Sacroiliac Rehab

[SianSimmons]

Hi all,

I have a 16hh Dutch Warmblood, he's 21 next month. Back in October he was diagnosed with SI issues, had steroid injections end of October, followed by field rest, lots of in hand walking with a very slow build up. However, I still feel like we haven't got very far since then. I haven't been given many exercises to do to help with his back end, and keep getting mixed messaged from professionals on what to do. Since (almost) the beginning, I've tried to use hill work to make my boy use his back end as he is pretty bad at using it if not told, and took it upon myself to start using poles within his exercise regime. However, he then had a brief spell of laminitis which meant 10 days off all exercise.

I recently moved yards to somewhere with much better facilities so that I can work him properly if/when he is better, when I first rode him here, he felt really good and wanted to do more, so I'm finding it hard to find the balance of how much exercise is enough to build up but not too much to make him sore.

He's now come lame front fore, which the vet isn't sure if it's muscle or pain from an op he had 6 years ago to take bone chips out of either elbow. If it's recurring, then it's (obviously) not covered by insurance, so I'm not sure what that means for him. He could have the joint medicated but how long that will last I don't know... He's on field rest for another couple of weeks in the hope that it's muscle and he'll come sound in the next couple of weeks. If this is the case, I really want to get on with bringing him back into work, the last 6 months i feel have been such a waste for him.. he's not getting any younger (he thinks he is). Is there any exercises or pole layouts/exercises that people have found particularly helpful?

Has anyone gone through a similar thing with an older horse, I'm getting myself worked up that this will be it, I just need some positive stories!

Thanks in Advance xx

 

[be positive]

I did not rehab an older horse but still had a fairly intensive rehab which was mainly hacking for 4-5 months, this was 5 or 6 days a week with no ridden work in the school at all, he was getting up to two hours a day mainly walking with some uphill trots and cantering where possible once fit enough, every afternoon I did some in hand work over poles, plus his stretches and I also strapped him most days if I had time, it was almost a full time job but he did level up and although now retired it was not why he retired, he is still level and well muscled over the problem area.

I think the age of your horse is not going to help, nor is the fact he has other issues, I would concentrate on getting him hacking using himself properly, if he doesn't use his backend going up hill he needs to learn how to otherwise he will probably not use himself properly anywhere else, the back end is connected to the front so if he is pulling rather than pushing the front will be taking too much of the strain, it may help to make him go up very slowly with transitions to halt then walking on to get him more engaged and not allowing him to pull himself along, we tend to push on to make them work harder but often slowing down is more effective.

On days you dont hack some polework is useful but only if he works properly over them so whatever exercises you use need to be aimed at him and getting him working, what helps one may not help another, mine was good over poles raised alternate sides two strides apart so he had a bit more time to think what he was doing and really use himself, others need them closer, further apart, raised level or left on the floor until they are confident to use them properly.

 

[sbloom]

I would find a really good in hand rehab trainer, I work with Dan Wain Equestrian in Warwicks, The Osteopathic Vet has a network of them in various locations around the UK. You need to lift his thoracic sling and then the back end builds, you need to work on the front and middle more actively. Walking up hills is definitely a good idea but getting off his back allows you to do this "body building" work more easily. I agree that polework etc is only any good if the horse absolutely goes in correct form, and that means undoing all the postural issues they had that at least contributed to the SI problem, which is best done in hand