Skylla Update

[Michen]

Have the saddle pad in place on the horse. Measure the full distance (there’s a paper measuring tape in the pack) around the horse (bum or tum depending) from buckle to buckle, that is 100%. The elastic band would be under no tension if it was fitted at 100%, so the band needs to be shortened. The most you would ever shorten it to in a horse that is well used to it and well along the rehab path would be 50% of the buckle to buckle length.
In the pics Tammy is at 70%, which feels tight enough to me. I started her a bit looser than than, maybe 80%?

Ok so.. in super simple terms for me.

Take that measurement, say it’s 100cm from buckle to buckle and then shorten the band to 80cm for it to be at 80%.. 😀😀

 

[Tiddlypom]

Yes .

 

[Michen]

Yes .

I have no idea why that concept was so hard for me to grasp 🙈

Thanks very much!!

 

[DabDab]

Great progress AH! Is she still looking sound now as well?

I'd like to get one to try, but it would be handy if I could use it on both horses....What size do you guys have?

 

[Michen]

Great progress AH! Is she still looking sound now as well?

I'd like to get one to try, but it would be handy if I could use it on both horses....What size do you guys have?

Think the one I got from uk stockist only comes in one size. But you get two sets of bands so you could have one set for each horse.

Ha, I’m now an expert, despite not knowing how to use the thing and offending my horse in doing so!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’ve got the regular size, which fits 15hh to 16.2hh. Tammy is a chunky and long 16.1hh who takes 6’9” rugs, and it fits her well. I’m intending to use it on my 15.2hh compact sports horse type too, but haven’t tried it on her yet.

 

[DabDab]

Fab, thank you TP. My bigger horse is slightly taller than T but from your pics he's the same sort of build as her and same rug size so will chance on the regular fitting him as well as my compact mare. Thanks!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Ah missed all the replies last night sorry guys!

Michen, Bog's reaction is what I was trying to avoid with Skylla and why I went for belly strap first if that helps? Otherwise bridle, hat, gloves and two lines for control of both sides to try and keep safe!

Great progress AH! Is she still looking sound now as well?

I'd like to get one to try, but it would be handy if I could use it on both horses....What size do you guys have?

Yep still looks sound (we won't mention the taking the electric fencing down incident that made for an ouchy step ). I bought regular size and it fits both Skylla and Topaz who each have their own bands, they're 15.3hh and 15.2hh .

Oh and the ClickNow app totally works lol! Week 5:

 

[milliepops]

damn you and your iphones! I can't get the click now app
Glad she's still making good progress A x

 

[gunnergundog]

Just to add, that whilst the bands are great for rehabbing a horse that has been treated and is pain free, but just weak, you can get an explosive reaction if you try them on a horse with an underlying problem as the bands can accentuate it.....SI for example.

Not saying that there is an issue with your horse Michen, and hopefully he was just being a pillock, but something to keep in mind if you get the same reaction again or upon tightening them up.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

damn you and your iphones! I can't get the click now app
Glad she's still making good progress A x

worse mine is work phone that I bought from them when they upgraded so I didn't even pay a lot for it , the app made all the horses whinny back lol.

I think she might need a bit more feeding to be honest, she looked better on her two feeds a day for her ulcer medication but now that's finished I think she looks lighter... Not used to one I need to feed , though if she's anything like Topaz it won't last.

 

[rosiesowner]

Skylla looks fantastic. So grown up these days! I'm another one very interested in the bands. Also ClickNow is the best!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Sorry forgot about updating!

Last week, at 6.5 weeks:

Interesting as I wasn't seeing as much improvement but when you compare this to the first pic you can see she looks better still.

Angela has come back out to see her and was super impressed with her. Slight manipulation needed for the right side of her SI, which could have been related to her taking the electric fence down . Also did a more in depth assessment of the hyoid as she's not remained as good in the contact as she was from her first adjustment. So to tick every box I've booked her in to a bitting clinic to check whether her bit is not helping (just the turtle top NS currently) or whether it's me...

Will get a pic of her from this week, as there was a bit of a lull at about week 5 where I wasn't sure if the saddle was ok, so now we're back on it! Also asides from physically looking better, she feels so much stronger and more balanced in the canter, if Equine Flu would sod off I'd be back out competing her, so excited for the rest of the season!

 

[Wheels]

Looking great, you can see her tummy is following a much nicer line after all the core work and she has filled out nicely and looks stronger over the lumbar area

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Yeah she is a lot less greyhound shaped now lol!

 

[ycbm]

She looks normal! And that's a huge compliment on your rehab work 👍👍👍

 

[HufflyPuffly]

She looks normal! And that's a huge compliment on your rehab work 👍👍👍

LOL very pleased to now have a normal horse

Though the way she towed me round the field last night doing canter work, I'm not sure I like the new found strength

 

[Tiddlypom]

That’s a very impressive improvement in such a short time, well done all!

