Bringing a horse back into work after colic surgery

[beckieswann]

So this Tuesday the vet will be out to assess my horse after his surgery 12 weeks ago. Has anyone got any advise on bringing a horse back into work after surgery? Naturally I will be taking advise from my vet, but looking for other ideas and help as well (I'm so excited to get some normality back for him!)

 

[My bambinos]

After my mare had colic surgery I just took it really slowly and started going for short hacks only for about 15 minutes then increasing it every few days or so when I felt she was upto it.

It takes a long time for them to get their strength back so just take it slow and steady you will know when they are ready and capablefor more

 

[eggs]

Fortunately my 6 year old horse bounced back from colic surgery. Wr followed vet hospital discharge regimen to the letter. After 2 months he was allows turn out and after 3 months we were able to bring him back into work. I basically treated him as I would any horse coming back in to work from a layoff - gently lunged him or a couple of days and then started walk and trot work. He did live our for 20 hours a day, coming in for hay and a feed so he had built up a degree of fitness.

Good luck ith your horse, glad to hear the surgery was successful.

 

[flintfootfilly]

When my pony had a surgical colic last year, I was advised that I could start bringing her back into work 3 months post surgery, all things being equal.

However, in the meantime we had been leading out for 15 minutes twice a day as well as leading out for inhand grazing twice a day, so she was moving around, and calm about being out and about.

I remember reading somewhere (can't find the source at the moment) that the abdominal muscles should have regained around 80% of their strength a year after colic surgery. So I would just bear that in mind with anything you hope to do, and spend plenty of time gradually increasing the duration and intensity of work, and doing plenty of work to help strengthen and supple.

Hope all goes well.

Sarah

 

[vetsbestfriend]

Slow and steady approach. I started off with 10 minutes in the school walking around, gradually building up from there and then 30 minute walk hacks, gradually then introducing trot work in either the school or the hack. After about 2 months progressed to short canters in the school and after about 4 months, jumping small fences. I wanted to give his stomach muscles as much chance as possible to strengthen up gradually. I likened his experience to that of a person who had had a major stomach operation and how much I thought a person could physically cope with post surgery.

Good luck with your horse, and get ready to have the biggest smile on your face after your first post-op ride.

 

[beckieswann]

Thanks guys, I'm so excited cannot wait for him to be normal again!

Why do some vets say 2 months and some say 3 months of box rest? Mines been led out twice a day for grass and thankfully has stayed sane (I'm very lucky!)... Any other advise and experiences?