Exercises to help strengthen the stifle area?

[Lucy_Ally]

My horse has had a fairly easy winter, working a couple of times a week at most, so is not very fit.

The physio commented that she is quite weak in her stifle, I am trying to hack as much as possible, but are there any specific exercises that would help to strengthen this area?

Thanks!

 

[Montyforever]

Hill work, lunging, pole work ect
My pony had a slipping stifle last year after box rest and it took months to get her right

 

[LaurenBay]

My Horse is having the exact same problem. So I do the following excercies with her and its helping loads:


Roadwork, if you do trot make sure its a nice steady trot.
Hill work, walk and trot
Raised poles
Carrot stretches
Nose to tail stretches

If she is weaker on one side then the other (like mine) then I also do the following:

Zig zag up and down hills (forces them to use all their muscles as they are shifting weight constantly when they are balancing)
Stand to the side and gently pull the tail toward the weaker side. You will be able to see the muscles flex. Do this 10 times 3 times a day and you will see a difference.

Good luck.

 

[aran]

raised poles - lots
in straight lines and also on circles - getting her to bring the back leg up and under
she'll love it (hopefully not too much though and jump the lot )
also lots of long-low active walking and trotting esp out hacking

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Thank you!
We have some fairly decent hills on our hacks so that should help (like the zig zag idea - her left side is weaker).
She loves pole work, so will introduce raised poles too, which I think will help to cheer her up in the school!!

She had a silly do and fell and twisted, after vet assessment and bute she has improved. The physio found some tight muscles in her pelvis and lumber spine and released them today. As usual, she was a drama queen about it!! But hopefully she will be feeling better and we can crack on with the fittening programme.

 

[LaurenBay]

Hopefully she will be on the mend soon. I still like to do the zig zagging up and down the hills. I have to do it round the housing estate though and often get asked if me or my Horse are drunk! Hehe must look very strange.