Joint care of the competion horse (any level) - H&H article

[TPO]

Did anyone read the "Joint Care Round Table" feature in last week's Horse and Hound magazine (9 Jan)?

I've read it about three times and am nodding away like a Churchill dog!

It's a discussion with Simon Curtis (farrier), Andy Bathe (vet at Rossdales), Richard Davidson, William & Pippa Funnell, Karn Coumbe (Vet at Bell Equine), Jaki Bell & Lucy Higginson from H&H and Catherine Dunnett (independent nutritionist).

My perception from the article is the lack of knowledge, time, care/inclination and support (to answer questions/advise) is having a big impact on horsecare with a loss of proper horsemanship. People aren't noticing things until it's too late.

Horses aren't fit, suppled and/or symetrical enough in themselves. This is having an obvious impact.

Owners want answers now with diagnosis and treatments. Not enough time is given and turning away is often dismissed in favour of "sexier" treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Obviously that's just what I've taken from it but others will have a different take. I don't know if there is a way to link to the article if anyone missed the issue.

What do you do to keep your horse fit, sound and healthy? Do people honestly check legs daily? How thorough are we?

I know I'm often (always!) looked upon as some sort of OCD freak as I check legs twice daily, massage, saddle check and call in others (e.g. physio) when required. According to just about everyone I've been on livery with this is unnecessary. Reading the article made me feel normal! ha ha

I do think it's an interesting topic and would be very interested on the thoughts of others who have read it.

 

[humblepie]

I think it was interesting though can't remember that much having read it last week.

As someone whose horses are at part livery, we work together on checking and noticing things. I check legs once a day when I pick out feet be that morning turn out or evening stables, one of which I do myself unless I am away for work. I will make suggestions, they will make suggestions, be that farrier, feed or whatever.


All the horses will have a physio/massage/saddle check on a regular basis or when needed. Similarly with teeth.

I think there is a lot of pressure on people be they professionals/amateurs or whoever that there are a lot of costs involved in keeping horses these days and probably less people with the time, patience or facilities to turn away (sweeping statement I know).

I think that a lot of things are diagnosed now that would in years not been and the horse either retired, turned away or worked through it.

Not sure what that adds!

 

[LEC]

But how do you learn horsemanship? Proper stable management is a hard skill to learn and you need a mentor essentially. I was lucky and had my mother to pass down these skills and as a back up if I was worried but what about those who are on a livery yard? You can learn the basics but how do you obtain deeper knowledge?

IMO these 'horsemanship' skills will get less and less frequent in the next few years due to modern life and the way we keep horses now.

As an aside I set up stable management lessons for RC and this was a RC of 450 members. Not a single person was interested in them. It was for the BRC achievements like PC badges but anyone could have come along to learn.

Finally I ran a clinic last weekend which saw 30 riders come through. Several horses were lame or had things I would raise as vet concerns but all the horses functioned. Whose job is it to tell the rider these things? Its certainly not mine as I am not medically qualified and nor has the advice been asked for. But as mentioned in the article barely any human is 100% so can we expect the same from horses?

 

[DonkeyClub]

Some of the best people hardly ever use a vet, and the even better people hardly ever use a physio... They start of with a solid basis which is having horses that have reasonable conformation. Horses have long& successful sound careers. Managing their horses is all down to the right work regime, type of work, frequency of work, and length of work sessions as well as a good daily routine and farrier. It is all a fine art and immense skill. A vet is never needed. Any new horses that come in that are stiff or 'wrong' are succesfuly worked through it. Sadly I think far too many people and professionals now are needlessly Over the top with their X-rays and vet attention/ help/ physio's and are just opening up cans of worms and grief.

It's actually been proven that horses with bad X-rays/ scans- PSD, Kissing Spine, Navicular etc- can be fully rehabbed with the right riding and work / care regime, and all such issues dissapear completly on X-rays/ scans without any vet intervention. Just good horsemanship has cured them.
But I think the only exceptions to the above would be the very flash dressage horses- as they're unnaturally bred and very extreme pressures are placed on joints and ligaments so yes I think ongoing vet care and attention would be essential.

