BRINGING BACK INTO WORK AFTER OP AND 10 MONTHS OFF

[sadowner]

hI

Anyone any ideas please. My horse had fasciotomy and neurectomy last august on both hind suspensories, wasnt much better after op so was put out to grass 24.7. Just bringing back into work and up to 30minutes roadwork at walk after 2 weeks. Dont want to push it though. Does anyone have any opionions on whether to lunge or not to lunge, or to take in rubber school or not. He has good and bad days. Not so good this morning as had to keep in 2 days because of this bad weather but he seems to walk it off. Can be wobbly to begin with (seconds) and walks short for a couple of minutes, bit of stiffness too. Thanks

 

[Merlotmonster]

I would stick to the roads. I wouldnt want to increase it beyond 30 mins for at least another two weeks either and no trotting for at least 6 weeks. If you over do it they could go again and by the sounds of it, doesnt sound 100% yet.Working on the lunge or in sand is quite hard work on the suspensories.
Good luck with it and dont overdo it. My horse had a similar problem and ended up re-doing them. She had another 18 months off after that (sorry dont want to depress you!)

 

[pottamus]

Yes, I would really take you time with this one, even if you have to aim to get your horse working properly over a 6 month period. Stick to the road work for now and only increase it by 5 or 10 mins at a time but I would stick to the 30 mins for a while yet. As has been said, the school work is harder so I would leave that for now and lunging imo is a nightmare anyway...you would be better to long line him.
When you are ready for trot work only increase the speed or distance, never both at the same time in the early days and you will not strain things that way. Good luck. You perhaps could ask your vet for a schedule as most will help out.

 

[star]

definitely no lungeing or school work. take it seriously slowly - i did 3 months of walking with my horse after he got PSD in his right hind suspensory and just had shockwave, no op. we gradually worked up to 90mins roadwork before introducing trotting then did 3 months trotting in straight lines building up to 20mins per session before canter work, again in straight lines before he did any school work. suspensories hate soft going as well, so stick to firm ground. my horse had an op last summer for a different ligament problem and i followed the plan from my vet which was 8wks in-hand walking then 4wks ridden walking then trot work, but he went lame again 6months after the op and i have now turned him away for a year in the vague hope it might help, but seriously not holding my breath as i can see he's still lame in the field. i wish i'd taken things slower.