To canter or not to canter? That is the question??

[PC Steele]

My 22 yr old is recovering from collateral ligament damage, I have decided I am just going to hack him through the winter and see what I've got next year. My problem is he is really sharp and hasn't mellowed with age. When we were competing etc. I always used to do loads of walk and then straight into canter, did quite a bit of canter then focus on trot. If I did trot from walk it was a disaster!!!!!! Tense,spooky HORRID. So when I bring him back next year would you say I could start with small bouts of canter instead of trot or not?????

 

[texel]

Lovely to hear your horse hasn't mellowed with age, mine is 27 and thinks he is 5

The issue is the horse will feel well and full of himself and could re-injure the ligament. Best to follow your vet's recovery plan and it may be that as your horse is used to walk to canter then trying to re-train him at this stage may be detrimental to his recovery in that he becomes tense and spooky as you say.

all the best

 

[PC Steele]

Hmmmm I think it would do more damage to itself in trot as it really is abit of a twonk !!!!!!