Those of you who have had joints medicated for arthritis....

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 February 2009
Messages
4,437
Visit site
....How long before they were back in proper work? He's just done his 2 days box rest and he's been turned out today, now need to start walking him in hand twice daily :yawn:

How long roughly until you were back in the school, walk, trotting and cantering no both reins etc?
 
I have always hacked out quietly for 20 to 30 mins for first few days after rest (no in hand walking) as can't see the point of in hand walking if horse is turned out anyway. Then gradual return to work in the school slowly increasing the work dificulty. Back to full work within 10 to 14 days.
 
I was advised to turn out as normal for a week and then bring back into work.

What has your vet advised?
 
Thistle said:
I have always hacked out quietly for 20 to 30 mins for first few days after rest (no in hand walking) as can't see the point of in hand walking if horse is turned out anyway. Then gradual return to work in the school slowly increasing the work dificulty. Back to full work within 10 to 14 days.
Click to expand...

See this to me seems more sensible. Especially as he went hooling around in the field as soon as I turned him out this morning anyway :o

Mine is on a ‘walk in hand twice daily for 15 mins week 1, walk in hand twice daily 20 mins week 2, introduce trotting on lunge for 20 mins in week 3 & 4 etc’ and tbh, he only has v. mild (first signs) arthritis :eek:

However obviously with mine we have had major girthing issues so the plan they've given me is gradual just introducing things like nummnahs and surcingles and then rollers etc, gradually building up to a saddle, so perhaps that is why the ‘rehabilitation period’ seems quite lengthy? Just seems a bit much just for some steroid injections? :confused: I really need to get cracking with him in next couple of weeks really and start introducing saddles etc.
 
The race horses get a day in hand, 2 days walking hacks then back into work on the gallops. We don't do bends as such and the horses won't jump for a week but thats all
 
Mine got 2 days box rest, turnout for a week, then back on top for 30 mins at a time for 2 weeks.
Then trot added 5 mins a week, as well as 30 mins of walk.
Once trotting 30 mins and walking 30 mins, back to full work.

This was a fitness plan given to me by the horsepital. I would rather take her slowly and preserve her joints than rush it and face the inevitable sooner :(
 
My girl had injection end of January and only just this week been given go ahead to start riding her again within the next month after working up to it with introducing tack etc. She has only been diagnosed with arthritis in one of her hocks and one joint only but the main issue stemming from it was that she had secondary back and neck problems due yo the way she had held herself to alleviate pain and also due to her previous owner riding her for a prolonged period of time in a saddle which didn't fit. It's those issues, not the arthritis injection, that have taken the time to heal and it has been a very long haul with in hand walks daily. We're now needing to build up her back muscles correctly so looking at possibly introducing an equiami to her in order to help this. Is rather take it slowly and be confident she's the best she could be than rush it and risk her bring hurt again. It's been a huge blow as it is as haven't had her very long.
 
Maybe that plan is not just because of the injections they have done but is in light of his other issues ridden? I don't think giving him more of a break/more time walking is going to do any harm is it? Why the rush to want to start putting saddles on?
 
I would hazard a guess that the girthiness is connected. In our case the physio has been key to getting her as pain free as can be. If it were just her hocks and the injection I'm sure we would have been back in the saddle sooner than now. In the bigger picture though its worth taking the time in my view to ensure everything is as good as it can be.
 
ester said:
Maybe that plan is not just because of the injections they have done but is in light of his other issues ridden? I don't think giving him more of a break/more time walking is going to do any harm is it? Why the rush to want to start putting saddles on?
Click to expand...

I'm not going to rush putting the saddle on- saddle won't be on for a while yet but I would like to start the whole process of getting him used to things around his stomach etc so that ideally, in a 2-3 weeks time I can start trying to lunge in a roller or something. I am also conscious of his weight, he hasn't been worked now properly for months and he is starting to look a bit porky and is losing all his muscle despite little feed, soaked hay and not much grass and I think it must be due to just not really doing anything. Vets also told me to watch out for laminitis after injections too which is making me more conscious of his weight.

I guess I just don't want months of 'walking in hand' etc like he's just had a KS op or something when in reality, he's just had a couple of steroid injections for mild arthritis. I will obviously stick to the work plan the vets have given me, to me it just seemed a bit extreme and lenghty and I wondered whether that was normal or whether it was taking into account his girthiness issues.
 
