Best way of bringing horse back into work after injury??

Hels_Bells

Hels_Bells

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Remy went lame last week with a swollen fetlock. As yet not 100% sure of the cause, it could be just a sprain or more serious, but vet has suggested I give him a week off on bute then bring him back into work gradually starting off 3 days of walk in the first week.

Before the injury, having had a winter break, I had done lots of walk work then gradually brought in and built up trotting and some little canters and gridwork/schooling up to about 30 minutes. So he was in about week 6/7 of work with an aim to be doing our first BE90 of the season in mid may.

So I'm wondering where I should take it from the 3 days a week of walk the vet suggested? I tried to get more specific information from the vet but he was a bit vague!!! Should I do the 3 day week; then a 4 day walk week; 5 days walk week 3; 6 days walk week 4 then start to bring in a small amount of trot work and carry on from there? In other people's opinion is that too much too soon or a bit over-cautious??

The plan from the vet's perspective is to bring him back to work and if he goes lame again to take x-rays etc to try to find the problem. (Praying so hard it's "just a sprain"!!!)
 
Had same thing 3 weeks ago swollen fetlock turned out to be small nick in leg that was showing sign of mud fever and lameness was bruise on frog which farrier found trimming.When my old horse had tendon injury his recovery was based on similiar 6 week fittening programme so I dont feel you are overdoing it.I was told to avoid deep surfaces for sprains or tendon injury.Good luck hope you find out what is causing lameness.
 
My horse chipped his navicular bone so after remedial shoeing our vet said to bring him in slowly but didnt really specify either :/ so we started with walking for 15mins 4-5 times a week for 2 weeks then on the third week 15 mins walk and a few trots on each rein, by week 3 he was doing 10 mins walk and 10-15 mins trot ... by the end of week 3 he was starting canter work ... didnt start jumping until bout week 7
 
Thanks Cellie and Nicole - so glad to hear both of your problems were sorted out fairly promptly. Given mine's only had a week off he could probably do quite a bit "in himself" but obviously we don't want to put too much stress on the injury whatever it may be. Do you think if I started mine on 30/45 mins walk it would be too much??
 
I would probably start with less - just 15/20 mins a day & see how he copes. Build that back up over the week & play it by ear. If all seems ok then crack on. But I would take it easy to start with.
 
Thanks doris2008 - I will definitely do that then! The one thing we have on our side is plenty of time so there's no need to rush him will def take it super easy to start.

thanks everyone, huge help. xx
 
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