Advice on toughening up horse

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millytilly

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Hi everyone I have a lovely event mare but I have been told to toughen her legs up because she soon goes sore in front and has thrown a splint

What's the best way to do this?

Trotting on roads, all road work?

Any suggestions welcome?
 
You need to strike the right balance between toughening up and actually doing more harm than good. A basic component of your fitness should be that she has done some decent amount of road work (usually at the start of any programme). This would involve walking and trotting on the roads to harden the legs. Personally most of my work is done in walk with some trotting up hills as too much roadwork can cause concussion.

When you say she goes sore in front is this feet or something else. It may need further investigation and you may always need to be careful in the work you do with her and the ground you compete and work in.
 
I don't think you can 'toughen up' her legs. She has developed a splint probably due to concussion so the more roadwork you do, the more chance you have of making it worse/throwing another!
I rarely trot on the roads and only ever uphill.
If she has just developed the splint, I would be resting her, especially if she is 'sore in front'
 
She developed the splint beginning of season so was turned away all summer, she has been to the vet and checked over and said eventing her on the hard has made her a little sore in front,

Might try some pads in front and maybe a devils claw like sup?????

Just stick to sensible fattening work on rds?
 
millytilly said:
She developed the splint beginning of season so was turned away all summer, she has been to the vet and checked over and said eventing her on the hard has made her a little sore in front,

Might try some pads in front and maybe a devils claw like sup?????

Just stick to sensible fattening work on rds?
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If she had all summer off then why would she be sore from eventing on the hard ground?
I would talk to your vet again , there must be a reason why she is still sore in front especially if she has been rested.
Does she have very flat feet? If so, maybe pads might help but talk to your farrier.
I wouldn't feed a supplement until i knew what was going on!
Hope you get to the bottom of it
 
If she is fairly young it may well be that it will improve with maturity. Walking on roads and trotting steadily on firm tracks rather than tarmac, a little to start and gradually building up. Many horses change their action on roads to protect themselves and feel secure from slipping and that can cause problems in itself. Firm tracks don't jar as much as tarmac and are not as slippery so the horse moves with more confidence.
Having said that, some horses can't cope with hard ground whatever preparation you give them.
 
Thanks oldvic the mare is sound but just wanting any tips on preventing what happened this year from happening again.

She is 7 but 17hh tb a real pointer stamp not the most hardy !!
 
oldvic said:
. Many horses change their action on roads to protect themselves and feel secure from slipping and that can cause problems in itself. Firm tracks don't jar as much as tarmac and are not as slippery so the horse moves with more confidence.
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I find road nails make a big difference in this respect, not sure how much difference if would make for the OP's horse, but my boy is def a lot happier on tarmac with them.
 
As a human suffering from shin splints, repeatedly trotting on the roads is about the worst thing you can do!

I'd say, if she has a predisposition for splints then you just have to manage the condition - it is difficult to 'harden' her bones such that she will never get a splint again!

Top tips
- keep her shoeing/trimming extremely regular so her feet are always in the correct balance.
- walk on roads, only trot when necessary
- plenty of turn out so she's mobile and limber
- lots of breaks in her work, so her limbs don't get over tired, then are more prone to injury

hope that helps!
 
I would add that post-exercise care is also really important. Be rigorous about cold-hosing and using ice-cool after any exercise on hard/firm ground including your hill work. Don't overdo it - little and often and keeping a very close eye on her legs is much better than once a week heavy sessions. You should also talk to your farrier and get his input/help on the right shoeing.
 
There's no such thing as hardening the legs!! Most of the development occurs before they're even broken. The concussion actually does more harm than good.
The 6 week rule for hardening legs is just a big fat fad!
 
Surely Spider, it's possible to condition the tendons and ligaments for work? As for bone loading, are humans not advised to do weight-bearing exercise, even after achieving skeletal maturity, to ward off osteoporosis?
 
loobylu said:
Surely Spider, it's possible to condition the tendons and ligaments for work? As for bone loading, are humans not advised to do weight-bearing exercise, even after achieving skeletal maturity, to ward off osteoporosis?
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But how? They say it increases bone density? Uhhh well actually, bone mineral content plateus at 3 yo and can not be increase through repetitive concussion (?!).. and the tendons and ligs... how is repetitive concussion supposed to 'condition' them? You can't!
Yes, through fittening and training the horses you will improven muscle which in turn stabalises the limbs and joints more effectively.
Will find some scientific journals, be right back...
 
So through being 'stabilised' the horse is therefore made tougher than its unfit equal?
Perhaps the issue is with the terminology? I think of a 'hard' horse as opposed to a 'soft' horse, not sure this means that I'd expect the fit horse to be 'harder' if dissected?
Would also put that roadwork doesn't have to be on tarmac in my eyes- it's the firm, level surface which is important in preventing injury through the pulling/twisting forces the limbs would be subjected to on wet or deep going.
 
Do you know why she threw the splint? Seven is quite old to have one appear simply from concussion rather than a blow or an imbalance. I know it does happen but it's hard to tell without knowing/seeing the horse to know if there is something else going on which might NOT respond well to more work on hard(ish) ground, especially in light of her other "soreness". What other factors might be in play? What is her conformation like? Is she straight and well built in front? Is there any reason she might be loading one leg more than the other or her front end more than she should? What other footing does she work on regularly? The sort of strain injuries that cause splints aren't necessarily just from hard ground.

As above, you aren't going to do much for her actual bones. Horses can't really get out of weight bearing (without dying ;) ) in the way that people do, unless they are very confined. But yes, a gradual, well thought out fitness program is only going to help her, along with good farrier work and general good management.
 
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