Some FANTABULOUS news...and some **advice** needed please!!

Kellys Heroes

Kellys Heroes

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Well, we trotted Kelly today :) We rode across a field yesterday and it was like riding a coiled up spring! She couldn't fathom why we were walking but she was very good and she didn't try to head off. So we decided today would be D day!

Both vet and farrier have examined her in the last week and said she's improved ten fold and won't do anything that will hurt her - seeing her stride out across the yard cobbles and bomb off down the field without an ounce of a limp was enough for them and they said start to build her up (farrier didn't even recognise her when we returned from hack!)

Obviously we're not going to trot her on concrete but they said out hacking in fields, or in the school is perfect to bring her on! :D So made up!

She came down with lameness, lami and seizures in the middle of April and we first got back on her on 29/07. Since then we have been short hack - long hack - short hack - long hack, until the long hacks have got upto an hour and a half and she's coping fine - she's back to her old self now on hacks, snatching at trees, pulling faces at the other horse and spooking at stupid things!

Our problem now is...
I took her in the outdoor school (soft sand) and asked her to trot on (with my heart in my mouth!! :rolleyes::o:rolleyes:) and she was reluctant at first as though it was very confusing what I was asking her to do.
I immediately panicked (thought "s*!t, LAME LAME LAME!!!!!), tried to bring her back to walk and she wouldn't have it - once she hit the long side on the straight, she flew along in trot, foot perfect :)

Tried it again and asking for trot at a corner she just can't seem to get the hang of, it's like its very confusing for her and she acts slightly panicked and quickens her pace - yet I took her to C, aimed her at A and she went into trot really nicely (no panicking) and did a lovely trot to the bottom of the school, so I know its not painful for her - plus she tried to canter!

Is it feasible to think she's forgotten what we're asking her for or that its really hard for her to move round corners now? With the bad weather (at one point we couldn't even bring them out of their stables the ground was so icy) and this illness, she hasn't been schooled for perhaps 10 maybe more, months...she isn't a "school" horse she really has to be in a certain mood (a very rare certain mood!!)

We're going to trot her out hacking too - just across the park (about the length of the school) to build her fitness up and keep at it in the school (may I add, a few minutes at a time, not full sessions and after a short hack too so she's lovely and warmed up) - would it help for her to follow the other horse in trot? If we both start trotting at the same time, she might catch on a little quicker? (They're fine together, aren't the type to shoot off with one another).

Sorry for the long long long post - I'd just hate to think we're going backwards again but I don't think we are. Seeing her in the field you wouldn't think anything's wrong! We now think - inc. the vet and farrier - that it may be a little psychological too (she's been known to fake lameness before - is sound once vet gets there!! Monkey :p).

I'M SO MADE UP ABOUT IT!!!!! :D
White wine and homemade scones and swiss roll for anyone who reads and/or answers! TIA!
K x
 
So is it just on the bends/corners that she won't start a trot? Will she go into a trot in a straight line and then trot round a corner?

I wouldn't stress about it too much at the moment hun :)

Are you allowed to lunge her?
 
Well, anything for a scone.

I don't know Kelly's full story but from what I've picked up she's been off work for a while? In that case she will be stiff, and not as supple on the corners as she was when in regular work. Also, though you are (in my view) right to be on a soft surface, trotting in a sand school is actually quite hard work. Have you tried running in one?! You may find she does better in the field if it relatively firm and level.

Has she been on box rest for a long time? This is many years ago so I might not have remembered correctly, but my old pony once had a bad attack of laminitis and was stabled for several months. She did come sound but was initially stiff, and the vet said that it was because she had absolutely no muscle tone. I think he said that her muscles had essentially shortened. I think you are perhaps in a similar situation, if not excuse the pointless anecdote!

Our vet gave us some stretching exercises to do on the ground with her, which seemed to help. We brought her back into work very slowly and she did more or less everything she had been doing before - cantering, jumping, gymkhana games etc. So don't worry, the suppleness will come back. Said pony was in her late teens or early twenties (not exactly sure) and we were ready to retire her but she would have none of it. I'm guessing your horse is younger, so I think you will have an easier time with the stiffness issue.

