Some support please.

flamehead said:
She is in her box every night and 2 or 3 days a week, but out the others. She is being exercised probably once every 3 days.
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So worked twice a week and turned out half of the week? I'd want her out every day or 24/7 by now if possible. Let her mooch about and loosen herself up with a couple of days walk/trot hacking to begin with.

Lunge with no kit or loose school first - yes, she will build muscle when working correctly but I would keep things comfortable for her for now.

It will be a long, slow process to build her up given her ridden past and recent KSS. Feeling like you are at the end of the road with her already is not going to help her.
 
Jen_Cots said:
Reference the alpha mare thing, you could consider something out of the box, like lying her down. It would help her submit (in a nice way) and realise that humans are the alphas
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:eek: please not!! She is recovering from surgery on her spine:eek:

lots of walking to slowly build her up and trying the saddle options suggested sound much healthier to me.
 
she's in about 75% of the time and worked 2x a week? could any of that be changed? eg could she go out every day? or even 24/7, and perhaps get worked (even if it's only for ten minutes on the ground) 5 days a week, to keep things consistent for her?

poor you, i hope it gets better... i do echo the no cantering yet though. xxx good luck! xxx
 
work wise - i would be working her if poss 6 days a week -

hacking and always lunge before you get on!!....

as for KS - no expereince so i wont comment.

good luck and she dosent sound like a nice mare :(
 
noodle_ said:
good luck and she dosent sound like a nice mare :(
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Disagree, I think she sounds like a misunderstood mare who was diagnosed with KS late (hence the ridden problems) and is now being rushed back into work.

The alpha/lead mare issues could stem from the lack of trust she feels towards you due to the above :(
 
I've had a mare with KS. Was told the best thing was keep her out 24/7 so she was constantly moving, only stable her in emergencies as it restricts movement. Also steady (walking) work, building up slowly. Start in stright lines with gentle flexion through the spine, gradually increasing until she can move on a circle pain free. Imagine you'd just had spinal surgery & were forced to make a circle straigth away. First you expect it to hurt, then there is the stiffness (which will go with work) from the surgery. Let her stretch forward first then start to flex sideways in increasing increments. This will give her time to loosen up & realise the pain has gone. Really not surprised she said no to pessoa (she knows it made her back hurt in the past) or canter on a circle. Girlie has been through the wars (as has your poor MIL), take it gently. She doesn't sound a bad girl, just someone who got to the point it hurt too much & is in the process of getting over it. You also sound like a caring owner who only has her interests at heart.
 
No experience of KS but sounds like a pain issue to me and i wouldnt even dream of trying a pessoa until she is working happily and comfortably.
I`d be keeping walking to at least 4 weeks, start of with straight line and if your not confident enough to hack out have someone lead her in hand and perhaps take another well behaved horse for company.
Have you had her saddle checked?
 
mollichop said:
Disagree, I think she sounds like a misunderstood mare who was diagnosed with KS late (hence the ridden problems) and is now being rushed back into work.

The alpha/lead mare issues could stem from the lack of trust she feels towards you due to the above :(
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Ditto above, horses do not go out of their way to be like that.

It will take her time to get over the association she had of pain and being ridden, so needs to gain her trust in you that the pain is no longer there and she is ready to move on.

Keep it simple, regular short sessions and lots of praise.
 
Hi all,

Thanks so much for all your help and advice.

Just got back in from an in hand walk with her (on my own so not willing to ride in case I die....). We went for a stroll round the lanes, through the stream, along some bridlepaths, through the woods and then back home. We trotted up a few hills (god I'm knackered now.....!) but mostly just went for a wander to stretch her legs. She was fab.

No saddle or anything but just thought we should get her out and have some fun.

24/7 turnout isn't possible at the moment, but 90% of the time we CAN get her out for a stretch of her legs if she isn't turned out - and we'll make a real effort to do so now. Tomorrow I'm going to take her into the school loose and play some games together - she will do anything for a treat and we've played before with success. We'll start the proper fittening again on the weekend.

Regarding her behaviour - she genuinely is "just like that". According to her previous owner, who bred her, she was like it from the first time she went out in a herd without her mum. She isn't EVER naughty - shes beautifully well mannered in hand and will move when asked etc, she just likes to tell you who's who. Shes exactly like it with Puzzle in the field, except she actually gets Puzzle ;) we're not worried about it, shes a cutie really and has the sweet spots that make her go gooey. She's just a mare!

xxx
 
Hi

I too have a TB mare with kissing spines, although she was not suitable for the operation. We initially gave her some time out to be a horse and try to forget the pain. When she was bought back into work it was firstly short in hand hacks which we built up before going mounted after 6 weeks we worked her on the pessoa which luckily she loved. I bought a massage pad and used this before and after work.

We were doing really well and she looked great and on our vets recommendation started pole work and small jumps but this was our downfall and we retired her from jumping. We put her in foal, again before any jumps on me we did consult vets. She carried the foal well and was living out 24/7 until just before due date. She foaled a fab colt and has been out 24/7 since then.

We are due to wean soon and she will be sent away for 6 weeks again out 24/7 then we start the whole process again but minus the jumping. If we can just hack her that would be great. I think you must get her turned out loads more and go right back to basics on the work front starting with in hand short hacks. Obviously I have no expertise on the op but allowing her to build up some muscle and stamina before ridden and then keep it short with no circles or cantering.

Good luck to you both x
 
flamehead said:
Hi all,

Thanks so much for all your help and advice.

Just got back in from an in hand walk with her (on my own so not willing to ride in case I die....). We went for a stroll round the lanes, through the stream, along some bridlepaths, through the woods and then back home. We trotted up a few hills (god I'm knackered now.....!) but mostly just went for a wander to stretch her legs. She was fab.

No saddle or anything but just thought we should get her out and have some fun.

24/7 turnout isn't possible at the moment, but 90% of the time we CAN get her out for a stretch of her legs if she isn't turned out - and we'll make a real effort to do so now. Tomorrow I'm going to take her into the school loose and play some games together - she will do anything for a treat and we've played before with success. We'll start the proper fittening again on the weekend.

Regarding her behaviour - she genuinely is "just like that". According to her previous owner, who bred her, she was like it from the first time she went out in a herd without her mum. She isn't EVER naughty - shes beautifully well mannered in hand and will move when asked etc, she just likes to tell you who's who. Shes exactly like it with Puzzle in the field, except she actually gets Puzzle ;) we're not worried about it, shes a cutie really and has the sweet spots that make her go gooey. She's just a mare!

xxx
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Brilliant! Hill walking works wonders for getting them to stretch their heads down and help strenghthen the back. Good for getting their lungs working too! (and your's by the sounds of it!)

Have you tried clicker training? Just as an extra-curriculum activity to do in the menege to break things up a bit. Help keep her focused on you and her mind active.
 
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