My younger mare’s hyoid and poll region were badly out, and Angela was concerned that she may have done herself a proper mischief. She treated the area and said that if she was not fully improved in six weeks that she’d need to be referred on for further vet checks. Luckily the adjustments all held and that is one less thing to worry about, phew. She’d had a proper splat fall in the field and was sore pretty much everywhere before Angela sorted her.

I’ve even had Angela back out to treat the retired senior mare, as I felt rather guilty about leaving her out of the loop. She’s much more comfortable now, too.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

That’s a very impressive improvement in such a short time, well done all!

My younger mare’s hyoid and poll region were badly out, and Angela was concerned that she may have done herself a proper mischief. She treated the area and said that if she was not fully improved in six weeks that she’d need to be referred on for further vet checks. Luckily the adjustments all held and that is one less thing to worry about, phew. She’d had a proper splat fall in the field and was sore pretty much everywhere before Angela sorted her.

I’ve even had Angela back out to treat the retired senior mare, as I felt rather guilty about leaving her out of the loop. She’s much more comfortable now, too.

Oh good that she has maintained the improvement! I specifically asked Angela to dig a bit more as I was a little concerned, so we'll see what the bitting clinic can do for us, though overally Angela is super pleased with her progress!

Oh god don't say that I'll feel like I need to get Doodle checked too now, she is probably super wonky....

 

[Tiddlypom]

Oh god don't say that I'll feel like I need to get Doodle checked too now, she is probably super wonky....

Our horses like to guilt trip us, don’t they?! Senior mare was watching the other two being treated with great interest, so I asked if she treated fully retired older horses too... Yes she does.

Senior mare still moves pretty well, but is a bit saggy looking. Been given carrot stretches to do and maybe light use of the equicore. Will keep her ticking over with gentle inhand work in the arena. She was very happy to have some proper attention paid to her!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Week 7.
Skylla was not up for standing square sorry, this was the best we could manage even with the app!
Even with her tack on I think the improvements are still coming, I'm starting to be concerned with what she will look like when she's finished lol!

Plus how Skylla wanted to stand showing off her impressive booty!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

11 Weeks

Skylla is doing better than ever! She's found her love of jumping and feels amazing, so much stronger and balanced, though she's still not a fan of dressage lol.

Parked whilst I pick up poo, (I have to tie her reins up otherwise she stands on them, even if they're through the throat lash!):

I know I keep spamming Skylla pics, sorry not sorry...
Doing what she now loves to do!

Not sure if it will be worth continuing this thread as I feel the issues have mostly been resolved now, she is booked in for a biting clinic next month, but otherwise Angela is thrilled with her progress and Skylla is doing super! I'm sure her shape will continue to develop the more work she's in and the more jumping she does, very happy to have a 'normal' shaped horse now .

 

[Wheels]

Great update and love that last pic - I think it's briliant that you now feel issues are resolved - well done, it's not easy

 

[Bernster]

Ooh she’s turning from dressage diva to eventing legend hey? Exciting!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Great update and love that last pic - I think it's briliant that you now feel issues are resolved - well done, it's not easy

I've got that picture coming to me as a print!

Yeah, she is moving so much better, really through and over her back (sitting trot is now super easy), she's standing underneath herself now and just looks 'comfy'. I think it will need on-going work to maintain (schooling, fitness and the equiband) but hopefully she will continue to blossom!

Ooh she’s turning from dressage diva to eventing legend hey? Exciting!

Haha not sure she was ever a fan of the dressage diva idea, maybe in the future like we did with Topaz, but yes she definitely seems to want to event currently!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Update 8 months on from when we started our rehab bootcamp. Pictures all seem to have disappeared so here’s some progress ones:

Initial starting point


One month in

3 months in

6 months in

8 months in which brings us to now, though her posing is still rubbish!



I think she's dropped a bit of condition with the time of year and having nearly three weeks off whilst I was in NZ, so it will be interesting to see how she goes now we're back to full work again. I have reintroduced the pink mash so hopefully she will pick up again soon.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

9 months and she's picked up well on the grass, she's been a bit feisty recently so not sure if it's the grass or hormones or something! Started her on limestone flour just to see if it helps her tum and if she potentially is calcium deficient, though I have a feeling she's just feeling well and likes her new found power in her bum .

Being feisty but showing off her moves:

 

[HappyHorses:)]

Do you feel the difference when riding her? She looks so much stronger behind ??

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Do you feel the difference when riding her? She looks so much stronger behind ??

Yeah she feels so much stonger and more balanced, still always a work in progress, but hoping once lockdown has finished she can go do some grown up eventing!

 

[Cloball]

Nah don't think that's real you've photoshopped another horses butt onto the first pic ....?



She looks fab!