Plaiting/dishing

goldentintin

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13 November 2008
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Wonder if any body has any advice I owned my gorgeous horse for almost a year and we where doing so well. He is excercised for about an 1 hour to 1.5 hours a day and for the past three weeks on a Sunday we have been taking part in local hunter trials pairs 70 or 80 cm he is the second of the pair.

The first trial we did very well and came second. The next trial is where the trouble has started. It was a tougher course 21 jumps in total and 80 cm we are not going for time just the experience so we didn't go very fast the following day his legs where swollen at the fetlocks and he was plaiting a lot it improved everyday and by the the third day was back to his usual gait.

We took him to another trial the week later this was only 11 jumps and 70cm again the second of the pair. this time at night we bandaged with some clay which stopped the swelling however his plaiting is awful he is stabled overnight and out in the day.

Has anybody come across this before and have any advice.
 
My feeling is that he has been worked too hard and has a musculoskeletal injury causing this. I would recommend you give him at least one rest day a week and don't exercise him for more than an hour. For what you do with him, daily 1.5 hour riding sessions are not necessary. Get in a physio who can check for and treat any muscle soreness/tightness.
 
Something is obviously wrong - whether an injury or a conformation issue or both. I would be edging more toward the vet rather than the physio as a first port of call - partly because the physio can't treat without permission from the vet anyway. But I would also be wondering about issues in the knee / hock. His workload does seem quite high for that level of competition - but that wouldn't explain the plaiting. You don't say how old he is.
 
I have had him checked it was muscle injury in the shoulder he has been rested and isn't doing it anymore, I am starting to reintroduce him slowly again so hopefully he will manage, taken on board the advice about riding he now has two days off a week.

Thankyou all so much for all your help
 
I have had him checked it was muscle injury in the shoulder he has been rested and isn't doing it anymore, I am starting to reintroduce him slowly again so hopefully he will manage, taken on board the advice about riding he now has two days off a week.

Thankyou all so much for all your help

Fabulous. Good result then.
 
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