horse coming back into work

EquineGirl00001

EquineGirl00001

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my 9y/o ish is just coming back into work after lameness in her back suspensories and front right. she’s been in work for a little while now and has been given the all the clear to jump in two weeks! naturally she’s quite a stuffy horse when you’re warming up anyway but obviously due to her time off is rather round and very unfit bless her.. does anyone know any ways to sharpen her up a little bit and build her fitness? already doing uphill trots and bits but she’s very uneasy and sometimes dangerous on the roads so school exercises preferred. thanks in advance !!
 
I am gobsmacked that you've been given the OK to jump a very unfit horse, never mind one coming back from lameness in 3 legs. Please don't use jumping to increase her fitness, it needs to be the other way around.

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ycbm said:
I am gobsmacked that you've been given the OK to jump a very unfit horse, never mind one coming back from lameness in 3 legs. Please don't use jumping to increase her fitness, it needs to be the other way around.

.
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So am I, she needs to be fully fit before even considering jumping, any of mine would be doing an hour upwards hacking with long periods of steady trotting and cantering where possible before starting any proper schooling on a surface, the hacking would have built up over 3 months riding 5 days a week, by the end of 3 months working out hacking they will be fit, fairly slim and ready to do some schooling, maybe a month or so later some jumping may be allowed provided the horse seemed to be doing well.

I believe a lot of issues are caused by doing too much in schools, not getting horses genuinely fit for purpose and jumping when they are far too fat, if you want them to stay sound get them out hacking, if they do not hack sensibly that needs to be worked on, there will be a few exceptions but most pleasure horses should be able to hack without too much drama.
 
be positive said:
So am I, she needs to be fully fit before even considering jumping, any of mine would be doing an hour upwards hacking with long periods of steady trotting and cantering where possible before starting any proper schooling on a surface, the hacking would have built up over 3 months riding 5 days a week, by the end of 3 months working out hacking they will be fit, fairly slim and ready to do some schooling, maybe a month or so later some jumping may be allowed provided the horse seemed to be doing well.

I believe a lot of issues are caused by doing too much in schools, not getting horses genuinely fit for purpose and jumping when they are far too fat, if you want them to stay sound get them out hacking, if they do not hack sensibly that needs to be worked on, there will be a few exceptions but most pleasure horses should be able to hack without too much drama.
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i don’t want to jump her unfit, that’s why im asking. she has been in work for some time now, trust me when i say that i wouldn’t do something stupid and detrimental to her rehab such as jumping her when she lacks muscle.
ycbm said:
I am gobsmacked that you've been given the OK to jump a very unfit horse, never mind one coming back from lameness in 3 legs. Please don't use jumping to increase her fitness, it needs to be the other way around.

.
Click to expand...
i don’t want to jump her unfit, that’s why i’ve asked the question above. she has been in work for some time now, trust me when i say that i wouldn’t do something stupid and detrimental to her rehab such as jumping her when she lacks muscle. she’s been in work for some time now and has been given the all clear twice. obviously i understand we have to take it slow
 
be positive said:
So am I, she needs to be fully fit before even considering jumping, any of mine would be doing an hour upwards hacking with long periods of steady trotting and cantering where possible before starting any proper schooling on a surface, the hacking would have built up over 3 months riding 5 days a week, by the end of 3 months working out hacking they will be fit, fairly slim and ready to do some schooling, maybe a month or so later some jumping may be allowed provided the horse seemed to be doing well.

I believe a lot of issues are caused by doing too much in schools, not getting horses genuinely fit for purpose and jumping when they are far too fat, if you want them to stay sound get them out hacking, if they do not hack sensibly that needs to be worked on, there will be a few exceptions but most pleasure horses should be able to hack without too much drama.
Click to expand...
i’ll get someone to come on the ground next to me when we go hacking in the next week or so. she has a lot of blood and gets very feisty and it’s quite difficult as the roads near us can get quite busy!! but you’re right she has to learn so i’ll get her out the next couple of weeks x
 
This book is a good start (its £3 to buy 2nd hand on the buying options bit)

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Getting-...ords=getting+horses+fit&qid=1584864720&sr=8-2

Depending in how long the horse had been off and how fit they were prior to box rest you need to spend at least thr same time again coming back into work.

You mention suspensories but that you've not really hacked. Soft tissue damage is not helped by soft surfaces. Ideally when dealing with soft tissue injuries you ate looking to do work on firm/hard level ground like roads.

I'm not a vet and dont know the diagnosis but see lame in 3 legs mentioned. I'd be guessing at 6wks walk work minimal before trot and that would be building wall work from 10min to 2hrs to build condition and fitness. Prior to trot, working on a surface, lunging or poles/jumping.

Healing time for an acute tendon injury is 2-6wks, subacute 2-4mths, chronic 3-9mths and a tear or rupture is 4-12mths+.

A month of walk (on a surface) and already trotting with aims of jumping in 2wks (6wks total?) doesnt seem to fit with the injuries.

There are a gazillion good books put there about tendon injuries, rehab and fittening. I think them along with the guidance of a good physio would be sensible (someone with a proven track record with rehabs)
 
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That's good you've been given the ok but maybe think long term at preventing injury and work more on fitness and maybe do some light hacking with some hills first?
 
be positive said:
So am I, she needs to be fully fit before even considering jumping, any of mine would be doing an hour upwards hacking with long periods of steady trotting and cantering where possible before starting any proper schooling on a surface, the hacking would have built up over 3 months riding 5 days a week, by the end of 3 months working out hacking they will be fit, fairly slim and ready to do some schooling, maybe a month or so later some jumping may be allowed provided the horse seemed to be doing well.

I believe a lot of issues are caused by doing too much in schools, not getting horses genuinely fit for purpose and jumping when they are far too fat, if you want them to stay sound get them out hacking, if they do not hack sensibly that needs to be worked on, there will be a few exceptions but most pleasure horses should be able to hack without too much drama.
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This^^^
 
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