You must be so excited to have her back in work. Great news :)
 
Mrs M - farrier said we're "being mard" with her now :p I did put her on the lunge and apart from bolting off at some unknown noise and rolling twice, she stood and looked at me like I was crazy - not like her!
She finds it hard to start on a corner and won't carry on past the corner either - I know its early days and she's probably just very unfit and doesn't understand what we want yet...I'm just on tenterhooks hoping with every breath its not a step back!!
To add...after this today, she did find her daughter in the field and take off with her rounding everyone else up!

redmone - it seems to be a good weekend for horsey people! :) And Kelly does - we've had the vet out in "emergencies" 'cause she's crippled lame and the vets come, Kelly's danced out of her stable, put us on our backsides and started eating the grass!! xD
 
Steorra - She's now a very young 16 - but honest to god, acts about 5 (if we're lucky!). She was on box rest for 6 maybe 7 weeks I can't really remember then we started to walk her (vet said she'd do us some damage if we didn't!!) She's not been ridden properly since April at least due to seizures then lami :( (vet said not due to us - she's muzzled, exercised every day (usually ridden, if not lunged) and is only fed happy hoof and soaked hay).

That makes sense, its just that our rubber floored indoor atm is so unlevel she trips up all the time when we're in there! The field is fairly bumpy though saying that, so maybe we'd be better off in the indoor?

Like I said she's never been a "school" horse - much easier to school outdoors - but its usually stubbornness, not her actually finding it hard. Im hoping it is just the suppleness problem I understand that whilst horses make it look easy its actually a fair old strain to move easily round a corner for them!
And I am very happy :) :) feels like we have made a milestone - think maybe we were unwillingly hoping for too much but realistically knew what to expect...
K x
 
I wouldve thought following another horse would be fine. Bonnie can be a right little sod sometimes, and I HAVE to follow someone to get her moving!

Also... YAY YAY YAY!! Glad Kelly is feeling better :D xxxxxx
 
You may have hit the nail on the head,becuase of her illness,she's forgotten some so yes I says she's green, take her back to basics and she will soon zoom through everything and lovely news:D:D:D
 
Thank God you're thinking along the same lines as me! :o
We are so paranoid now because of it all its getting a bit daft! Maybe will let her follow other horse a few times and keep working on it, both out and in school hopefully soon she will supple up?

Any ideas for exercises to supple her up in walk or a little tiny trot? (Trot still a rare novelty atm!)
K x
 
Lol :D thanks!!
I rode her today, did 10 minutes of (big loose) circles, serpentines figure of 8s and changes of rein in walk and trotted on the straight and she was very good, but sweaty when I'd finished so think v unfit, no matter how much she pratts about when we're hacking!
Off out on a long toddle tomorrow as she's had two easy going days :eek: evil mums but we'll have a trot on the park :)
K x
 
It does sound like she's just unfit and stiff. i'm sure if you keep having little trots she will get better quickly. I think i would either try doing a big loose curve on the park in trot, or asking for a stride or two into each corner before letting her walk, just to ask her to try and push it a little. Sounds like you're on the right lines with the walk work and serpentines etc though. Really glad she's doing so well :)
 
somethingorother - yes RI seems to think she is - I'll try a curve on park tomorrow :) ground should be quite soft as it's been drizzling all night! She started to bend a few times on the circles, and isn't lame at all on the straight in trot :)
Loved that the nettles have started growing so she can reach them though!! :o Kept slamming brakes on and sticking her head through the fence!! :mad: good job we love her!
K x

brighteyes said:
Sounds like she's stiff to me and as she's only coming back into work, take it very easy with the schooling. Post laminitis, you can't be too careful. She may need saving from herself!
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Oh God I know she is the type of horse who will try her heart out but she will tell us when she's had enough in no uncertain terms and we're only doing max of 10 minutes schooling at a time with 2 trots at most and she is still bombing off in the field after :) she is muzzled, has soaked hay, plenty of bed, Happy Hoof feed and is booted up to ride! She's absolutely perfect out hacking for up to an hour and a half and is still full of buzz when we reach home.
Talk about paranoid!! :rolleyes:
K x
 
yorksG said:
Can she/will she trot round a corner in hand? This might give you some idea of if the problem is one of not understanding or stiffness perhaps.
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That's a good point, yes she will trot round a corner in hand (she thinks I'm playing!). I can't explain it really even in walk on a circle it feels as though she's going through slow motion stages of going round, she moves almost keeping her body straight and turning a few degrees at a time...if that makes sense? Rather than making a ( shape with her body she's going more like \ | / round the circle.
K x
 
