Bringing a 5year old back into work after injury.

[HayleyUK]

I'm looking for some words of wisdom and advice if anyone could offer any please.

I bought C last october, as a pretty much unknown, from a performance pony sale. She's nicely bred, pretty, and just seemed green but seemed fairly willing. She was an impulse purchase.

I didn't do much with her over winter- as she was fairly underdeveloped for a 4 year old who was approaching 5 - just concentrated on getting to know her and figuring her out as she seemed quiet sharp/fizzy.

She went lame in Feb, and it turned out to be a build up of scar tissue on the DDFT in the carpal region (just behind the knee) with a secondary issue of kissing spines (T15-18) which physio believed was a result of her compensating for the lameness pain.

She had a period of box rest, which she found frustrating, progressed to small paddock turn out and then was discharged from Leahurst with instructions to bring back into work gently in just W&T and get my usual vet to review in 6 weeks.

Physio gave us a plan of longlining over poles, hacking (which is difficult due to dark evenings and her minor dislike of traffic) and minimal school work.

So, I'm here with a weak, underdeveloped, immature 5 year old who isn't really confident in being worked as I think she expects it to hurt.

Her main issues are, she needs to learn to trust my hand and to accept a contact - she'll work long and low in walk, but trot results in a head in the air, tense and anxious pony. She also desperately needs to build some topline and muscle to support her with the work.

Generally, she's a stressy type but seems to respond to work fairly positively and seems keen and willing.

Of course, I'll work with my vet/physio/trainer, but wondered how other people would approach this situation and if anyone had any advice, exercises or support to offer!

Thanks

 

[Welshie Dressage]

I had similar issue last spring, four year old recovering from stifle surgery. Was advised to hack in straight lines and avoid working on a turn all the time. I had a couple of lessons and trainer suggested using the school but avoiding small circles and lateral work. Instead used long sides, three quarter lines, long diagonals linked by firm corners rather than circle type things. She also suggested raised trotting poles. All of this has really worked and he is now much stronger, and sound. Just started adding in some leg yielding in walk. As far as contact goes, there is a really good training download from iride training called something like making the right connection, I used it a lot with a stroppy youngster last year, as when I listened to it while riding it helped keep me focussed and not get cross. Hope this helps...

 

[TarrSteps]

I would involve your whole support team in your plan and be REALLY honest about what is possible in your specific situation.

I do a lot of this sort of work and quite often find people have been told they 'must do x' or 'only do y' by their vet/physio when, in reality, their circumstances do not allow them do do it safely and in a way that will benefit the big picture. Your vet/physio will give you their best 'blue sky' advice - it's not really their job to put it into context. And, quite often, if you say, 'I'm sorry, that's not possible' they will simply say, 'Oh, okay, try this instead.'

Can you have a sit down with your trainer and make a plan? I like to start with an optimum program and then tinker as the horse gives us input, starts to improve etc. So, for instance, with a green horse coming back from a black injury, we might combine long lining/longeing, some in hand work and riding in the school initially. Initially 'hack' days could be in hand if the horse is green to hack, to avoid training challenges that might compromise the horse physically, and so it's a 'quick' day the owner can get done before the light goes. Likewise, initially trot might be mostly on long lining days, building up to more under saddle. What, exactly, gets done on the riding days depends on the rider's skill as much as the horse. Pole work gets added in as the horse gets stronger, starting on non ridden days then building up.

So a sample plan to start might be a long lining day, a ridden in walk day, a lead out in hand, a day off, repeat. A few weeks in the balance will shift to more ridden work, with the in hand incorporating poles. I still do non-ridden days though. If the horse shows signs of not coping or takes a step back, we back up the work. If the owner is doing the bulk of the work I will usually ride the horse at increasingly larger intervals to make sure it still feels okay and to provide an objective assessment. Physio/vet assessments will be fit in on whatever schedule they need to be done.

