Hints and tips - exercise/work for arthritic horse please?

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smokeyjo

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My boy Smokey (20) was diagnosed with arthritis of both coffin joints in front (low ringbone) a few months ago. Vet treatment has been brilliant (especially steroid injections) and he is def sound when trotted up for vet.

Trouble is I am so scared of breaking him again that in the school I let him just sort of bumble around. He is an 'on the forehand' sort of boy, and I used to do loads of transitions eg walk/canter. Don't dare now.

As well as that, when hacking his canter is now often really short and flat - sort of disunited if you know what I mean. Seems OK when going up hill though.

Amazingly I don't know anyone else with an arthritic ned like mine, so any hints and tips from you guys on schooling and hacking would be so helpful.

I know you'll all be really busy over the Bank Hols, so even one line replies will be very gratefully received. Jo x
 
Not really sure how useful I will be as a comparison.... but, Merlin (9) has very bad arthritis of the fetlock (hind) and the initial prognosis was to be able to walk in straight lines!!!

18 months on, after deciding it was make or break, he has been seen by the vet (this morning) who cannot believe that he is not only sound, but being ridden normally, well as normally as I can ride
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Walk-gallop and jumping etc. The only thing we dont do is school..... 1. I dont have one and 2. I hate it and 3. He probably would break then!!!
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He is on a joint suppliment though, but no pain meds.

Sometimes you just have to see what happens. In my case I thought that I could spend the next 10 + years bumbling around when in reality he could do more, so went for it, and glad that i did
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Thanks Mq. Lovely to hear your story. Smokey is on 1 x bute per day but the vet would like us to cut down when I feel able to (it's a bit of a comfort blanket at the mo). If you don't mind me asking, what supplement is your boy on? JoX
 
My oldster (24) is arthritic in his back legs and we just go for gentle hacks now. He goes short when going down the slightest incline but I will have a little canter if it's uphill. I find doing leg yields while out hacking supples him up a bit. He's on Danilon every other day and I give him Extraflex (can't remember who makes it)
Some days I think he's going to snap in two and other days he goes on like a 4 year old! I just let him go at his pace really and I never push him. He lives out 24/7 and I think this helps him. He stiffens up if he has to stand in too long.
I hope things work out with Smokey, he can probably do more than you think he can, but I can understand you treating him with 'kid gloves' because I'm exactly the same.
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my 19 year old arthritic 17.3hh ex hunt service horse sounds just like sunnymanes. some days he's fresh out of the box like a 4 year old with everything working well, others I think , ' oh this must be the start of the end', only for him to perk up literally the next day.

We don't school, just hack and do fun rides. We probably hunt about 6-8 times during the winter (he forget he's arthritic when he hears the hunt horn!).

We jump but not over 3ft and only when the going is soft. I also avoid long trots on the road. he has Buteless (equineAmerica) everyday and I have just started him on a mix of herbs thanks to fantastic advice from Barefoot Basics, (crushed linseed, nettle, hawthorn and magnesium).

During the winter he comes in at night, so I pop on magnetic bell boots for the night and this winter he's had rubber matting which has made one hell of a difference to him.

The more he's ridden the better he is. 4 rides a week seem to keep him tickety boo!
 
No more bumbling! Mooching around on the forehand puts more stress on his feet - that's why he feels better when going up hill. I would carry on doing your transition work, but stay off small circles. If your school is banked up around the edges stay off the track. When hacking, try and stay on level ground, ride in the middle of the road (not if there's a bus coming tho
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) as the camber on the road will aggravate things. Don't trot / canter on hard ground, and as you have found yourself, a slight incline is best.

Good luck with your boy - do you have him on a glucosamine based supplement as this may help as would a natural anti inflammatory such as devils claw.
 
He is on Easyjoint by Equiform Nutrition
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Good luck with your horsey..... its worth trying this.... if you need a contact then google the name and you will get your local person!!

Kizzywizz on here is an agent too, so can tell you loads about it
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Hi, join the club! My old boy has an arthritic knee as well as hind limb suspensory problems. So it can be a headache keeping him going. He no longer competes but loves being in work. In my day job i am a physio and i know one of the best things for arthritus in humans is gentle exercise. So thats what my boy gets. He is ridden about 4 times per week, when he is in the school we don't do small circles and he can't do medium trot anymore. But i believe to work him in a correct outline minimises stress through his joint. I agree with armchair anaerchist - get him off that forehand! I am also religious about warming up and cooling down properly and make sure he is warm in winter. He is on Cortaflex, cider vinegar and a bute day. I also use magnetic boots on him. Good luck with your boy!
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Thank you all so much for your replies.

Sm, I Will try the leg yielding on hacks - hadn't thought of that. Smokey is actually on Extraflex (Feedmark I think) already so I'm glad you find it good. He has always lived out 24/7 - I agree that it's much better for horses to be constantly on the move if poss as that is what they are designed to do.

B I love the sound of the hunting. Yes, vet said to def avoid trotting on roads and in fact any other hard surfaces + uneven ground. He wears magnetic bands and also has leather pads (and I wonder where all my money goes.......) We do a bit of schooling for suppleness really as I have access to a school with a super surface.

Aa, thank you for your nudge about being on the forehand and how it is affecting him. You have encouraged me to really try and work on it.

F and MJ a few more ideas for me, and re-enforcement of what the others have said. Also some more supplement ideas to think about.

I have owned Smokey since he was 6 and he has been a super boy throughout. I am actually finding it very hard to accept that he isn't 6 any more! However, I owe it to him to do the best now so I am going to print off all the info you have given me and look to the future! Jo X
 
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