 

[Cortez]

Some of the best people hardly ever use a vet, and the even better people hardly ever use a physio... They start of with a solid basis which is having horses that have reasonable conformation. Horses have long& successful sound careers. Managing their horses is all down to the right work regime, type of work, frequency of work, and length of work sessions as well as a good daily routine and farrier. It is all a fine art and immense skill. A vet is never needed. Any new horses that come in that are stiff or 'wrong' are succesfuly worked through it. Sadly I think far too many people and professionals now are needlessly Over the top with their X-rays and vet attention/ help/ physio's and are just opening up cans of worms and grief.

It's actually been proven that horses with bad X-rays/ scans- PSD, Kissing Spine, Navicular etc- can be fully rehabbed with the right riding and work / care regime, and all such issues dissapear completly on X-rays/ scans without any vet intervention. Just good horsemanship has cured them.
But I think the only exceptions to the above would be the very flash dressage horses- as they're unnaturally bred and very extreme pressures are placed on joints and ligaments so yes I think ongoing vet care and attention would be essential.

Sorry, but most of this is arrant nonsense: "all such issues disappear completely" really? SOMETIMES problems can be helped with proper riding/training/management but certainly not always and veterinary intervention is most certainly needed for serious conditions (aromatherapy, herbs and sudocreme will not cure most things).

Dressage horses are not "unnaturally bred", they are bred just like any other horse, with certain traits selected for, just like TB's (speed), appaloosa's (spots), show jumpers (jumping ability), etc.

 

[Pigeon]

I agree, I am surprised how few people do suppling work, esp under saddle. Surely beneficial even if you just want to hack!

 

[Firewell]

I didn't read the article but they are CRAZY for joint care here in the states. Everything has their joints medicated. First lesson with a new trainer and the first thing she did was ask all about his care, back, feet, hocks. I was like errrrrr yes he's shod...his hocks are fine, I think?! Lol. My opinion is choose a horse with good confo, keep them supple and work them properly, never work them too hard but work them regularly, be sensible on different surfaces. That's about it .

 

[NZJenny]

For endurance, rest is as much a part of a training program as work. But I am surprised that other disciplines don't seem to factor that in. For example, my endurance horses only work four days a week and have at least 7 days off after an 80km ride, longer for longer rides. They are then turned out over our winter for a 3 month break.

I know that other disciplines can compete all year around, but am a big believer in time out.

 

[dieseldog]

Owners want answers now with diagnosis and treatments. Not enough time is given and turning away is often dismissed in favour of "sexier" treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

I haven't read the article but the bit quoted above I think sometimes vets and insurance companies push treatments in favour of turning away or by putting a time limit on when you can claim. The clock is ticking if you are insured. Obviously there are also owners who push for these treatments without researching the outcome properly or are happy with a 30% success rate.

 

[DonkeyClub]

For endurance, rest is as much a part of a training program as work. But I am surprised that other disciplines don't seem to factor that in. For example, my endurance horses only work four days a week and have at least 7 days off after an 80km ride, longer for longer rides. They are then turned out over our winter for a 3 month break.

I know that other disciplines can compete all year around, but am a big believer in time out.

I so agree with this- it's necessary to allow any inflammation or soreness to settle down

 

[Gamebird]

I'm not sure whether I completely agree with extended breaks - on balance I'm probably against. I don't think it's entirely beneficial to let the fitness go completely. From personal experience (n=~10, so completely meaningless statistically!) we made a change from completely turning the hunters away for the summer to keeping them ticking over (hacking, the odd hunter trial) and experienced fewer joint/tendon/ligament-related injuries in the subsequent hunting seasons.

I also find it odd that other endurance-based sports don't 'rough off' if it's such a good idea. Marathon runners usually have a day off after a race then a week or two of easy running (reduced mileage and intensity) then back into training. They might have a couple of short breaks throughout the year but they don't stop running completely for 3 months over winter - human sports scientists would laugh at the idea.

 

[TarrSteps]

It probably depends a bit on how and where the horses get turned away, though. The side of a mountain with a group is different than a tiny flat field in Surrey.

