More effective warming up (lazy horse!) in walk?

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darksecret99

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Hello

My 5yo has been sound (touch wood!) for 6 months following an injury to his hock..... I have been very very gradually increasing his work, but some days (particularly if he has not been out in the field) when I ride in the school he is a little stiff on that leg when we start trotting, even though I always do at least 10mins walking to start off with...

He is fine after a couple of circles of trot and the vet seems happy with our progress, but I was wondering if anyone could suggest any walk excercises that could help him warm up better before we go into trot? Or stretches I can do with him on the ground before I get on?

He more more than tracks up in walk evenly, with both hind legs... but isnt particularly active behind (or anywhere else for that matter!), so I try to make him walk out, but he just goes faster and still doesnt really pick his feet up.....

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!
 
How much work can you do with him now? If he is fully fit, then I would say make the walking more interesting for you both, i.e include lateral work like leg yielding and shoulder-in.
 
He's now doing about 45mins in the school, mostly walk and trot and some cantering..... and has just about mastered straight lines and circles in walk and trot (to start off with his legs seemed to be going different in a direction to head and body most of the time!!)... steering and balance is still somewhat dodgy in canter, but improving all the time! He is 17.1hh, which I think makes everything a bit more like hard work!!
 
I think your starting point must be asking the vet what is (or is not) acceptable work for you to try, but subject to his approval, I'd be looking to introduce pole work & lateral work - you may want an instructor to come in & help you introduce lateral work if you're not 100% confident teaching him yourself. There's plenty of variety that can be introduced once you can do simple lateral exercises...

You could also look at plenty of walk-halt-walk transitions to sharpen him up a little & encourage the hocks underneath him as you perfect square halts. Same applies to rein back, although I really think you should check with your vet first.

Re exercises from the ground, it would be great to get in a vet-approved physio to give you some specific exercises - I don't know if anyone on this site is able to suitably describe safe exercises for a post-operative horse...

It may also be worth considering magnetic hocks boots - applying these for 30 mins prior to exercise to help warm him up. Some people swear by them, although others would tell you you're wasting your time & money. Plenty of the professionals use magnets to warm up prior to exercise though...
 
In walk for the first and last bit I'd just let everything go. keep you legs on but let him swing through and balence. Also I used to ride a lovely big horse who was very very stiff through his hocks but could do a very, very nice elementary test if you knew how to get it out of him, anyway we'd bypass the trot because it was so stiff and awkward and there was no way in hell you could get him forward. We'd do extra walking loose then more together varying the pace then stright to straight canters before coming back to walk. (mostly though a few spacky strides of trot) This would warm him up before attempting trot for real and walk to canter transitions really revved him up. Never seen it with another horse but worked a treat for him.
 
Thanks, I've got magnetic boots, so I will do an experiment to see if they do make any difference!!

The vet said that I can basically do whatever I want with him as long as I always warm up properly and introduce anything new very gradually etc...

My instructor has been away, so I thought I would ask for some other suggestions in the meantime.... Thanks for your ideas... I will let you know how we get on!
 
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