Feeling disheartened - kissing spine rehab progress

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Butterbean

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My horse had surgery for kissing spines at the end of May, since then he has done 8 weeks active walking and I started to lunge him last week, just in walk first and this weekend introducing a little bit of trot.

Today he decided to have a canter instead of trot, went in to right canter and after a couple of strides started having problems and hopping / lifting a hind leg every couple of strides. This was what he was doing pre-surgery and his main symptom / problem which started the whole vet investigation which came up with KS diagnosis after x rays, gamma scan and nerve blocking his back.
He is also doing this when turned out in his small paddock so it wasn't just a one-off.

So now I feel really low as it seems possible that the surgery hasn't helped him.
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Or am I being too hasty - perhaps the whole changing behind / hopping in canter has become so engrained in his mind that it will take a lot of lunging & physio to help show him that it doesn't hurt any more?

Any thoughts or experiences welcome.

thanks
 
When I got back on after Norm's Op he was still not wanting to go forwards and bucking in the school, but fine hacking. We kept at it and by building time in the school up slowly along with plenty of hacking and he eventually learnt to go forwards and stop bucking (well, he might have the odd naughty one now and then!) and I think he just remembered the pain. I don't have any experience of this hopping or changing though I'm afraid.

ETA: I didn't own Norm when he had the op, my friend, his breeder, still had him and I was away at uni when she did the lunge work with him so can't quite remember what he was like then. He also had his op in May and I got on him at the beginning of the following November.
 
He must be worked through it. Are you lunging with a Pessoa? If not then it must be on. They are nasty things I know, but they are crucial for these horses. Also crucial is plenty of H wave therapy to keep the muscles soft and working. ( even if the physio doesnt think so, H wave is a must have !! )
I would also combine the lunge work with lots of longreining in draw reins.
 
Thanks, he isn't in a pessoa yet as I wanted to get him into the lunging gently so only side reins & now a Harbridge so far. I think I am probably too soft with him, I know I have to work him hard but at the same time worry about doing too much.
 
Hi, please don't worry, your horse has had years of being uncomfortable so it will take a while for him to understand he can change his way of going, you are only in your first week of groundwork, he has had years of practice of holding himself incorrectly, just remember the positive bits so far, he is at this stage because of everything you have done, this is the hard bit, getting them to learn to relax and not rush. Ryan was a nightmare, he used to run away from pain before it happened and then get all tangled up, horribly disunited and emergency stop!

For me the key was to really work on changing the speed in walk and halt to get him listening and go for short trots. The second you feel him start to increase pace in the trot put him back to walk, slow him right down to almost a halt and then ask for the trot, he will have to work harder to get the impulsion to move up a pace when he is going so slowly and that should take a little of the steam out of him.

I personally don't lunge for exactly this reason, I find I am much more in control long lining and the horse has a better chance of being balanced as he is being aided from both sides if that makes sense. They are so much more able to rush off and hollow on the lunge it makes it much harder for you.

If you are happy to use the pessoa (I couldn't on Ryan as he freaked out so had to invent another way to get the long and low) then start loosely and gradually tighten up once he gets used to the feel, he needs to works correctly from behind, it sounds as though he is hopping because he is so busy running off that he unbalances himself and panicks and goes in to his old habits. Am happy for you to pm me if you want some ideas, Ryan was a pickle too for the 1st wk or so legs were more in the air than on the ground and he is doing great now
 
My boy had KS surgery two and a half years ago and when he came back into work he was not a happy chap and refused to go forward, he then decided to try to sever his leg, (for a change of direction with the vets bills) so was off work again and two months ago after finally persuading the vet he was still not happy he had his back medicated and we've been improving everyday but its been a slow slow process.
I think its important to take every horse as an individual and what works for one may not for another.
My boy just went mad with a passoa on and I had no sense from him what so ever so like BethH I improvised with a bungee, but after all the trouble we had he is finally happy to reach down and forward with me on board but still trots like a giraffe. I think the canter is also a tad of learned behaviour so just stick with it kid we're all behind you and wishing you every success!!!
 
Hi Squirtly, really pleased to hear you're back on board, have lots of fingers crossed for you that all goes well and your vet bill days are finally over!
 
Thank you everyone, yes I am feeling more positive, at least determined to do everything I can for him and give him the best possible chance for recovery. Have physio booked and instructor is giving me a long reining lesson, so I;ll be able to do that as well as lunge.

PS LOL at Squirtlys_mum and the "change of direction" in vets bills - have just had 4 vet visits over the past couple of weeks to treat injuries sustained when B decided walking was FAR too boring and galloping / falling over was much more fun. So I know how you feel!
 
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