I though it was interesting but absolutely nothing new. I did think they were disingenuous about vet intervention, too. The vet seemed ready to have an honest discussion about the subject but the riders/breeders pretty much shut it down and implied it's a rare, specialised situation which, if you spend any time in high level sport, is just not then case. (I'm not saying that is good or bad, it just interested me in the context.)

I think the biggest issue though, was only touched on. Most people do not do damaging things on purpose, they are doing their best with what they have. I fairly routinely go to yards with what I consider substandard footing, for instance, but people are there because if has good turnout or good hacking. Which do you choose? Which is best? Most people who work cannot get their horses out of the box multiple times a day if they have to stand in, even if they know it's best. Not everyone has access to an excellent farrier.. I, personally, think correct riding and training is essential (but then I would ) but I get that people have limited budgets and time so have to choose, especially if they also want to compete.

So people may not be doing THE best, but they may be doing THEIR best.

I think it's important to discuss the subject and I think people should consider it carefully, but it's not always so easy to balance everything out.

Btw, I think insurance does play a big part in the decisions owners and vets make. Coming from a culture that does not have anything like the same pressure (although it's changing) but has other limitations and advantages, it's interesting to see how it affects choices about care and treatment.

 

[khalswitz]

I'm not sure whether I completely agree with extended breaks - on balance I'm probably against. I don't think it's entirely beneficial to let the fitness go completely. From personal experience (n=~10, so completely meaningless statistically!) we made a change from completely turning the hunters away for the summer to keeping them ticking over (hacking, the odd hunter trial) and experienced fewer joint/tendon/ligament-related injuries in the subsequent hunting seasons.

I also find it odd that other endurance-based sports don't 'rough off' if it's such a good idea. Marathon runners usually have a day off after a race then a week or two of easy running (reduced mileage and intensity) then back into training. They might have a couple of short breaks throughout the year but they don't stop running completely for 3 months over winter - human sports scientists would laugh at the idea.

I think it depends. I don't give my horse many holidays, and never more than a fortnight at a time - but he has EPSM, and has less muscle tremors when in regular work (we chop and change between high intensity and low intensity periods to give him a 'break' but I don't just leave him unexercised in the field, especially in winter when he is moving around less). So he benefits from year round work.

However, he might be fit, but doesn't compete at high level. If he had a whole season of high intensity work (and no shivers), then a proper off season would probably be of more benefit. I guess like me at work - if I have a very busy few months of long hours and hard work, then all I want is some time off! However if work is steady, and varies between busy days and easy days, then I get less fatigued by the whole thing.

In terms of joints, I may be the odd one out, but I've always believed joints need toughening to a degree. I like lots of roadwork for hardening up legs - low impact, low intensity, low duration to start, and built up gradually. I even managed to maintain my previously arthritic (to the point he was delegated as a hack by previous owner) horse sound all year on hard sand school surfaces and hill road hacking, and current horse seems to thrive on it too. If the horse is fit for it (both fitness and being used to the conditions) then it will cope better.

 

[Goldenstar]

On extended breaks when i was in my teens and first working hunters breaks where literally in a herd on a hill they where not seen or checked ( a bit eeekkk by today's standards ) they where two thirds fit when we went to get them .
Very different to being out on a paddock .
On soundness I am a big believer in working on different surfaces I try to rotate the working surface road school field as much as I can I don't thing schools the answer they where originally thought to be .
I am lucky in that I have a purpose kept working grassed area the best investment I ever made .

 

[maccachic]

I'm not sure whether I completely agree with extended breaks - on balance I'm probably against. I don't think it's entirely beneficial to let the fitness go completely. From personal experience (n=~10, so completely meaningless statistically!) we made a change from completely turning the hunters away for the summer to keeping them ticking over (hacking, the odd hunter trial) and experienced fewer joint/tendon/ligament-related injuries in the subsequent hunting seasons.

