), not a firm ridge a few inches below the point and not a soft fluid swell on the front of the hock

Heat, filling, or pain over the point of the hock (an active bursitis), or a cold, long-standing cap that has been there a while

A shorter stride, especially after the horse knocks the hock or turns in a tight stall

Reluctance to flex that hock, land, or work on that limb

Point-of-hock swelling that can look like curb, bog spavin, bone spavin, a sprain, or an infected bursa

Some horses stay even at walk; the first sign is a new swell on the point of the hock after a knock — a reason to book a vet, not a photo verdict

Common causes

Swelling of the calcaneal (subcutaneous) bursa at the point of the hock — a knock on a stall wall, trailer, or kick can precede it
Trauma or repeated pressure at the point of the hock — the history is a clue, not a diagnosis
Not curb (plantar tarsal ligament thickening below the point), not bog spavin (tarsocrural effusion), and not bone spavin (lower-hock osteoarthritis)
Not a sprain, not an infected (septic) bursa, and not a fracture — a still cannot tell a capped hock from those, and those need a vet

Prevention

Pad stall walls and check for sharp edges or low ties that the point of the hock can hit
Give enough stall space and bedding so the horse is less likely to knock the hock when turning or lying down
Watch the point of the hock for a new swell, heat, or a shorter hock stride and rest rather than working through it
Do not treat a photo, a point-of-hock swell, or a scan result as a diagnosis
Conformation photos can help you and the vet look at the point-of-hock swell — they do not confirm or rule out a capped hock, and they cannot tell a capped hock from curb, bog spavin, bone spavin, a sprain, or an infected bursa

What to do

1
Book a vet visit if you find a swell on the point of the hock, heat, or a shorter hock stride. Diagnosis is a vet exam — not a photograph.
2
Stop work. Rest the horse and do not ride through a hot, painful point-of-hock swell hoping it will settle.
3
Photograph the point-of-hock swell in good light and keep it on the horse's record so you and the vet can see change over time — a first look to share, not a diagnosis.
4
Use a conformation scan only as a first look at the point-of-hock swell to share, not as a capped-hock test. There is no capped-hock scanner.
5
If a capped hock (calcaneal bursitis) is confirmed, follow the plan your vet prescribes — that may include rest, drainage, or further imaging. Do not start a treatment protocol from a photo.
6
Keep the vet on the same page. Share what you see; do not treat a photo as a verdict.

When to call the vet

Pick up the phone if…

Schedule a vet visit if you find a swell on the point of the hock, if the swell is hot or painful, if the horse is short on that limb, or if filling appears after a knock. Call sooner if the horse will not bear weight, the limb is suddenly very swollen, or the horse is dull or off feed. A photograph cannot diagnose a capped hock. A still cannot tell a capped hock from curb, bog spavin, bone spavin, a sprain, or an infected bursa. Diagnosis is a vet exam. The conformation scan is a first look at the point-of-hock swell, not a verdict, and there is no capped-hock scanner.

Get a first look at the point-of-hock swell

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Scan conformation

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Educational content only. Not a substitute for veterinary advice.