Kissing Spine rehab - canter work

[bounce]

My horse is now 10 weeks post KS op and we are just starting week 5 of the lunge work with the pessoa. The trot work is coming along lovely, nice and relaxed, stretching down and working well over the back.
However, the canter work is rather scarey. He has no problems getting into canter, always strikes off on the correct leg and doesn't go disunited. But, he insists on charging around like a thing possessed. He's never been that good cantering on the lunge as he just sees it as an excuse to have a leap about.

He's due to go back to hospital for his check up in 2 weeks and I'm worried that they might think is canter isn't developed enough to put a saddle back on.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice or anyone had a similar experience.

 

[Bedlam]

This is interesting - there are clearly different approaches to rehab post KS op. My mare is now 14 weeks post op and we are just starting lungeing in a pessoa at walk today!

Have you seen a physio at all post op? We were recommended to see an ACPAT physio who has given us lots of stretching exercises to do (early morning yoga!!!) and is going to help and advise on progress with the lunge work.

It's difficult if your boy has always been a bit tricky on the lunge in canter - it might just be him, or he may be running away from a bit of back pain. Hard to tell really, so I think I'd suggest an ACPAT visit - you can find a list of local registered ones on the ACPAT website.

Good luck!

 

[bounce]

Hi Bedlam.
My boy has had a few visits from the physio now and she is really happy with his progress. He has no sore areas and is muscling up very well. We are also doing stretching exercises.
I don't think he can be in pain from it as he canters around the field when turned out perfectly in balance with no problems. I guess it is more difficult when confined to a circle though.
Good luck with walking on the lunge. After 6 weeks box rest and then being put on the lunge, walk was the last pace my boy offered!

 

[HollyP]

He probably isnt developed enough to start collecting his canter....i would give him more time, try cantering him with no pessoa so he can get it out of his system and then do some more collected work.....i was so eager to get back on after my mares op but she wasnt ready so i kept working on the ground for another 2 months or more! its nearly been a year since her op and im only starting now to ask for some outline etc!!

best advice is to be patient.....i struggled with this but im now quite good at it!!!

 

[seabiscuit]

I think he is just very fresh!! He isnt on too much hard feed? Can you horsewalk him for an hour before lunging? ( I did this in the same circumstance) Also make sure the Pessoa is very loose. Do yank him back if he starts wanting to charge off, take control of him on the ground and say NO, and then reward him when he's stays steady.

 

[Jodies9154]

Many horses rush in canter due to feeling unbalanced, which if he was never that good on the lunge before coupled with a weakened back too I would say that is to be expected. Possibly go back a step and do more trot work and if poss do trot then transition to canter and straight back to trot trying to at least get a nice transion, and slowing him before he zooms off....often easier said than done.

It still isn't that long post op so play around with it and let the vets know the situation so they can help advise a change in the training plan, the more the canter isn't going to plan the later you will get a saddle on so try to conquer sooner ratehr than later.

 

[Resupgirl]

Holly, my mare had a KS op a year ago and the rehab is sooooo slow for some. I am about to start again after another bout of lameness due to another injury. Its miserable and I feel like just giving up but heads up and onward.. Good luck if you fancy a chat let me know.

 

[HollyP]

Hey Resupgirl,

My mare is healthy has anything so I have been very lucky, I did my rehab but decided she needed longer to build up that the 3 months given, she is 16 and was in a bad way before the op so that might have been why! I just decided to give her a break after all the stress she had been through with the op and the years before! Dont give up if you need to just give your horse a nice break in the field, it wont only benefit them but you to so you can relax a bit and take the pressure off!!

good luck

 

[BethH]

Hi Jo

OB has made some good points, he is probably feeling better and a bit full of it. I would suggest that he is like Ryan, used to running away from pain and has then got into the habit of charging off as he likes to take control, canter is the easiest pace for them to do this in and also it is hard for them to canter correctly and slowly if they haven't used their back legs properly in a while - you won't be surprised to hear that Ryan did similar but once he realised it didn't hurt, although it took a little while we got over it, Ryan was pretty good at chucking in a few broncs along the way as well!

My feeling would be to ask for lots of transitions between trot and canter and as o-b says take control. I wouldn't have the pessoa on necessarily or if so make it loose as it sounds as though there are some balance issues going on with this too - can you try long reins?

Quite often they manage to evade by falling through their outside shoulder and getting faster and faster, if you manage to correct this before it happens and turn them back into the circle from behind as soon as it happens and quickly ask for the trot again to establish control that might help. I would try asking for trot almost as soon as he gives you canter, just canter for a couple of strides and gradually build it up each time you ask, throw in a couple of walks and halts too so he isn't anticipating what comes next.

Also try to decrease and increase the circle size gradually, it is pretty hard for them to canter fast on a very small circle so he will probably end up having to trot which will give you the control back.

Above all try not to worry, you are doing brilliantly so far and have already come a very long way!

Hope that helps but feel free to pm me if you need to

Beth

 

[Julieq]

Keep at it it is hard work but well worth it in the end.

My mare used to always run in canter before the op so after it took a bit of time and patience for her to get out of the habit the same as tacking up that took a while with the saddle. Lass's canter still needs lots of work when i am on her but on the lunge she works properly and correctly now.

It was a year since lass had her op on the 16th august and i was out at felbrigde jumping the mini derby very emotional day she jumped clear and loved every minute of it.

Keep us posted