Learned something yesterday

pistolpete

pistolpete

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Pete is a post-Rockley success story, still growing new hoof capsule but been amazing since I got him home in Feb. So yesterday was wet and new yard don't turn out if the day starts rainy. I usually take him out at least twice on those days for in hand walks and hand grazing just to stop his legs filling which they always do if he is kept in.
Yesterday however I had a lesson booked at 5pm so didn't go over before. The weather was really horrid. Lesson went really badly he was so stiff and uncooperative! Gave up after twenty minutes and for a while was really worried that he was broken again.
Put him on the horse-walker for 15 minutes to cool down and he started tracking up again.
Lesson learned- my 16 year old slightly wonky horse needs his exercise. Any body else deal with filled legs regularly? I guess the ache a bit?
I won't leave him all day again and then expect him to work. A hack would probably have been the sensible option with hindsight.
 
Well, as you described it, I don't think it has much to do with filled legs. My horse also gets filled hind legs when stabled sometimes, but they go down after he gets out. To me, it sounds like your horse has arthritis, and he being 16 year old, it could definitely be the case. My has arthritis in his hocks, and he gets stiff and unwilling, kinda lazy, but he gets better as the exercices go. Takes him around 5-10 minutes to get rid of the stiffness. And when he gets out daily, he is better. So, this is my suggestion, as I have experience with both filled legs and arthritis. :)
 
Mine gets filled back legs when stabled but after 10/15mins of long rein warm up either hacking or schooling, he is fine. As with any horse, young or old, you should always let them warm up and cool down for 5//15mins each end, i always think of it as i wouldnt go and do acrobatics immediately, I'd stretch and warm up first! Its all a big learning curve :)
 
It's definitely important for me that my boy has his time out to stretch and warm up before I do anything with him - even on weekends I'll allow him a full day in the field before going to the yard to do something. I would agree that it is probably arthritis.

I obviously don't know your situation but my experience of a similar yard was that we had to move to one with all year round unconditional turnout although still stable at night all year round. The only time he doesn't go out now is if it's not safe - i.e. the yard is icy or the winds are extremely strong - and the movement is definitely very important for him.
 
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