up date on Oz's KS rehab

[1964]

if any one has seen my last posts, you would know that Oz had the KS op, we are now into our 5th week of walking and box rest, he is like a mad thing got him on sedalin but still mad on the long line wanting to play with the horse and rider thats long lining him.
my problem is that in just over a weeks time i have to get a roller on my horse and i know that this isnt going to happen as he has a mentual issue now with having something like that on his back because the last time he had his saddle on his back it was with pain, so thats what he associates it with is pain.
has any one got any thoughts or ideas or know of any one in the shropshire area that deal with behavour problems.
sorry for any spelling mistakes lol

 

[seabiscuit]

Well just spend the next week de-sentisising him to the roller, flap it on gently to start with let it hang loose and leave it on for a while on the first day, second day, do it up very loosly, over the next few days gradually tighten it up and then start to walk him about with it, praising him lots all the time. Have a good thick polypad underneath the roller, and use a well padded. soft roller.
Not sure if that will help but try that anyway.

 

[debradley]

Hi yah oz. Soz to hear you've got a handful (remember it well). Are you still on box rest? If not I'd recommend calling a halt and putting him in a really small area about 20 x 20m, electric fencing works well; but no bigger than that during the day, with sedalin. I did this with Honey at week 4.5 it was just getting too dangerous, it took 2 off us to walk her inhand at that stage. They just go stir crazy.

As for the roller issue, I'm afraid that just as Ouija Board suggests, its a case of desensitising. but don't flap it on he'll hate it. Try to put it on a bit like a blanket. Forward then pull back; takes two of you to start but it does work; you can even pretend to groom him with it! Honey still walks a little forward even now when it first goes on, but at least she doesn't act like a bulldozer anymore (I mean she literally broke the bolts off her stable door the first time!) and that's last August now. She doesn't bother about it being tightened just stands there - buts it taken time and two people for a long while. Hang in there. you're doing really well he will get there.

Give me a ring if you need anything. You'll soon be over the worst bit. Once they're out and got something to focus their minds on ie pessoa work it gets easier. You've done really well to get this far without posting a query so far. Well done you.

 

[1964]

hi Ouija Board thanks for the advice and thoughts had to do that when he had the steriod injected in his back, was to do it slowly and we did get there eventually when we did the steriod wore of and he went mad, typical.
hi De, its been a mad road as i have said we have been long lining him which was ok for a short while, he now has 5ml of sedalin and all he wants to do is play all the time and bucking and rearing in the road he is so full of him self, but he is now geting a little pushy and trying to be the boss of me also at the moment so having to do some ground work with him,
Today he wasnt as bad had the yard owner come out with us and gave some advice on the long lining and his behavour.
And the person who was doing the long lining has started to run her hand over his back while walking him on the drive, didnt like it at first then realised that it was ok really and not hurting him and he was enjoying it.
As you said to me when started all this its not an easy road and hard work, and its killing me but i just keep looking at my video of him when he was ridden, keeps me going.
we are into 4.5 weeks of box rest now and im going to give him turn out next week, but dont know how much sedalin to give him. how much did honey have?. also think its going to be a few weeks before i will get the roller on him so we will be behind in our work.
do you have any photos of honeys back at all when she had her op? or any one else on here that has been through it as would love to see if anything like Oz's, he seems to have some swelling on his so he is on bute at the moment.
How is honey and her rehab going and how are her legs? all well i hope?.

 

[debradley]

Hi there. Think your right in calling an end to box rest, but just check with your vet first. If he has a bit of swelling under the scar he hasn't formed a stitch abcess has he, that happened to Honey and can be quite painful.

As for the amount of sedalin to give on the turn out that all depends on the horse. Sedalin has a really big effect on Honey and I was only giving her 1.5 mls. But at 2 mls she'd be asleep. Sounds like your boy needs a bit more.

Here's a couple of picks of Honey's back just after stitches were taken out. This one was straight after as you see a couple didn't hold:

And this one was how her back was at about were you are now; but I haven't got any close ups. You can just see a little bit of swelling on the side nearest the wall towards her rump. This was were the abcess was.

Also, I don't know if your giving him any hard feed. I only had Honey on adlib hay and gave her a black treacle and bute sandwich in the morning. That way she didn't run too rich.

Also when you start to turn him out into his little paddock; don't take him off the lead rope until you're sure that he's not going to go tearing off like an idiot - make sure he's settled first. It could take me up to 20mins before I let Honey off the lead rein.

 

[BethH]

Hi think you'll be surprised how well they tolerate things on their back after the op, don't assume he will panic as he may not, unless he picks up concerns from you (just speaking from experience!). I agree with the above, take it slowly and desensitise. If you start of with the pad that goes under the roller and tie it really loosely with a bit of bailing twine or a lead rope just so he get used to your movements and you reaching under his tummy etc, then once he isn't bothered by that put the roller on and tighten gradually as suggested above.

My personal view on the walking in hand is that you should stay safe and if that means walking round your yard so be it. If he is allowed to set the pace and take charge it will make it more difficult for you to take him forward in to his groundwork calmly and gently and the one thing that it is vital to teach him is not to rush as he will have been used to trying to run away from pain and that is the behaviour that you need to work on to allow you to move on.

Ryan was put out in a 15x15m pen in the field after week 5 as he was so spooky on box rest he was impossible to deal with, he relaxed an amazing amount once his feet were allowed on grass and from that point we started to make progress, sedalin doesn't touch the sides with him, I have to give a whole tube and about an hour later he gets a bit dopey, the pen was the best move for him to stay safe and sane.

The issues you are having seem to be pretty normal for a horse with his history so try not to worry and be reassured that his behaviour will improve once you can focus his energy a bit more, just stay safe and well done to you for getting this far, it is a tough few months to get through and you sound as though you are doing really well.

 

[1964]

thanks all for your replys you all make me feel so much better.
i also wouldnt have got this far if it wasnt for the help from my friends on the yard where i keep him they have been great.
turning him out on wednesday the vet is coming to sedate him and i also want him to look at his scare as im concerned about his scare a couple of the bumps seem swollen to me but then im not sure what they are surpose to look like, but they are up compared to when he first came home.
cant wait for his turn out as i know he will be so much better to deal with
thanks again every one