This does not have to be rigid - things like life, weather etc have to be factored in. If we're getting the right number of each 'days' in each couple of weeks, that's fine.

I avoid any situation where I think I might have to do more with the horse than I want - competitions, sponsored rides etc. If the horse seems to be struggling or has a blip I just back up until we're comfortable and go from there again.

Specific work depends on the individual, of course. Lots of stretching, lots of breaks on both a long and loose rein, everything as calm as possible.

 

[TarrSteps]

Just to add, I would do the unridden work NOT of the bit. If I could source a proper bitless bridle (my preference is a sidepull/lindel) I would probably do at least some of the ridden work that way, too. This is, in my experience, one of the easiest ways to address top line development with a horse with contact issues. As the way of going improves and the horse gets fitter/healthier you can then start to ride it forward to the hand. It's important to avoid as much as possible the the short neck/inverted/stressy way of going horses can get into when they hurt.

 

[HayleyUK]

Thanks - I'll definitely try the download training app thing, sounds like it'll be similar to my security blanket of having someone stand in the arena whilst I ride a 20m circle round them. Odd what a difference it makes!

Tarr Steps - I'm taking my other pony up to my trainers on 28th, so will definitely speak with her then and get some advice. The plan from my physio goes a bit like this:

*1 day in the arena if its not too deep - 20min max, doing walk work and 2 laps of trot on each rein as a maximum.
*2/3 times a week long line on a firm surface over poles in various different layouts to strengthen the back/encourage stretching (works out about 20 mins work)
*2/3 times a week 30/40 mins hacking out in walk with a bit of trot

We were boxing up to hack to a bridle path locally, but now the nights are drawing in, I may have to 'hack' around the yard in walk. The longlining I've been doing in the arena, as YO didn't want me putting poles all over the yard. So already making the adjustments you've said may be possible I guess.

She is mega comfortable with stretching down and out in walk, but I ask for trot and get tense, head up, pinging around choppy trot - the total opposite of what I'm getting in walk so suspect that the back is still factor weather that be remembered or actual pain (?)

You're absolutely right, her default is to shorten the neck, regardless of the situation which obviously doesn't help the KS.

If I'm honest, I feel a little bit out of my depth with her - as she's my 1st youngster and the 1st serious rehab I've ever done so it is all a bit daunting hence relying so much on the advice of my support team.

I'm debating suggesting to the vet that I'm not convinced the back is problem free - as Leahurst focused mainly on the tendon and didn't really treat the KS. It seems pointless pushing on until everyone is as certain they can be that tendon and KS are in the best state possible, which, at this point - I'm not actually sure I am convinced.

 

[TarrSteps]

If you feel it's germane, why would you not discuss it? In the short term you could look at some pain relief in order to facilitate proper work - this is a cornerstone of modern physio in people and dogs but seems to have become even less popular in horses, perhaps because of the food chain issue. Worth a conversation though.

Is she better in the trot without the rider?

The problem is, as you say, of
If she goes like a wizzy banana then she WILL be sore, regardless of what else may or may not be going on. Even if you get the back pain free you will need to do some re-education.

Has anyone else had a sit on her? It can be helpful just to get another opinion.

 

[HayleyUK]

No one else has sat on her, as being honest, there isn't anyone on my yard I'd want to sit on her and we travel to my trainer. (are you likely to be in Cheshire any time soon? )

Funnily enough, I did wonder about a bute trial or looking into steroid injections to see if there was an improvement but feel it is a balance between pain/discomfort and needing to be reeducated as she went like this when we first got her and with some work did start to play ball but then broke!

She does it regardless of rider - but thats just her I think - her 1st trot on the lunge as I remember was always a bit explosive with a tendency to buck/get a bit excitable and she does throw her head up if I trot in longlines but will soften her neck if I allow the trot to come very slow and quiet (which makes me think its a balance/lack of muscle babyish issue as well).

Very complex creatures these TBx mares!!!