Ridden work and turnout after long box rest

[RubysGold]

I can get on Roo a week tomorrow, in walk for a month, and then trot for a month.
Then the program thing they gave me just says “gradually bring into work”
I’m aiming for a show in August (doesn’t matter if she isn’t ready for it, I just needed something to aim towards) So I wondered if you think from end of March to start of August is long enough to go from trotting, to cantering and jumping (18” class) Its a charity show so has in hand and ridden showing and novelty classes etc, so there’ll be something we can do to get off the yard, but I’d like to jump.
The other thing is that, she has to have done a ridden canter before she can be turned out, so that will be like april time. I assume lush grass is coming around that time, so I cant just put her out. So how would you do it?? An hour or so turnout and build up?? Or am I being too careful.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Hi Rubysgold, I have a similar problem, my old horse fractured a bone in his foot at the end of last novemeber and has only recently come off complete box rest, in that he is still basically on box rest but is now allowed to walk in hand. My vet told me to do twice daily walks, building up from 10 minutes twice daily to 45 over 4 weeks. Then he is allowed to walk under saddle for a month, then trot for a month, then canter and only once cantering id he allowed to be turned out. Vet advised that as he was stuck in for so long (around 7-8 weeks I think in total), that he has lost a lot of bone density so the gradually increasing exercise is in part to rebuild that as well as obvious muscle strength fitness etc, plus he is an older horse so need to be carefull there to!

Not sure what was wrong with your girl (I'm guessing from post possibly lamintis?) Would definately aim to build the turnout up gradually and if you can find fields without too much grass or section off small areas for her (this will also be good to prevent her running round too much). This is what I plan to do with my boy, he's never been laminitic but obviosuly lots of grass suddenly would be a shock to his system so I will probably just put him out for short periods to start with and gradually build up as he adjusts.

I think your girl should be well able to do the show in August (as long as everything goes to plan!) I would probably do a month of canter before you introduce jumps, start with polework and gradually build up. 18" should be well within her capabilities so it's not like you're pushing her too far though would depend on the type of injury she had, if ligament related I would be more carefull.

 

[eggs]

Sorry, I may have missed your earlier posts but for how long and why was Roo on box rest. This will have an impact on your return to work routine.

 

[RubysGold]

Thanks Paint it lucky.
Roo went lame in September, but was field sound so her box rest didnt start until November after an operation. Her fetlocks had big windgalls, scans showed a lot of scar tissue in there and one of them needed a tear in the tendon "tidied up" they cut the annular ligament in both front legs.
Her exercise was the same as yours, build up from 10 mins walks twice daily in hand to 30 mins. I'm definitely fit now haha! Now just the ridden bit to start next week.

Shes not had laminitis, but I dont want her to get it. Will try to arrange a small sectioned paddock (shouldn't be too hard)

Vet said that she will still be able to jump "big" fences (3 foot so not that big to other people) but obv I dont want to push her too hard.

 

[clairefeekerry1]

hi.

i'm kinda in the same boat- i can get back on in 3 weeks time, tho mine has had restricted turn out after box rest so is out now. i know what you mean about having something to look forward too! i dont even know if mine will be rideable again but i've aimed for a little event in october just to give me something to work towards!

suppose it all depends on the injury and what the prognosis was but i would just go nice and slowly. if your anything like me you'll be so glad to get back on, even if it is a very slow process!

 

[RubysGold]

Definitely just want to get back on.
I thought she'd have to retire. And hey, until I try riding in trot I wont know if its worked (could only see lameness in trot)
I'll be happy enough to just be able to ride her But I needed something to stop myself moping, I was getting rather depressed about it all.

 

[quirky]

I was given a fitness program by my referral vet, it went as so.

Week 1 & 2 - Walk for 20 mins.
Week 3 - Walk 30 mins and add 5 mins of trot.
Week 3 - Walk 30 and increase trot to 10 mins.

This carries on until you are doing 30 mins walk and 30 mins trot.
Assuming horse is coping with this, full work can then be resumed, which I think was about week 9.

I was having mine checked by the vet at intervals but I knew myself she was ok at the level of work she was getting.

Only downside, is it is very boring but I was very to be back riding, so can't complain.

 

[Izzwizz]

My mare had a tear to her DDFT last year and after months of box rest, handwalking etc, was turned out full time last May in a bald paddock with a haynet on her own but next to other horses. I have to watch her weight and she had always been stabled at night, we decided that she would be better turned out full time to prevent the excitable runaround on a morning that could undo the hard work. The bald paddock kept her busy searching for grass and so far shes sound. Once we are through the next 3 mnths I will relax better as they are on turnout every other day now and its muddy.

We did lots of walking out and trot work uphill. Shes fit and seems to be doing very well. Im careful where I ride her, heavy going is out. We did do a little in the school but shes a spooky mare and its any excuse to get out of working in there, so we mostly hack out and shes not spooky atall!! Clever girl!!! So far as jumping, I wont jump her again as Im worried that there will be too much pressure on her tendon. The best person to guide you on this is your vet as they know the extent of the injury.

Good luck with her. I thought my horse would have to be retired or worse, but shes defied the odds and is fitter than ever. Shes now back in normal shoes (with a bit of modification from the farrier) and is doing great.

 

[eggs]

When I bought my boy back into work after 7 months box rest I followed the routine given by my vet.

1. in hand walking for 10 minutes twice a day increasing by 2 minutes every third day building up to an hour walking twice a day. This was done in the school.
2. I started his ridden walk work once we were up to 30 minutes in-hand walking.
3. a week after we started the in-hand walking he was hand grazed for 5 minutes a day for a couple of days (to make sure we had some control and he didn't go for a hooley and tear his tendon again).
4. we used electric fence to make a 15' x 15' turnout area for him and then gradually built his turnout time up. Our concern was that he didn't colic after so long without turnout

Fortunately he is an older and wiser horse and didn't need sedation when he was first allowed out of his stable but I did have some Sedalin available to use just-in-case.

Six months on and he is back into his old routine.

 

[Harriettie]

As Quirky says, build it up gradually and by the summer you should be fine.

My chap has just been given the all clear this week after box rest and in hand and ridden controlled exercise of 20 minutes twice a day since late Oct. He did take the matter in to his own hands (hooves??) weekend before last when he bolted down the road with me on top. He definately wanted OUT. So, I turned him out in a small flat paddock. And his leg was better than ever. He didn't have annular ligament syndrome, but did have a swollen tendon sheath. He is now 100% sound following IRAP treatment - I was scared it was his annular ligament.

I didn't worry about the grass as the paddock was small and well grazed down by him in the Autumn, but I have provided hay to keep him occupied and discourage him from prancing about too much. He is on his own in there as well, which helps I think.

A pony at my yard has had both hind annular ligaments cut and his owner followed a very steady build up of exercise regime. But his case was complicated by him being a laminitic as well.

The lack of turnout made my boy really impossible to ride so I concentrated on walking in hand. Now he is turned out almost as he normally would be, he is ok to ride. I just need to get my nerve back after the stampede along the road into the face of on-coming traffic. Grr.

Good luck and don't rush it!