Hypermobile horse and what to do

[CanteringCarrot]

There aren't many top horses that aren't either actually hypermobile or showing a significant degree of this type of instability.

Slow work, in hand, and some ridden though personally I think loading with a rider is much more compromise to them than most vets seem to. I don't think hill work is a deal breaker once you're working on and observing posture/TS lift, let him find his own balance with no outline requests...all you can do is give him the tools for success as it were. Also bear in mind that I believe having hypermobility affects not just MSK stuff but organs etc too, so I'd just want to be aware, and broadly on top of, without worrying myself to death.

Yeah, that was my thing, what other things or parts of the body can hypermobility affect? I can think about my own body, but I don't live in my horses body, so I just have to be attentive.

It's been interesting because I haven't made any specific outline requests per say, but he's found a very nice and correct outline. I think that's due to the work done on the ground.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Hypermobile eh? Well he’d be a big hit on the continent if you did want to sell him abroad. So my advice would be to find a track system for him. This does wonders in strengthening and has worked wonders for me. Tbh if I had the space at mine all mine would be on a track system. Then when it comes time to back him the advice from my vet was he will need working properly 6/7 days to build a strong core and again this also works wonders.

He actually is from the continent, so I could just send him back to where he (apparently) belongs

Hard pressed to find a track system at any yard around here. They exist in the USA, but they're rare and not in my area. I do like them though.

I just had another video of a horse out competing at the top levels of dressage that is hypermobile for sure. It was actually a really well done and pleasant test to watch. So I think people are just working with what they've got at all levels until it doesn't work anymore.

I don't support breeding super extravagant movers, especially at the cost of soundness and wellbeing. I'm not sure where it comes from in my horse, tbh. Definitely not mum herself, but her sire is dressage bred, and it could come from dad, but I saw him well over 2 years ago and can't recall. Dad is also in his 20's, so an older horse, but I don't remember anything remarkable (in a negative way) about his confo.

 

[hock]

He actually is from the continent, so I could just send him back to where he (apparently) belongs

Hard pressed to find a track system at any yard around here. They exist in the USA, but they're rare and not in my area. I do like them though.

I just had another video of a horse out competing at the top levels of dressage that is hypermobile for sure. It was actually a really well done and pleasant test to watch. So I think people are just working with what they've got at all levels until it doesn't work anymore.

I don't support breeding super extravagant movers, especially at the cost of soundness and wellbeing. I'm not sure where it comes from in my horse, tbh. Definitely not mum herself, but her sire is dressage bred, and it could come from dad, but I saw him well over 2 years ago and can't recall. Dad is also in his 20's, so an older horse, but I don't remember anything remarkable (in a negative way) about his confo.

Just out of interest what’s the tension like in your youngsters tail? Can you lift the tail easily or is there a lot of resistance?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Just out of interest what’s the tension like in your youngsters tail? Can you lift the tail easily or is there a lot of resistance?

Do you mean lift it upwards? Or pull it to the side like a "tail pull" exercise?

I'll have to check.

He does the tail pull exercises pretty normally, I think. I may have to borrow a friend's horse to compare and contrast now

He doesn't "carry" his tail as much as some other horses while he's moving, but no different to my last PRE, really.

 

[BBP]

Just out of interest what’s the tension like in your youngsters tail? Can you lift the tail easily or is there a lot of resistance?

As one to compare to, BBP had zero resistance in his tail. He could move it and carry it perfectly well, but if you went to try to lift it you could take it straight up to vertical without him clamping it at all. I can’t remember if he was like that as a youngster.

 

[hock]

Do you mean lift it upwards? Or pull it to the side like a "tail pull" exercise?

I'll have to check.

He does the tail pull exercises pretty normally, I think. I may have to borrow a friend's horse to compare and contrast now

He doesn't "carry" his tail as much as some other horses while he's moving, but no different to my last PRE, really.

Mainly move upwards. The natural response is to resist but it’s still moveable.

 

[hock]

As one to compare to, BBP had zero resistance in his tail. He could move it and carry it perfectly well, but if you went to try to lift it you could take it straight up to vertical without him clamping it at all. I can’t remember if he was like that as a youngster.

So this is purely my own research and trial and error but it’s one of the tests I do now when seeing new horses. I’m open minded on it but I suspect it is an indicator of problems. Also my old boy recently had a neck injury which presented as temporary wobblers and the resistance in his tail was zero when usually I struggle to out a tail bandage on him as he clamps so much.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Of course I forgot to do the "tail testing" when I was at the yard tonight

I am quite curious now!

 

[hock]

Of course I forgot to do the "tail testing" when I was at the yard tonight

I am quite curious now!

If you’re anything like me you remember at 3am

 

[nutjob]

Just FYI on tail testing. My wobbler is pretty normal on tail sway test but has almost zero resistance to moving the tail around, although he does have control of it himself.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I've not had any other messages of that sort before, that I can think of. I don't know why this sent people off!

Anyway, I'm just going to try to keep improving other parts of his body in an effort to help the shite parts, really.

It makes them feel all big and powerful hiding behind PM, if they really were Billy Big Spuds they wouldnt need to hide their comments.

From someone who is Hypermobile and having a horse who, while he isnt hypermobile, has very expressive, wiggley, powerful paces that mean if he isnt correctly worked both on the ground/ridden he looses all strength and feels and looks like a wiggly worm carry on what you are doing, keeping the joints and muscles strong is the key.

you have a good head on your shoulders, have more confidence in your knowledge an abilities.

Mine also has a busy brain and gets bored veey easily so our walk rehab had to stop at 30 minutes other wise he found ways to amuse himself

 

[hock]

Just FYI on tail testing. My wobbler is pretty normal on tail sway test but has almost zero resistance to moving the tail around, although he does have control of it himself.

This has been my experience as well. It’s the first thing I test when viewing horses I’ve seen it in youngstock.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Apologies for teaching you to suck eggs but I just got this for a birthday present today so it's fresh in my mind.

The new book by Jec Aristotle Ballou might be of use. I've got their 55 exercises one and it's really handy too. I've only have a few flicks through but this new 33 Workouts books has actual progressive plans and has "check in" points to assess progress. I like things that are slightly more structured so it's appealing to me.

From what I can see it doesn't say anything new and echos most of the sentiments on here re strengthening and work. She actually agrees with 3yr olds doing light work to condition them [if they are level and able etc]. There's a section at the back covering that.

33 Strength and Fitness Workouts for Horses: Practical Conditioning Plans Using Groundwork, Ridden Work, Poles, Hills, and Terrain https://amzn.eu/d/fvj36tO

Just in case it helps

Coming back to this, I did buy the 55 corrective exercises one. Mostly because I wasn't paying attention to which one I was ordering but it is useful. I already do quite a few things in that book. I'm going to buy the 33 exercises one too.

I'm a wee bit less concerned after noticing so many horses on HHO, in real life, and other parts of the internet having substantial drop/flex in their fetlocks. Results seem mixed, but not as disastrous as I anticipated. So that's interesting.

I still haven't lifted his tail because I can't seem to remember when I'm actually by his tail but I will say the posture and strength stuff is so rewarding.

We warmed up on the ground last night with some posture and strength exercises at the walk (this involved a few poles too). I then put him on the longe line to see how his movement was, and it's just so rewarding to watch him stretch on his own and just really work properly. All in just a halter, no "gadgets" forcing a shape of any kind. I walk a lot and keep him at the end of the line, so if we do longe, it's not small circles.

I think many focus so hard on the head/neck and forget the rest of the horse. If you work with the whole body, it all seems to come together on its own.

He also seems to enjoy this stuff too. So we'll just keep on keeping on.