caroline1961
New User
I would like to know what rehabilitation methods other people have used for their horses after the operation to cure Kissing Spine.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Kissing Spine (after operation) Rehabilitation.
- Thread starter caroline1961
- Start date
BethH
Well-Known Member
6 wks box rest and walking in hand from day one at least once a day. Start with a few minutes and gradually build on it, your horse will tell you what he can cope with.
At 6 wks turn out in to field in a small penned area, introduce ground work, start in walk for a few minutes each day and build up to gradually to 20 mins, then introduce trot and build up to 20 mins of walk and trot and then introduce canter and build up to 30 mins of walk, trot and canter. After the 1st couple of wks introduce some ground poles to help them pick their feet up and get a bit of elevation, make sure you space them properly as mine ricked his back by landing on one when he decided to be an idiot.
Get your vet/surgeon to do a 12 wk check up and confirm you can get back on board, take it slowly and spend a bit of time getting the walk right as that will help build muscles to support your weight etc etc, if he learns to balance and move properly in the walk, his trot and canter will be better, it was tough getting Ryan to move calmly as he was so used to trying to rush away on the forehand from his memories of pain, getting a good, long, calm walk was a very good education for him!
Hope that helps.
At 6 wks turn out in to field in a small penned area, introduce ground work, start in walk for a few minutes each day and build up to gradually to 20 mins, then introduce trot and build up to 20 mins of walk and trot and then introduce canter and build up to 30 mins of walk, trot and canter. After the 1st couple of wks introduce some ground poles to help them pick their feet up and get a bit of elevation, make sure you space them properly as mine ricked his back by landing on one when he decided to be an idiot.
Get your vet/surgeon to do a 12 wk check up and confirm you can get back on board, take it slowly and spend a bit of time getting the walk right as that will help build muscles to support your weight etc etc, if he learns to balance and move properly in the walk, his trot and canter will be better, it was tough getting Ryan to move calmly as he was so used to trying to rush away on the forehand from his memories of pain, getting a good, long, calm walk was a very good education for him!
Hope that helps.
debradley
Well-Known Member
Ditto everything Beth has given above. However, I did also use the pessoa after about week eight as another medium for the horse to work in (they say variety is the spice of life). My physio also had me doing a lot of steep hill work in hand from week 6. This encouraged Honey to step under and really use her back.
seabiscuit
Well-Known Member
Similar to Beth as well.
6 weeks walking the day after the operation, building up to an hours walking a day. This ended up being on the horsewalker, but longreining would have been better.
Then 6 weeks intensive lunging over poles. First week was just in side reins mostly walk and a bit of gentle trot. Second week put the pessoa on very loose and more trotting. Then following weeks Pessoa much tighter and work over poles, and introducing the canter.
Pessoa has to be very tight, I know that this is horrible and people dont like it, but they have to be made to use their backs. Does sort out their canter I can tell you!
Then finally, 12 weeks after the operation, back to hospital for x rays/scans and the vet watches the horse lunging.
Then back on board, a few weeks walking out and then off you go!
Throughout this whole rehab program, regular physio checks and regular H wave and Ultrasound therapy.
6 weeks walking the day after the operation, building up to an hours walking a day. This ended up being on the horsewalker, but longreining would have been better.
Then 6 weeks intensive lunging over poles. First week was just in side reins mostly walk and a bit of gentle trot. Second week put the pessoa on very loose and more trotting. Then following weeks Pessoa much tighter and work over poles, and introducing the canter.
Pessoa has to be very tight, I know that this is horrible and people dont like it, but they have to be made to use their backs. Does sort out their canter I can tell you!
Then finally, 12 weeks after the operation, back to hospital for x rays/scans and the vet watches the horse lunging.
Then back on board, a few weeks walking out and then off you go!
Throughout this whole rehab program, regular physio checks and regular H wave and Ultrasound therapy.
Halfpass
Well-Known Member
Our lad is just coming up 4 weeks post op. He is now being actively walked out in hand for 30 mins twice a day (with no horse walker this is very time consuming). I am hoping to introduce some long reins in the the next week or so.
