Pony with back pain

[Dawng]

When I had the saddle fitter out to get a saddle for my new pony she said she thought he might have a bad back and recommended getting a physio which I did. The Physio said he had extreme tight muscles in his back and was stiff laterally as well - she gave him some treatment and instructions on getting him fitter. Has anybody else had the same sort of thing and how long did the recovery take and how slowly did you do the fittening programme - I just wish I could find more information on the subject.

 

[be positive]

You have done the right thing by getting a physio to help, it is probably caused by a combination of things and by addressing them all you should find the recovery is not too long but it still needs to be kept on top of.
The physio will have shown you exercises to do with him, stretching for treats will really help with his suppleness, a good instructor may help with a ridden programme of increasing fitness and suppleness under saddle.
Lots of steady exercise, getting him really using himself correctly, flexing him laterally as well as long and low while making sure he is pushing from behind, take it slowly but as he gets stronger the work can increase until it all becomes second nature to you and the pony to be working correctly most of the time, hacking is as beneficial if not more so than schooling in an arena, you should see or feel a difference fairly quickly but for it to become well established will take several months of regular work.

It will be a good idea to have the saddle checked again in a couple of months as he will change shape as the muscles build up.

 

[fuzzle]

Agree with the above post!!! this has just happened to me with my horse, i am lucky enough to have a vets that have a carapractor whom put her back into place she had 4 days off and back into work now with a new saddle!!! look into Mark Windsor or Bruce Hewitt both travel the country if you choose to go down that line xx