Just as an aside, not meant to make you paranoid... but have you had her back and neck checked in relation to the on-off lameness? And her saddle checked since you got back on, as it's likely she has changed shape from muscle loss?
 
somethingorother said:
Just as an aside, not meant to make you paranoid... but have you had her back and neck checked in relation to the on-off lameness? And her saddle checked since you got back on, as it's likely she has changed shape from muscle loss?
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We had her neck and back checked when she first went lame and vet said although her confo is bad (rescue horse) her back and neck weren't a problem - he concluded lameness must have been lami coming on which makes sense as she's not lame now.
Not had saddle checked since we got back on her, but saddler is due out as saddle is ridiculously squeaky and want to make sure its still intact! (She managed to pull it out of cabinet last night - *Crash* on the floor, I think we need to tie box closed tighter!!)
K x
 
Did you ever find the cause of the seizures and may I ask (trying to whisper) was there any suggestion of brain damage as a result. Does she turn properly when she is playing with the others, or does she do the \|/ thing when on her own?
 
This sounds similar to my mare who was green when I got her and then went through a period of 2 months when I couldn't ride or work her. She's come back nicely but is still hesitant to pick up a trot at times.

I think it's a combination of remembered pain and stiffness/balance issues. She's fine when not really thinking about it (following another horse or when it's her idea) and it improves every time we ride.

But I know what you mean about paranoia - since I got her a year ago, I've had saddle fit issues, foot issues, back issues and now every time she blinks funny, I wonder if she's in pain!
 
yorksG said:
Did you ever find the cause of the seizures and may I ask (trying to whisper) was there any suggestion of brain damage as a result. Does she turn properly when she is playing with the others, or does she do the \|/ thing when on her own?
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*whispers back* Sometimes we don't think she has a brain to damage!! :eek::rolleyes: but in all seriousness, not mentioned at all. The cause of the seizures was never found the vet said it could be a form of epilepsy and at the time he said she may have 20 more or she may never have another one and he wasn't at all worried - whilst at first she was uncoordinated, glazed over and very quiet, she came round by herself - we sat with her in her stable for about 5 hours - called the vet at 9am, by 10am she was up and by 10.30am she had started to pick at her net and was eating fully by the time the vet arrived.
She's perfectly fine when playing with the others, perfect in hand and today on the park, I rode the other mare G rode Kelly and I could hear her laughing she said she could barely hold Kelly back as we trotted across the park, she was absolutely raring to go!
Just seems to be in the school tbh that she's reluctant..
K x
 
baymareb said:
This sounds similar to my mare who was green when I got her and then went through a period of 2 months when I couldn't ride or work her. She's come back nicely but is still hesitant to pick up a trot at times.

I think it's a combination of remembered pain and stiffness/balance issues. She's fine when not really thinking about it (following another horse or when it's her idea) and it improves every time we ride.

But I know what you mean about paranoia - since I got her a year ago, I've had saddle fit issues, foot issues, back issues and now every time she blinks funny, I wonder if she's in pain!
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Yeah as soon as we hit a field she's bouncing her heads up and down like yeah let's go let's go! Luckily she's very good and quite easy to hold back but I feel as if we slacked the reins very slightly she'd be gone! She's fine in the field, fine in hand, fine walking out marching forwards - just that trot in the school! Just can't seem to trot round a bend or corner.
Its comforting to know that its happened to other people - she really is coming along so well from how she was I'm absolutely thrilled with her :)

God I know though we watch all the other horses and how they're walking, what their feet look like! Glad we gave the last farrier the boot she's come along so much more after the last shoeing with the new farrier than she did with him!! :)
K x
 
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