ForeverBroke_
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
A few of you may remember that I posted last year about the ongoing attempts to get my horse sound after being diagnosed with bilateral high/articular ringbone.
In august/september he came sound and has since been in light work ever since. This recently has included 1.5hr hacks, 20 mins trotting in the school (to get his heart rate up a bit when the ground doesnt allow!) and even been briefly on the lunge once. I was told he'd only ever be able to hack for 20-30 mins but to see how he goes, and have taken things very slowly to get to this point now. He comes out of the stable a bit pottery but other than that is 99% sound, with the odd arthritic day.
However, I am fighting a losing battle with his weight. He's on a near to bald field which is being strip grazed with my other horse (who has hollow legs and can eat til the cows come home!), and was beginning to drop off weight with the spells of trot in the school but the last few days he has been sorer IMO and so I'm going to cut back the school work as much as possible. However, he is becoming a NIGHTMARE to hack - he has always been a rearer but this is now accompanied by bunny hopping sideways up any grass track, rearing, leaping or recently even spooking on the roads and trying to canter off back the way he came. This inevitably isnt helping his legs at all.
How on earth can I get weight off a horse who can't do much work - and the work he is allowed to he's being positivley foul about
. He is horrid if kept in a pen, and I've muzzled him today so we'll see if that makes any difference..
He's on 8lb of soaked hay and has a pinch of Hi fi Lite for his vet supplement.
Any help much appreciated!
A few of you may remember that I posted last year about the ongoing attempts to get my horse sound after being diagnosed with bilateral high/articular ringbone.
In august/september he came sound and has since been in light work ever since. This recently has included 1.5hr hacks, 20 mins trotting in the school (to get his heart rate up a bit when the ground doesnt allow!) and even been briefly on the lunge once. I was told he'd only ever be able to hack for 20-30 mins but to see how he goes, and have taken things very slowly to get to this point now. He comes out of the stable a bit pottery but other than that is 99% sound, with the odd arthritic day.
However, I am fighting a losing battle with his weight. He's on a near to bald field which is being strip grazed with my other horse (who has hollow legs and can eat til the cows come home!), and was beginning to drop off weight with the spells of trot in the school but the last few days he has been sorer IMO and so I'm going to cut back the school work as much as possible. However, he is becoming a NIGHTMARE to hack - he has always been a rearer but this is now accompanied by bunny hopping sideways up any grass track, rearing, leaping or recently even spooking on the roads and trying to canter off back the way he came. This inevitably isnt helping his legs at all.
How on earth can I get weight off a horse who can't do much work - and the work he is allowed to he's being positivley foul about
. He is horrid if kept in a pen, and I've muzzled him today so we'll see if that makes any difference.. He's on 8lb of soaked hay and has a pinch of Hi fi Lite for his vet supplement.
Any help much appreciated!
