Rehabing at this time of year - any point?

[Daniel_Jack]

After a diagnosis of PDS and a successful treatment of steriod injections and remedial shoeing my horse has come sound again and I've been advised to crack on and start bring her back into work.

We've been doing in hand walks 4 days a week (unfortunately I can't do every day) and started intoducing a few short bursts of trot. Vet now says to start riding for 20 minutes every day for 8 weeks in walk then introduce trot.

It's not the ideal time of year - December is generally a bit manic although not sure what it will be like this year with the restrictions. Our yard is quite rural and roads can be icy making it hard to get to sometimes - luckily it's full livery - but it can make it difficult to do any consistent exercise. It's also recommended that I try to walk out on harder surfaces although soft surface also ok but road work is preferable which means either only once a week at the weekend or having to buy a load of flashing hi viz to ride out on the roads at night.

I'm tempted to just turn away until March when the weather should start improving and the days will be long enough to do more work on the roads. Then I think about how the clock is ticking on insurance and if I waste 4 months on turning away only to realise after a few months of bringing her back to work she's gone lame again I might no longer be covered for future treatment - something that would have been discovered earlier if I'd started rehab sooner.

Would appreciate the thoughts of others who have had this dilemma and any tips on rehab during the winter months!

 

[milliepops]

Has the horse been on full turnout up to now?

I've rehabbed several at this time of year and it is awkward, but they've all still been on no/limited turnout at the point that workload needs to increase (in order to prevent reinjury, )and have had to get up to a certain amount of work before they could go to full turnout. So I didn't have a choice really.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

Has the horse been on full turnout up to now?

I've rehabbed several at this time of year and it is awkward, but they've all still been on no/limited turnout at the point that workload needs to increase (in order to prevent reinjury, )and have had to get up to a certain amount of work before they could go to full turnout. So I didn't have a choice really.

She was initially on box rest, then restricted turn out but for the last 2 weeks has been on 24/7 turn out and now on winter routine so in at night but out during the day.

 

[milliepops]

That's good, at least you aren't stuck on restricted turnout then.

Personally I'd want to crack on if vet has indicated some work on a surface would be ok on weekdays because you'll hopefully be coming into full work as the weather and daylight improves , but it is a horrible slog rehabbing in winter.

If I were you I'd pick your vets brains, I find when they understand your limitations they're often quite good at coming up with a pragmatic plan.
Last one I did soft tissue rehab for did all her weekday work on a surface for similar reasons. Vet in agreement, we just scaled it up more slowly to allow for it.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

That's good, at least you aren't stuck on restricted turnout then.

Personally I'd want to crack on if vet has indicated some work on a surface would be ok on weekdays because you'll hopefully be coming into full work as the weather and daylight improves , but it is a horrible slog rehabbing in winter.

If I were you I'd pick your vets brains, I find when they understand your limitations they're often quite good at coming up with a pragmatic plan.
Last one I did soft tissue rehab for did all her weekday work on a surface for similar reasons. Vet in agreement, we just scaled it up more slowly to allow for it.

Thank you. Vet seemed pretty relaxed about a lower, slower rehab which is good. Also going to speak to my physio who was a bit better at giving a more detailed rehab plan first time round (vet was pretty vague even when pressed for more information). I just don't want to get into that annoying stop-start routine and end up having to almost start from scratch again from March any way.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

Oh and horse also isn't a fan of the school and switches off very easily so need to take that into account. She likes to hack - its very much her thing!

 

[TPO]

I think it depends on how your horse is now.

Generally speaking rehab is to get a horse functioning and moving correctly.

When they have X wrong they move differently to compensate for X.

When a horse receives treatment for X that creates a "window of opportunity" to do the work to not only rectify/strengthen X but also to correct the compensatory movement.

If you turn a horse away without rectifying X and/or the compensations then the horse will continue to use itself in that way while turned away. This can mean that when the horse is brought back into work it is harder because that initial "window" has closed and the compensating has become more established.

Obviously every case is different and it depends on the actual issue and what rehab the vet has given.

In your shoes I'd speak to the vet and ask what might happen if horse let down just now and picked up at the end of feb (when nights start getting lighter). Then you can decide if it's worth persevering with rehab through winter or if the work you have done has set the horse up and you can let her down until next year.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

I think it depends on how your horse is now.

Generally speaking rehab is to get a horse functioning and moving correctly.

When they have X wrong they move differently to compensate for X.

When a horse receives treatment for X that creates a "window of opportunity" to do the work to not only rectify/strengthen X but also to correct the compensatory movement.

If you turn a horse away without rectifying X and/or the compensations then the horse will continue to use itself in that way while turned away. This can mean that when the horse is brought back into work it is harder because that initial "window" has closed and the compensating has become more established.

Obviously every case is different and it depends on the actual issue and what rehab the vet has given.

In your shoes I'd speak to the vet and ask what might happen if horse let down just now and picked up at the end of feb (when nights start getting lighter). Then you can decide if it's worth persevering with rehab through winter or if the work you have done has set the horse up and you can let her down until next year.

That's a really good point - thank you! Will definitely pick up with the vet to discuss further to understand if this might be the case!

 

[emilylou]

Yes I'd say its worth it, boring but the longer you can give them in the early stages the better. 8 weeks from now is Jan, so all being well you'll be trotting in Feb and maybe cantering in March when the weather is better. I'd just suck it up and do it, will pay off in the long run

 

[scats]

Definitely depends on the horse. I’ve rehabbed one back from PSD but I waited til spring to start. I didn't have the time in winter as I have another in full work and knew it would be a bit hit and miss with weather and dark etc.

 

[Julia0803]

I’m doing rehab now and it’s a long slog but he’s on box rest so no choice. We’re currently on 25 min walks twice per day, every day, on a hard surface. By mid December it will be 45 min twice per day and will be really hard to juggle.

I am just hoping that when the 12 weeks is up in December that he can start to have some decent turnout and I can dial back the twice daily walks to once.

Like others suggested, I’d speak to the vet before making any decisions altho I would be erring on the side of caution with the insurance running out.

 

[AUB]

I started rehabbing in the end of october last year. Horse had an injury to the straight sesamoidean ligament on the left hind. Rehabbing out on hacks wasn’t really a possibility because of darkness, but the vet said that our indoor was hard enough, so I used that during the week and then hacked out on weekends.

I did however rehab in walk longer than the rehab plan from the vet said.
I began with 20 minutes and then added 5 minutes every other day until we did 2 (boring!) hours before adding trot.

Between setbacks from lost shoes (vet approved to just turn out as normal from the beginning, since my mare doesn’t do well on stable rest or sick paddock and would need to be sedated) and a hoof abcess I’d say we were back to full workload in april and she’s never been stronger or better than right now.

 

[RHM]

Who is your insurer? They may be happy to pay for someone to help you with the rehab? NFU paid for 5 weeks of water treadmill for one of mine. I would personally do the rehab now but pay for help when needed.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

Thanks all.

I'll speak to the vet and see what they say.

Physio says crack on as the best thing after steroid injections is to keep the joints moving. Will see if vet agrees.

Re the water treadmill, not sure there is one in my area but will check.