I also find it odd that other endurance-based sports don't 'rough off' if it's such a good idea. Marathon runners usually have a day off after a race then a week or two of easy running (reduced mileage and intensity) then back into training. They might have a couple of short breaks throughout the year but they don't stop running completely for 3 months over winter - human sports scientists would laugh at the idea.

There is a bit of a difference tho as humans are very inactive unless they go out of their way to do excerise, horse however if paddocked spend a lot of time moving naturally so its not like you shut em in a barn for 3mths.

personally I think stabling has a lot to answer for in horse issues, paddocked horses get a lot more gentle exercise daily and horses were never designed to stand still for hours on end (same goes for small paddocks). People these days are busy and in a rush to do stuff so the legging up process is sometimes sacrificed.

 

[TPO]

Surprised a post I started hasn't sunk without a trace! Ha ha

I can't do the multi quote thing but things that jumped out-

LEC: agree 100% with your entire post.

Seeing numerous unfit and/or lame horses at RC, often with ill fitting tack and obviously unbalanced feet, I often wonder why nothing is ever said. I'd hazard a guess that the owners don't know better &/or can't see it themselves.

So it's a good question; who's responsibility is it and who has the "right" to intervene especially when the horses keep getting to the other side of the fence?

Donkey Club: Can you please expand on your statement? I've never heard of horses with clinical diagnoses of navic and/or KS being completely cured by correct riding alone. Very interesting if true.

I personally don't agree that good horsemen/ women never need or use any other professionals.

I can't remember who said it but I agree that horsemanship of old ( I'm 31 & my upbringing was similar to lec with horsey mum so not totally ancient) seems to be disappearing and a lost art. One of my (many!) thoughts on the subject is that horses used to be groomed properly and strapped. That was physio and massage in a oner plus every inch of the horse was gone over and it was hands on. I'm viewed as a freak with all my grooming; a lick & a spit only if riding seems to be the norm. Lack of time/ inclination/ care/ no longer the done thing?

Gamebird: Agree re fitness. They do mention that intermittent work is the worst thing for horses especially those with issues or older. It does say that regular work is much better.

Tarrsteps: I thought there was a bit of a shut down when the farrier spoke of the importance of trimming foal hooves from the get go.

Agree re turned away. The same is true for the " better out 24/7" arguement when horses are out in an acre of mud.

Insurance has a lot to answer for but owners don't seem to have/ give time anymore. Sweeping generalisation I know but it's the one thing we can give that costs nothing and given we're not heading to Rio what's the rush? It seems to be an immediate gratification culture?

I find the subject and the rabbit holes it leads to endlessly fascinating so thanks for humouring me!

 

[maccachic]

I'm not sure whether I completely agree with extended breaks - on balance I'm probably against. I don't think it's entirely beneficial to let the fitness go completely. From personal experience (n=~10, so completely meaningless statistically!) we made a change from completely turning the hunters away for the summer to keeping them ticking over (hacking, the odd hunter trial) and experienced fewer joint/tendon/ligament-related injuries in the subsequent hunting seasons.

I also find it odd that other endurance-based sports don't 'rough off' if it's such a good idea. Marathon runners usually have a day off after a race then a week or two of easy running (reduced mileage and intensity) then back into training. They might have a couple of short breaks throughout the year but they don't stop running completely for 3 months over winter - human sports scientists would laugh at the idea.

There is a bit of a difference tho as humans are very inactive unless they go out of their way to do exercise, horses however if paddocked spend a lot of time moving naturally so its not like you shut em in a barn for 3mths.

Personally I think stabling has a lot to answer for in horse issues, paddocked horses get a lot more slow gentle exercise daily and horses were never designed to stand still for hours on end (same goes for small paddocks). People these days are busy and in a rush to do stuff so the legging up process is sometimes sacrificed.

 

[khalswitz]

On extended breaks when i was in my teens and first working hunters breaks where literally in a herd on a hill they where not seen or checked ( a bit eeekkk by today's standards ) they where two thirds fit when we went to get them .
Very different to being out on a paddock .
On soundness I am a big believer in working on different surfaces I try to rotate the working surface road school field as much as I can I don't thing schools the answer they where originally thought to be .
I am lucky in that I have a purpose kept working grassed area the best investment I ever made .

