Rehabing a horse with a stiffle injury under saddle. Exercises??

Loudabell

Loudabell

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My wonderful cob injured himself 4 months ago and after investigations had his stifle injected with steroids after he was found to have fluid on it 3 months ago. He had scans and x-rays and nothing else was found over than fluid which may have been from a sever concussive force created when the goon spooked at something.

He has had 2.5 months of in hand walking and long reining getting up to 30 mins and has just returned from 2 weeks at a spa being worked daily on a water treadmill for up to 25 mins and further in hand work. He is sound and has returned home looking like an amazing ball of muscle!!!!!!

I'm now starting ridden work again and have been told no canter for a few weeks and no circles but other than that I'm stuck.
we can hack at the weekends but that is not possible in the week so I am confined to a relatively small school.

What exercises can I do to keep the strength in his hind end but not over push him?
Has any one gone through similar and what was your rehab schedule?

This is confusing me now because he is so strong from the water treadmill but I don't want to push him to much but equally don't want to not push him enough and lose the strength that he has gained.

He's a very young 6 and was only just really starting on his schooling work before he was injured so advanced moves in the school we can't do yet.

thank you so much for any advice and suggestions xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Poles are your friend here, you can do so much with them without getting too repetitive, without needing to do circles, it will be an effort to get them set up each day but should help with his focus, get him using the back end properly and improve his schooling, you can raise them one side or both, alternate sides, have them set at walk, trot or two strides apart, use them to to do transitions before, between or after.
Work on his straightness, getting transitions truly through from behind, do numerous good transitions and keep the sessions of "work" short, allow a good stretchy warm up, breaks and cool down where you teach him to really stretch and march forward into a light contact.
 
Be Positive is spot on as usual!

Ground poles, raised poles etc will keep him doing all the right stuff without having to compromise the stifle by constantly circling. I like to use a stretchy tail bandage around the bum, it really makes them aware of their hind end and gets it moving.

Sounds like he has had the most brilliant rehab up until now, you have given him the best chance :)
 
also if you cant/dont want to ride you can do exactly the same exercises on longriens.
My lad has a stifle injury and arthritis of the spine, so I brought him back into true work by longreining first.
 
Been there with mine!did lots and lots of long reining, walking and trotting over poles. I was able to open all gates on my yard and just long reined round and round, was good as a firm surface but no tight turns. I'm sure you have already but get a good Physio to work on him regularly, they will also give you good exercises to do as well such as pelvic tilts and belly lifts to improve core strength.
Good luck, I rehabbed mine this time last year, whilst working full time, it's tough but possible 😀
 
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