Bringing an old horse back into work after two years, tips?

[applestroodle]

My old retired event horse who is 18 has been galloping around the field recently turning himself inside out, so im thinking of maybe bringing him back into light work.

He was retired about three years ago due to arthritis in his joints, I evented him to novice level and show jumped him to newcomers. He never went lame just stiff and never stopped but just lost performance and thats why I took for a full work up. Lots of x rays later confirmed arthritis in most of his joints, he was 15 at the time and taken me through pony club etc so I didn’t feel he owed me much. At the time I decided to retire him but after his antics the last couple of weeks, this includes escaping and galloping around a golf course with my other horse I am thinking maybe the couple of years of rest has done him good.

Before anyone shouts me down I am fully aware the arthritis will never get better etc, he has a home for life with me and I don’t want him any pain and will do the best for him.

Anyway was bored at home today and it was to windy to go competing I decided to tack him up, have been pondering with the idea all week, i walked him around a bit and jumped on, just walked around my little indoor for 5 mins but he loved it, ears pricked and very forward.
So basically does anyone have any advice on where I go from here, I realise its going to take a long time to build him back up and I would like to do slowly to make sure he can cope with it. My problem is he hasn’t a shoes on for at least three years and I don’t want to put any on until I know for sure that he can take ridden work, feel it would be cruel to put on and take off so quickly but this leaves us unable to walk out hacking, he have stoney tracks and roads. Do have a little indoor but conscious of not doing circles yet.

This is a bit a Saturday night ramble but any advice, work plans, thoughts, own stories much appreciated. Thank you

 

[jaquelin]

Why not bring him back into work? I believe as with humans horses can take AISIDs ( bute?) to keep inflamation under control. Work him slowly to the level he is comfortable with.
I would put shoes on him as it will be difficult to really bring him on without. Good luck!

 

[foxy1]

Is he footy without the shoes? I (and so do lots of other people) do lots of work on roads and stoney tracks without shoes. His feet can be got fit at the same time as the rest of him.

You need to get him up from work the old fashioned way; 4-6 weeks walk work before you start trotting.

A good book is called "Getting horses fit" available from amazon

 

[shelbug]

Am watching this with interest as will be bringing my mare back into work soon after two years off due to an injury, then being 'in foal' (me not her!).
Ditto the walk work for at least four weeks before introducing small amounts of trot and eventually building this up. From what I've been told the best (and old fashioned) way is miles and miles of hacking/ roadwork ;-) so would def put some shoes on him

Good luck, hope it all goes well!

 

[applestroodle]

Thank you everyone for your advice, I was just watching him trotting aound the field at the moment so yesterdays 10 min walk around the school did no harm!!

He is footy on loose stones and gravel, fine in the field, i will maybe just spend a couple of weeks walking around the school till i know for definite its worth while putting shoes on, maybe go for front ones first of all.

Here is a photo of him yesterday if this works:

http://en-gb.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2258679781022&set=t.507448310&type=1&theater

and back in his eventing days!

 

[millimoo]

Thanks for this post... I too am about to embark on bringing my mums old Dressage horse into work - he will be 18 next spring.
He was in a terrible trailer accident 5 yrs ago sustaining a bad stifle injury which took 6 months to close. He returned to full work 12 months after the event, but the meantime mum bought another horse.
He has therefore only be ridden on and off over the years due to time constraints, work commitments, rider injuries etc.
He is just full of himself and needs to work, so I am going to start him off again - he's not been sat on for 18 months, although is sound.
I shall be keeping an eye on this thread, but will commence at a walk in the meantime
Just trying to convince mum he doesn't need lots of lunging before I sit on him... Although prepared to concede lunging in tack for a couple of days

 

[Silmarillion]

Can I join the club?! Mine isn't quite as old as yours, she will be 16 when she gets sat on again in March (not enough light for me to ride over winter, no school or electric, so am waiting until clocks change) but she hasn't been sat on in two years and she was always completely insane before...

I have the Getting Horses Fit book, and also another one (can't remember the name) which is more about rehab from injury, but both are interesting reads. I have six months to read them and devise a plan, I suppose! The more walk the better though, I find - my last horse had every winter off, was turning 15 (at least) last time I got her fit, and had an old, bad tendon injury. I walked for six weeks, for AGES, and by the time I got to six weeks she was telling me she was ready to trot. She was plenty fit enough to trot for ages, once she'd walked for that long!

Time and patience, as with all "older" horses, I think

And post progress reports and pics!