Any ideas for my mums bad back this winter?

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 December 2008
Messages
1,809
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
Hi, my mum suffers with a very bad back, and the winter is a nightmare for her with our three horses, as she has to bend down to do all their straps up on their rugs, the sursingles give her the most trouble, as she's twisting as she does them up.
Any idea's peeps on how we can keep their rugs on if I take the sursingles off the rugs? Or another way of doing them? (not sure if there is one though!)
 
how about the elasticated surcingles, she would have to bend to bring it from one side to the other but she could do it up round the side rather than underneath if you get my drift. She could bend her knees rather than her back. How about on of those back support belts, they have them quite on offer in Lidl this week I think.
 
The back support seems a good idea, il get her one for xmas!
I thought about a single surcingle but I think she'd be there trying to grab it whilst holding onto it from the top! if you know what i mean!
 
Hi
Do you need to change rugs much.??
Mine are out all day and in at night, they live in their turnout rugs, virtually 24/7. they do have other rugs that get occasionally changed, depending on weather etc. I too have back problem and every thing has to be easy.
 
Agree Prolite back supports are good and the 1000mg of (not sure what) sounds very tempting, but here's an alternative idea - why don't YOU change the rugs & save her back altogether......
 
How calm are your horses?

My friends cob mare can be a bit handy with her back feet when doing up rugs, especially the surcingles. I tie her up and use a small gardening rake (not sharp) to reach under her tummy and pull the surcingle to the side to be done up. Saves me having to reach under her belly and being in firing range!

Would this help save your Mum's back a little?

Failing that I agree with the others, leave them in decent TO rugs which don't need changing.
 
kharber21 said:
Hi, my mum suffers with a very bad back, and the winter is a nightmare for her with our three horses, as she has to bend down to do all their straps up on their rugs, the sursingles give her the most trouble, as she's twisting as she does them up.
Any idea's peeps on how we can keep their rugs on if I take the sursingles off the rugs? Or another way of doing them? (not sure if there is one though!)
Click to expand...

Can you not do them instead of your mum????
 
buy some good dual purpose rugs like FAL or Rambo, no need to change them, they dont rub, dry really quickly, light to handle, horses toasty warm. Saves hours! your mum could try some chiropracting to help with back, and along with exercises to strenghthen should get some relief.
 
I have a neoprene back support, not a prolite, but a cheap one from argos :D just the warmth and having it done up firmly help me a lot. If her knees can take it she should use them instead of twisting, squatting down, getting the strap, standing up then moving across to do it up. As I think you realise, you should never bend and twist at the same time (although we all do it lol!)'

I was going to say about using an old fashioned walking stick with a rounded handle to hook the surcingle might help, but someone already had that idea lol!!!

Then there's cod liver oil and glucosamine!!
 
I have a bad lower back and have much sympathy! For me, being on my knees helps though that's only suitable with a 'safe' horse, and isn't much fun in a messy stable. Prophylactic measures help too, especially when I know my back's going to be worked: deep heat, hot water bottle and ibuprofen literally allow me to move sometimes. The deep heat's great when out and about in winter too as it adds an extra bit of warmth! Ideal world? Mum doesn't do the rugging at all. If you can't, then maybe there's something she could do for someone else so that they'd do the rugs? I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine and all that.
 
Lloyds chemist do a back support thats laden with magnets, and a tens machine, wouldn't be without mine, also don't go man handling heavy wet rugs leave them on, they dry better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top