Am so glad we have roads/tarmac bridleway, a grassy canter track, a jumping field and two rubber arenas - makes such a difference when you are fittening them for each kind of surface. Old yard we suffered for lack of grass to work on - had the sand school, forestry tracks or roads and that was it...

 

[TarrSteps]

.

Tarrsteps: I thought there was a bit of a shut down when the farrier spoke of the importance of trimming foal hooves from the get go!

Funny you should mention this! I was amazed by this piece of information as it was completely news to me that many horses do not get regular farrier attention from foal hood. I have been involved with breeders most of my life and with the exception of horses that lived pretty much feral on the sides of mountains, I've never seen a breeder who did not have foals' feet assessed from the time they are on the dam. Quite often not much gets done except picking up the feet and possibly running a rasp over just for the experience but if there is anything that attracts attention they foal is put on watch. I've known farriers come for a single foal very other week or so at a critical period, just to check angles and do literally a single rasp if needed.

It really just never occurred to me that wasn't standard practice!

 

[TarrSteps]

But how do you learn horsemanship? Proper stable management is a hard skill to learn and you need a mentor essentially. I was lucky and had my mother to pass down these skills and as a back up if I was worried but what about those who are on a livery yard? You can learn the basics but how do you obtain deeper knowledge?

IMO these 'horsemanship' skills will get less and less frequent in the next few years due to modern life and the way we keep horses now.

As an aside I set up stable management lessons for RC and this was a RC of 450 members. Not a single person was interested in them. It was for the BRC achievements like PC badges but anyone could have come along to learn.

Finally I ran a clinic last weekend which saw 30 riders come through. Several horses were lame or had things I would raise as vet concerns but all the horses functioned. Whose job is it to tell the rider these things? Its certainly not mine as I am not medically qualified and nor has the advice been asked for. But as mentioned in the article barely any human is 100% so can we expect the same from horses?

I agree that practical education is an issue. There are clearly many more people now who come into horses without a background in Pony Club or similar, or from horsey families and with regular direction available from experienced, often very blunt, people. The added complication is it's much harder to intervene and direct the lives of adults. If I spoke to adults the way I was spoken to as a child they would quickly take offence, particularly if their theoretical knowledge is greater than their practical experience.

Re soundness of horses out and about. This is hardly a new issue! I remember plenty of physically compromised horses from my youth, some with things like obvious white marks from ill fitting saddles, that you hardly see now. Generally, if the horse was functional, behaviour that had a clearly physical but inexplicable root was put down as "just the way the horse is". If anything, I'd say people were more agricultural about the whole thing and more concentrated on functionality over perfection. I remember horses hunting and jumping in the ring with big holes, like not being able to pick up one canter lead! Also, bute was much more everyone's friend. Don't confuse traditional management with some pure land where no one ever sorted a situation with pain relief! Not to mention things like firing, nerving etc. Any old vet or horse care book will have lots to say on subjects like that.

As far as discussing concerns about physical issues, this is a tricky business, especially if the advice is unsought. At the end of the day, horses are property and owners are ultimately responsible. One assumes if an owner has brought a horse to a lesson/ride/competition they assume it's sound! You can have a word (and I did, more than once ) but you also have to be mindful they are paying to be there and if the horse is functional and not obvously distressed, you have to allow some personal responsibility. (This tends to be one of those conversations where "the nanny state" comes up . .. ) If the problem is affecting the work, that is obvously different, but I am also mindful that if you come on too strong or simply send people away there are at least some people who are then even LESS inclined to view the situation objectively. The same goes for other areas of mangement and skill. If you discussed everyone's saddle fit (or personal fitness or understanding of the aids) that would kill an hour easily! And, to be fair, we all did learn partly from experience. It's just that coming off a pony at 12 with lots of people around to help and advice after, is very different than being ejected off a sharp young sport horse at 40 with few resources to fall back on, even though both those riders might be at a similar level of experience.

