Best thing to lunge with for an SI problem?

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BritishEquestrian

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Hi

I have a pony who is coming back from an SI joint injury, I am going to do a month or so lunging in recommendation from the vets.

I was just wondering anyone who had any experience bringing a horse back from SI joint problems and what would be best to lunge in? Side reins or what? Ideally I would like to keep it simple and not sure on using things like pessoa's etc.

Any other advice on rehabbing would be great :)

Thank you!
 
My physio recommended a roller with a stretchy tail bandage tied from one D ring, round the hindquarters, under the tail to the other D ring. Nothing attached to the head/mouth at all. the idea is that the bandage makes the horse more aware of that muscle group as they will be able to feel the resistance in the bandage and thus will work that muscle group a little harder. Because its not attached to anything at the front it can't cause and mouth socking or jarring. I lunge mine in just a headcollar. This has worked very well for my horse who has chronic SI issues. Also very simple and cheap!
 
Hi

Did your vets recommend using gadgets? Is it to get his backside muscles up? Or to make him stretch down.

I had a horse with an SI injury - I'm afraid lunging just made him worse. We were rehabbing for mild kissing spine, and were supposed to be working long and low. We didn't know about the SI injury at that time. I lunged for 6 weeks in an EquiAmi and he just hated it - now we know it was because it hurt him to try and use his back end. He was better in a chambon but instead of improving his back end, it just gave him huge shoulders where he hauled himself along. In hindsight, we would have been better off long reining for that period of time.

I wouldn't wish to argue with your vet, but suggest that any gadgets would be a bad idea. If the lunging is necessary, could you find an instructor who can help you get the horse going in the most efficient natural outline? Raised pole work?
 
Personally I'd spend £45 and get an ACPAT registered physio to look at your horse. They can offer you a number of exercises to do with the horse in line with the vets recommendations and will be able to advise about lunging too and what (if any) type of lunging 'aids' might help your horse with his particular problem.

I know a brilliant one in the Midlands I can recommend if that is the area you are near.
 
Recently also had a horse with sacroiliac problems vet advised for horse not to work on the lunge at all unless only walked I long reined and just rode lightly until she built her self back up and remembered that she was no longer in pain
 
Have you looked up straightness training? I'm doing in hand work with my boy to make him step properly through and in a straight line hopefully! Lunging just makes him fall through his shoulders. I would think the only thing would be lunge with 2 reins, but then it depends on your SI issue.
 
stencilface said:
Have you looked up straightness training? I'm doing in hand work with my boy to make him step properly through and in a straight line hopefully! Lunging just makes him fall through his shoulders. I would think the only thing would be lunge with 2 reins, but then it depends on your SI issue.
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This ;)
 
We have been working with the vet and his instructions were to lunge and hand walk but was keen on the lunging aspect, he recommended the equiband but I'm not sure said horse would tolerate it. Ideally I wouldn't lunge with anything but she tends to get a little nosey and look around, therefore I just want something to keep her a little straighter hence will probably use side reins just didn't want to make matters worse.

We do have a physio, but vet has recommended we keep it simple and at this point do not need it and should keep it relatively simple.
 
When I was rehabbing my horse after ks surgery I used nothing except the pole exercises the physio gave me to get the effect we needed .
He wore a mickelm bridle with the line attached to the nose ring .
I tried a tail bandage but he's a horse with his bum well under him naturally so it really was not useful .
 
So BE, just so you know straightness training is hand walking but with engagement and bend and generally working correctly. It is something very much worth reading up on and going to watch a clinic if you can.
 
I really wouldn't use side reins, and from experience unless you're incredibly good at lunging its hard to spot if they're not just cheating and falling through a shoulder or crossing over behind when they shouldn't be. I can make my horse go in 'lovely' circles around me in a controlled way, but whether I'm good at lunging is another matter!
 
ester said:
So BE, just so you know straightness training is hand walking but with engagement and bend and generally working correctly. It is something very much worth reading up on and going to watch a clinic if you can.
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Yes I know that, hadn't thought of it and may be worth looking into, I was more replying to the other suggestions above as hadn't originally seen yours!
 
That's ok, I am just aware that a lot of people haven't heard of it and the name doesn't really say what it is, given that for the most part it isn't about being straight but bending correctly and evenly ;). There is an ST UK page and an events page. there are certainly a few people with SI and KS horses on the UK page that have seen good results.
 
HeresHoping said:
Hi

Did your vets recommend using gadgets? Is it to get his backside muscles up? Or to make him stretch down.

I had a horse with an SI injury - I'm afraid lunging just made him worse. We were rehabbing for mild kissing spine, and were supposed to be working long and low. We didn't know about the SI injury at that time. I lunged for 6 weeks in an EquiAmi and he just hated it - now we know it was because it hurt him to try and use his back end. He was better in a chambon but instead of improving his back end, it just gave him huge shoulders where he hauled himself along. In hindsight, we would have been better off long reining for that period of time.

I wouldn't wish to argue with your vet, but suggest that any gadgets would be a bad idea. If the lunging is necessary, could you find an instructor who can help you get the horse going in the most efficient natural outline? Raised pole work?
Click to expand...

Agree, for my SI rehab I wasn't advised to use gadgets (don't like them anyway).
My physio suggested pole work after a few weeks, just stepping over raised poles, gradually building up.
In the end both physio and vet agreed that working in the school wasn't helping at all and we ended up long reining on the road.
We are now back in full work and her canter (which is where I really noticed the problem) feels much better.
 
Contradicts your vet but my vets said no lunging or circle work at all, they wanted all straight line work lots of walk and then building up trot by 5 mins a week til he was up to 30mins trot across an hours work. Then canter out hacking in straight lines. Only then bringing in laps of arena and then large circles. I still haven't started small circle work but we have been somewhat disrupted with various other issues, ulcers etc. Pleased to say he is feeling fantastic at the moment though, 18 months after initial diagnosis, he's hopped a few small XC jumps, done some trec and is back to loving life. I do live in constant fear of breaking him again though!
 
stencilface said:
Have you looked up straightness training? I'm doing in hand work with my boy to make him step properly through and in a straight line hopefully! Lunging just makes him fall through his shoulders. I would think the only thing would be lunge with 2 reins, but then it depends on your SI issue.
Click to expand...

Another endorsement of the above - ST is based on classical principles, very close to what I do with PK, if not identical. Look up Simon Visconte Cocozza who also uses classical methods specifically for rehab.

A good book on lunging, if you really want to do that, is Karl Schoneich "straightening the crooked Horse" - an absolute must.

I feel that soon you will join the many who enjoy lunging as the work of art it really is :)
 
I agree with everhopeful and Applecart. Also other posts have excellent advice. My vet practice stated no lunging and recommended ACPAT physio. Have excellent one. Vet, farrier and physio all work together to make sure my horse has an excellent life. Straight line work at first then consistency, regular work, no periods off work. We work on building her core and keeping her moving well.
 
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