Fittening after 6 months box rest.

[jrp204]

Daughters horse has just done 6 moths box rest followed by 5 weeks turned away. She was diagnosed with 'ongoing lameness and swelling inner aspect roughening over medial aspect tarsal bones and ultrasound evidence of strain of medial collat. lig. Prescribed box rest and a course of Adequan.
She is looking well and appears sound ATM (fingers crossed) we've never had a horse in this situation before, she has ridden her today, 20 minutes walking along the tramlines of the corn fields (ours) and then went and let her walk, rather deeply in the sea for 10 mins. How would you go about bringing her back to fitness with the aim of some BE90's later in the season?

 

[be positive]

If you do plenty of walking at this stage you will, or should be rewarded by the horse having every chance of coming back to full work and more importantly remaining sound. I would do as you have today, relaxed but active walking, gradually increasing over the next month until she is doing 1- 11/2 hours daily, walking in the sea will be ideal to make her use herself without any concussion.
After about 4-6 weeks start to introduce short trots on a good level surface, again increase gradually after another 4 weeks cantering can start plus some schooling if all is going well, you should be ready to start serious work and competing after approximately 12 weeks.

I am just starting this plan with one of mine that has had 3 months box rest and 4 weeks out, without the luxury of the beach to ride on, his first ride was also today.

 

[jrp204]

It is only a little beach! 150yds across but is only down the hill so if the tides in it is ideal for a bit of hydrotherapy!

 

[Firewell]

I agree with BP. I'd start with 6 weeks walking and build up from that. 12 weeks in total sounds about right. Good luck!

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Sarnie did 8 weeks roadwork after a similar time in the box with gradual build in time, in amount of hills and trot work. then took another 6 weeks introducing schooling very gradually. I have to say with her it has taken 6 months for her to feel back to herself.

 

[jrp204]

Thanks all, very keen to do it properly, she has spent too long cooped up to undo all the good by being hasty.

 

[star]

Monty had a really minor strain to his DDFT last year. He had 9weeks box rest followed by ridden walking starting with 30mins once daily for 3wks then gradually building up to 90mins over the following 8wks before starting trotting at 30secs and gradually building to 20mins over the next 8weeks then cantering. He did very little work in the school until he was cantering. He wasn't allowed to gallop or jump until another 2mths after he started cantering so basically 6mths after coming back into work. It was a seriously long slow road for a horse who wasn't even lame to start with but tendons aren't to be messed with and DDFT's heal notoriously slowly so I didn't want to rush it then regret it. He did the injury last May and did BE90 at Tweseldown in March. Typically now after a fabulous first event he has done something to his foot and is lame so we're now missing yet more events. 6mths is a lot of box rest - I would be doing an awful lot of walking before considering upping the work. They lose an amazing amount of muscle cooped up for that long.