Tight/sore hamstring..........also in Veterinary

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Bananaman

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I've put this in the vet. section but thought some of you may not go there, so......

For a while now, I've been grumbling about Rhiannon being lazy with her near hind. She is perfectly sound but esp at the beginning of a session she will not step through as well left as she does right.
She has a tendancy to be stiff on the left rein and in halt often halts with the left hind out to the left, no matter how much shoulder fore I ride or tapping with the whip or whatever.
Her changes are not bad rt to lft but are nearly always late behind the other way.
I just wondered today whether there could be a problem with her hamsting that side and as I felt both, she was definately much more sensitive on the left one, picking up that leg, looking round at me etc whist there was really no reaction on the other side.

Obviously I will get her checked asap but are there any exercises that I could do in the mean time?
I've done a search and come up with one where you stretch the hind leg forwards towards the front hoof on the same side. Any others or any advice?
 
Personally i would get a physio out to assess her - give her a good work up both with you on her and on the ground aswell. I would be reluctant to do any exercises without having her looked at properly first, as it might not just be a hamstring and you wouldnt want to make it worse.

Thats my view anyways!
 
My mare used to suffer from tight hamstrings. My Physio had me do leg stretches with her before riding every day. Facing the hindquarters, pick up the foot no more than 1' off the ground and hold the hoof. Then gently stretch the leg back towards the front leg, lowering it gently as you go. Hold for around 10 seconds (or shorter if the horse finds it difficult), and release. Repeat and build up slowly over time.

Hope this helps!

xxx
 
Yes, you're probably right. You know what it's like though, when you think you've discovered the cause of all your problems then you want to fix asap!!!
The annoying thing is that she had a physio appt last week but I think the girl worked mainly on her back/chest and neck......I don't recall her checking the hind legs.
I wish I'd had these thoughts before last week!
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I agree with Tempi, before doing anything I would have it looked at to make sure that is exactly what it is and you would not be doing more harm than good. Especially as I am sure you are at the Regionals on her???
 
Tbh unless i ask my physio she dosent check the hindlegs - she does however get me to trot him up and if i think theres a specific problem i ride him for her aswell. So i think maybe if you got yours back get her to watch R under saddle and say what you think is wrong. Or you could just get the vet and go from there?
 
Sounds like a mild case of exactly what Hattie was doing. She could step under herself properly and found turning very difficult. She was also very difficult to engage (front end to back end) and was very stiff behind.

Nothing wrong with her other than having pulled a muscle in her bottom, we think she did it throwing her backend so much when we went XC schooling at tweseldown. Took 4months of box rest and on the walker plus several sessions of physio and loads of leg stretching exercises before she was completely right again. However R's sounds more mild than Hattie's. Physio would def be a good idea
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Mine has a hamstring problem and I do three stretches. One forward but near the ground. then foward towards the knee and then forward towards the elbow (well wont go that high but higher than the knee) Do it on alternate legs. ( Low stretch RH, low stretch left hind, medium stretch right hind medium left hind etc) as it is very tiring and each leg needs a rest in between.I also have to use my fist to massage the hamstring.

The best thing though is to get the physio out to show you the things you can do. This will make it more specific to your horses injury. I also had in hand exercises so you could ask about things like that too!
 
One of my horses gets tight hamstrings as a result of lubmar-sacral pain and once he's had a physio session they loosen off on their own. I would get him checked out by a physio before you start doing stretches incase the hamstrings are a knock-on effect of something else.
 
Thanks all.......that's why I love this place............although I've spent a lifetime with horses and competition ones at that, this is a problem I've never knowingly come across personally before.
I knew some of you would have.
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I have rung the physio and am waiting for her to call back. I can't think it is a knock on from somewhere else as she had a physio session only last week but that physio may have missed something.

In the mean time I will do the low stretches with her. I feel I am aware enough to stop if she tells me it's not good, she is a mare after all and will let me know!
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