After 6 weeks we then have been advised to start lunging in a pessoa with the pesoa quite tight. I plan to start of on week one with pessoa a bit looser with mostly walk and a little trot for 15 mins twice a day. Then build up to a tighter pessoa to 30 mins twice daily with more trot. By week 8 we hope to have established good walk and trot and begin to introduce some raised poles. By week 10 we will introduce some canter work then at week 12 back to vets for xrays and so thet they can see him being worked on the lunge. If any of this doesn't sound right let me know
Can I just ask when did people begin physio for their horses?
After 6 weeks we then have been advised to start lunging in a pessoa with the pesoa quite tight. I plan to start of on week one with pessoa a bit looser with mostly walk and a little trot for 15 mins twice a day. Then build up to a tighter pessoa to 30 mins twice daily with more trot. By week 8 we hope to have established good walk and trot and begin to introduce some raised poles. By week 10 we will introduce some canter work then at week 12 back to vets for xrays and so thet they can see him being worked on the lunge. If any of this doesn't sound right let me know
Can I just ask when did people begin physio for their horses?
BethH
Well-Known Member
Hi just to add, if your horse is good to walk out in hand debradley idea of hill work is a really good one.
I couldn't use the pessoa on Ryan as he was pretty panicky about everything and hated feeling trapped so I got a pair of long reins, then got an extra lunge line chopped it in half and got a saddler to stitch half on each of the long lines so I had extra length, I preferred being as far away from his back legs as poss! I then threaded long lines through stirrups on roller tied under his tummy, through the bit and attached to d ring under his belly, that meant he had to lower and round but I could release the pressure much more effectively, it just gives you an alternative if your horse doesn't adapt to the pessoa.
Halfpass, your regime sounds good, although usually once you start the ground work, you do 6 wks, so it is 12 wks after op that you get vet check up, although I would fully understand if you made a decision to take longer to get him as strong as possible before you get back on but vet usually sees them 12wks post op. To be honest they seem to cope really well if you build them up gradually over that 6wk period. Be careful not to do canter too quickly as you want him to be calm and relaxed and using himself properly, with Ryan the second we went for canter and poles, he was like a horse possessed so we spent longer in walk and trot without poles to get his head right, he got so silly that he landed on the poles at one point and badly jarred his back which set us back a fair bit! Check with your vet as would have thought at least to start off with, ground work once a day would be enough as he will possibly feel a bit sore and you don't want him to get anxious, as you are working them daily, you'll have plenty of time to increas the length and level of the sessions.
He sounds as though he is doing really well am delighted for you, pm me if you need to ask anything. As for physio think I got him checked just before started ground work and started off with check every 2 wks to make sure he was coping and not too sore
I couldn't use the pessoa on Ryan as he was pretty panicky about everything and hated feeling trapped so I got a pair of long reins, then got an extra lunge line chopped it in half and got a saddler to stitch half on each of the long lines so I had extra length, I preferred being as far away from his back legs as poss! I then threaded long lines through stirrups on roller tied under his tummy, through the bit and attached to d ring under his belly, that meant he had to lower and round but I could release the pressure much more effectively, it just gives you an alternative if your horse doesn't adapt to the pessoa.
Halfpass, your regime sounds good, although usually once you start the ground work, you do 6 wks, so it is 12 wks after op that you get vet check up, although I would fully understand if you made a decision to take longer to get him as strong as possible before you get back on but vet usually sees them 12wks post op. To be honest they seem to cope really well if you build them up gradually over that 6wk period. Be careful not to do canter too quickly as you want him to be calm and relaxed and using himself properly, with Ryan the second we went for canter and poles, he was like a horse possessed so we spent longer in walk and trot without poles to get his head right, he got so silly that he landed on the poles at one point and badly jarred his back which set us back a fair bit! Check with your vet as would have thought at least to start off with, ground work once a day would be enough as he will possibly feel a bit sore and you don't want him to get anxious, as you are working them daily, you'll have plenty of time to increas the length and level of the sessions.
He sounds as though he is doing really well am delighted for you, pm me if you need to ask anything. As for physio think I got him checked just before started ground work and started off with check every 2 wks to make sure he was coping and not too sore
caroline1961
New User
Thankyou So Much for all the helpfull advice. Our Mare Star is having the operation on the 16th. Fingers crossed!