That's interesting that the vet told you to watch out for laminitis. As I understand it not many vets mention this yet it is a very real threat. My girl actually had torn laminae on both front hooves toe area when we got her shoes off last week. (She's only shod on front at present). Both vet and farrier say nothing to worry about at this stage and is more than likely due to stress of all the investigations/treatment she's had. Her feed/regime is about as laminitis friendly as its possible to be. So do watch out for any signs etc. progressive earth sell a milk thistle supplement which helps to expell any toxins etc left behind by chemicals injected in sedatives/steroids etc.
 
well I don't see why you can't do some desensitisation work with him if you want to? as that doesn't necessarily mean moving about.

fwiw I think I did 2 weeks walk (10 min to start) and then started gradually adding in trotting after that- but only say 100 m then rest and in straight lines not circles then cantered late week 4 or 5 iirc. I don't see the plan your vets have given as particularly lengthy. A lot of horses would present with only a slight stiffness before being injected he has had more significant problems so I suspect they are working along the lines of it not being a bad idea to sort of 'let his muscles down' a bit and then build him back up again if he has been holding himself incorrectly due to the hocks and thus creating more pain for himself to generate the reactions you have been seeing.

It just seems a bit odd to me that last week you were mentioning PTS and now he has had injections you want him back in work asap :confused:.
 
The vets said that as I haven't been riding him for the past few months (well at least not consistently) it may have made his arthritis worse (though obviously at the time I didn't know it was arthritis) and he really needs to get back into proper ridden work and fitness to even assess whether injections have made any difference anyway. So yes, I guess I am keen to crack on.

I have no problem with doing what they have asked me to do, obviously if it's for his benefit I will do it, it just to me seemed a bit of a strung out rehabilitation process and didn't know whether that was to incorporate the resolving of the girthiness issue or not.

But yes, at the weekend I do think I will start the process of resolving the girthiness issue as it is going to be a long process (I think) and i'm sorry but for me, if it can't be unresolved then yes, his fate will be slightly different as quite frankly he is dangerous atm re that.
 
I do understand the wanting to know whether they have worked or not having been there ;). I suspect if he can get out as much as possible that will help with the stiffness too, it certainly helps F and he also moves better in work than out.
 
ester said:
I do understand the wanting to know whether they have worked or not having been there ;). I suspect if he can get out as much as possible that will help with the stiffness too, it certainly helps F and he also moves better in work than out.
Click to expand...

Yes, that was my thoughts too, fingers crossed. I am a little worried about him hooning around and doing more damage. Have booted him up but still :confused: he's not normally a hoon around too much type so I'm hoping this mornings outburst was due to being stuck in for 2 days and he'll calm down!
 
my boy has mild arthritus, he is an ex-racer so lots of wear and tear. not had injections, but found naff glucosamine supplement is vital, he recently had nearly a month without it as forgot to order more and went stiff and clicky. so back on with a loading dose and improving, but only going to walk him for a week and hacking straight, not bending in school, untill he feels better.

i have had him living out as much as possible in a herd with lots of land for about a year now, except in over night due to mud fever this winter. living out has made the biggest difference, except when really cold he has been so much less stiff being out and moving around more.the more they are out the less likely to hoon around as well!

agree you can work on girthing issues without actually increasing work load
 
Depends what you have had injected???? Sorry but can't see what joint he has done???

If in between spinous processes then walk for a few days before 4 weeks of in hand and lunging. As need to alleviate inflammation and build muscle

If sacroiliac then two weeks walking ( under saddle) in a straight line (hacking) before introducing any circles as need to stabilise SI

If hocks usually hack for a couple of weeks so as not to put hock under pressure

I have had various bits injected with different horses and had different advice depending on joint

Also having had my own shoulder and spine injected the doctors actually told me to rest for two weeks
 
scots said:
Depends what you have had injected???? Sorry but can't see what joint he has done???

If in between spinous processes then walk for a few days before 4 weeks of in hand and lunging. As need to alleviate inflammation and build muscle

If sacroiliac then two weeks walking ( under saddle) in a straight line (hacking) before introducing any circles as need to stabilise SI

If hocks usually hack for a couple of weeks so as not to put hock under pressure

I have had various bits injected with different horses and had different advice depending on joint

Also having had my own shoulder and spine injected the doctors actually told me to rest for two weeks
Click to expand...

The coffin and fetlock joints were injected
 
Id say its dependant on the individual horse more than the treatment.
Both mine have had joints injected. One was on loan at the time so not totally sure how it went but the one ive had done at first he only had a day or two off and was worked lightly. However the jabs took longer and longer too take effect and the last one was just over two months off before I started walking him out lightly. He was living out at the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top