 

[Gamebird]

As far as discussing concerns about physical issues, this is a tricky business, especially if the advice is unsought. At the end of the day, horses are property and owners are ultimately responsible. One assumes if an owner has brought a horse to a lesson/ride/competition they assume it's sound! You can have a word (and I did, more than once ) but you also have to be mindful they are paying to be there and if the horse is functional and not obvously distressed, you have to allow some personal responsibility.

It's probably also a mistake to assume that the owners/riders aren't aware of the horse's problem and managing it. Not everyone in that sort of scenario is blindly ignorant.

 

[DonkeyClub]

TPO there have been a few case studies of horses with KS and PSD rehabbed successfully without any vet help- not publicised unfortunately but as the majority of horses show close vertebrate and PSD on X-rays/scans it's hardly any surprise that you can 'reverse' symptoms with good horsemanship.
As for Navicular bone remodelling, the barefoot brigade have most definately proven that X-rays look cleaner, once correct foot function has been restored.

I was shocked about the lack of attention to foal feet/ youngster feet.. I have youngsters and I have found that if I turned my back on the feet for one week too long or had the incorrect trim, it was shocking how quickly I had a flat deformed foot or a badly shaped foot. Once or twice I had to call in other farriers/ new farriers to correct the trim as some weren't sure about what the correct shape should be. As they say, bad feet are made not born!

 

[TarrSteps]

It's probably also a mistake to assume that the owners/riders aren't aware of the horse's problem and managing it. Not everyone in that sort of scenario is blindly ignorant.

Very true, although it's often pretty obvious who is clued up as they will mention it, ask that the horse not do too much standing etc. The trickiest ones are when it's manifesting as undesirable behaviour but then that is almost impossible to be unequivocal about in a one off group situation.

 

[TPO]

How was it done DC?

Very familiar with a the BF brigade and navic; my mistake I read the post that riding differently was the key not shoes off.

GB- personal experience only but I think it's relatively easy to spot the difference between a horse that's being " managed" with an aware rider/owner and those not so much...

Sometimes seeing something every day can mean that changes creep in unnoticed and/or the parameters of " normal" subtlety change so it becomes " just the way s/he is". The "yard know it all has said something" type threads on here always make me wonder; is it some clueless, nosey, big mouth (as usually described) or is it someone knowledgeable, experienced and/or concerned who's felt the need to finally say something because the owner/ rider is oblivious and the welfare of the horse has been compromised.

 

[TarrSteps]

TPO there have been a few case studies of horses with KS and PSD rehabbed successfully without any vet help- not publicised unfortunately but as the majority of horses show close vertebrate and PSD on X-rays/scans it's hardly any surprise that you can 'reverse' symptoms with good horsemanship.
As for Navicular bone remodelling, the barefoot brigade have most definately proven that X-rays look cleaner, once correct foot function has been restored.

Perhaps the issue is with the term 'cured'. I have indeed seen people who can 'ride horses sound' but there are lots of qualifiers. First, it doesn't necessarily reverse the pathology, it controls or even ameliorates the symptoms. But this usually goes hand in hand with a level of riding skill, knowledge, and, in fact, management few people can practice. I have seen many, many horses physically improved by proper work but I'm not sure I'd count this as 'cured' because it needs to be continuous and, in the case of degenerative conditions, it merely controls the process, it doesn't necessarily reverse it.

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

I'm not sure whether I completely agree with extended breaks - on balance I'm probably against. I don't think it's entirely beneficial to let the fitness go completely. From personal experience (n=~10, so completely meaningless statistically!) we made a change from completely turning the hunters away for the summer to keeping them ticking over (hacking, the odd hunter trial) and experienced fewer joint/tendon/ligament-related injuries in the subsequent hunting seasons.

I also find it odd that other endurance-based sports don't 'rough off' if it's such a good idea. Marathon runners usually have a day off after a race then a week or two of easy running (reduced mileage and intensity) then back into training. They might have a couple of short breaks throughout the year but they don't stop running completely for 3 months over winter - human sports scientists would laugh at the idea.

