My horse is tight all over

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annee_conway

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I have a 15.3hh ISH mare who is extremely tight all over ( especially her back ). She has been on box rest for 3 weeks last month due to an abscess and laminitis and hasn't really been ridden/ exercised since April due to the illnesses. I have had various mctimoney practitioners look at her and treat her but becomes tight again a few weeks after. None of the practitioners have found anything sinister. She can now start extremely light work (walk only) without being ridden and I was wondering if anyone had any good exercises/ training regime that help keep the horse back soft and supple

Thank you,
Annee
 
I would get a physio out to treat her, they can show you exercises to do that are appropriate for her, these can be done each day to help keep her loose and get the muscles working properly, there are plenty that will help but you really need to be shown how to do them to really get the benefit.
If she is still on very restricted turnout that will be limiting how much she moves about as well as the fact that while she was in pain she will have held herself tightly, now is the ideal time to start a rehab routine to get her moving well again but it will take time to really see the difference, even just a good groom each day can help stimulate the muscles and loosen them up.
 
Agree with be positive . . . Pops was out of work from early April until mid September and he was also very sore all over . . . I got a very good physio out to him and she has made all the difference (along with the right work) . . . she has worked with our vet and us to come up with an appropriate rehab plan for him, given us exercises to do with him (under saddle and in hand) and given me some stretching exercises to do after work to help him. In just two weeks I have seen a real difference.

P
 
Was about to say the same! A good chiro will do all sorts of skeletal work but it sounds like your horse needs work on the muscles, so a good physio (ACPAT registered) will be invaluable and as others have said, should also give you a tailored rehab plan. There are all sorts of things you can do to help - carrot stretches and so on, but you would want someone to have seen the horse in question before suggesting particular ones to do.
 
Sue Palmer is a Chartered Physiotherapist and she has written a book and published a DVD about horse massage. So I would get your horse looked at first by a chartered physio, just to make sure there is nothing contra-indicated for doing massage, and then buy the book and do the moves!

There is also the Tellington-Touch moves, which are less invasive than massage as they mostly move the skin, although you can apply more pressure in some areas.

With either, you are getting to feel all over your horse and they should enjoy it and improve.
 
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