Um, actually they do... I'm an endurance rider and a runner and very few of the marathoners and triathletes I know (nearest I can get to endurance horses) compete year round. They generally have 2 to 3 months over our Southern hemospihere summer. They don't stop altogether, but they certainly back right off - the human equivalent of turn out in a large, hilly paddock with a mob I reckon.
It's widely acknowledged in the running world that REST is as important as training. Micro injuries need time to heal (after all, that's what increasing fitness is - deliberately stressing a system (muscle, respiratory) in order to improve it). Very few running programmes have you running more than 4 times a week. Cros straining is recommended on the days in between. IMPROVEMENT comes with rebound after exercise plus adequate rest.
I think the 7 days a week 52 weeks a year nature of available competition is detrimental to long term soundness, personally. Let them have at least 2 to 3 months off. Horse hold their long term fitness much better than people (which is why, while Joe is spelling in the paddock I am still running and lifting weights!) My endurance horses get three months off over summer but when they come back in, we certainly don't have to start back at square one with them for fitness - more like square 5 or 6.

 

[Clare85]

I thought the article was interesting and an important discussion to raise in the public domain. For me, I agree with what you have all said so far regarding insurance claims being a ticking clock and owners wanting a quick diagnosis on an issue that may arise with their horse.

I feel that nowadays, people are very ambitious and want to move up the levels of competition quickly. Also, obviously we can't all have strings of competition horses to choose from - most only have one horse to compete - if he/she breaks the owner wants to fix the issue as quickly as possible and get back out on the circuit. I think sometimes this comes at the expense of the horse's full recovery and therefore creates long term problems which are much more difficult to solve, than if they just gave the horse a few months of chill out time.

Also, I do feel that we push young horses too hard too young. Personally I would not want to be out competing seriously on a 4yo but I know that people do. I would rather play the long game with a youngster, allow it to develop physically (as well as mentally) before asking too much of it. I think then you will have a horse that will stay sounder for longer and have much fewer issues.

I feel we have a culture nowadays, not just in the horse world but society in general, that we want everything now, today. I think people should just have a bit more patience and things will generally come right.

 

[NZJenny]

x2 what OwnedbyJoe said. Horses hold their fitness very well and as long as you leg up carefully before commencing full on training, they will get better and better every year.

Have also talked to runners who have trained too hard and learned the hard way about taking time out.

 

[ann-jen]

On a related line, maybe out of synch with the way this conversation is going.... but maybe still relevant.....
I was chatting to a friend yesterday whose horse has been out of work for a long period of time and she told me she was going to embark on an old fashioned fitness program bringing her horse back into work..... since when was this thought of as old fashioned with an unfit horse?? The thing I found odd about her comment was that she ended her statement with "I know its not the done thing these days and we all tend to just get on and get on with it" Why is it no longer seen as the done thing? For me a key to fitness also revolves around a variety of work including hack over varied terrain as well as school work on the flat and jumping.... although I am definitely in the minority at our yard where 90% of people flatwork school every day which I'm not sure is great for long term soundness/fitness? Maybe its me thats old fashioned as I come from the era of jute rugs and green new Zealand rugs lol.... god I feel old now lol

 

[TarrSteps]

If you want to discuss fitness then you also have to look at very young/green horses.

I increasingly meet people who prefer not to longe or loose school young horses, which is their right, but combined with the fact so many young horses lead very restricted lives and many owners cannot do the ideal 'little and often' because of time constraints, it stands to reason that many horses are starting with almost no base fitness.

Then, in my experience, people often do too much too rarely. Inexperienced trainers are often bent on doing everything in every session, even if the horse is struggling a bit. Or they want to 'do it until it's right' which is often a couple of steps too far. Or they schedule much longer/more difficult sessions for the weekend and are then under the gun to persist, even if it isn't the right day for whatever reason.

Even hacking isn't always well thought out. I fairly routinely see people whose baby horses are doing maybe 15 min under saddle set out on 'half hour' hacks which are really half an hour out and back so 4x the workload.

I'm not saying this in necessarily an issue but I'm amazed how many people have carefully crafted fitness schedules for their older horses and give no consideration at all to preparing breakers.