What sorts of injuries makemore lame on soft/deep surface than firm?

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BeckyD

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Just a quickie - Ron doing his twice-daily trot on the lunge alternating between firm arena surface (v little give) and a deep sand/fibre arena surface. He's very lame on the deep surface, but looks pretty good on the firmer surface. Ideas?

(Just to add, yes, vet fully aware and authorising his exercise, next checkup 30th Oct).

Just mulling it over! (and keeping fingers crossed as he looks *good* on firm surface
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Honestly??
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I've had a really nice sound horse clam up and look absolutely crippled on a deep arena surface - if they don't like the footing, they tense up and go bridle lame. Took him to the vets and he was sound as a pound. I just never went back to that particular venue.
 
I think a deep surface is so much more strain on tendons and ligaments. The hard surface is more vibrations on joints.

In Ronnies case I would be happier working him on a harder surface first to strengthen the tendons and ligaments and then try on a slightly softer surface.

Before all of the "issues" was he sound on the softer surface?
 
The deeper surface has been put in since his problems - so it's the first time he's been worked on it. The problem is the indoor (firm) surface is VERY firm, and very small (maybe 35x18?), and also he goes a bit silly in there if I use it too often, and I can't get in there in the evenings as it's busy.

The outdoor surface is brand new, a bit deep for my liking, but massive (60x20) and so I can do the straight lines I'm supposed to. But, it's next to the fields and I have to do his morning exercise when everyone's being turned out, hence using indoor in mornings to save the bucking and galloping off.

Oh, and vet said work him on a soft surface
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I either have very firm or very deep.
 
Soft springy surface, no problem. Horrid deep sand where it shifts under their feet and they have to plough through - bad bad bad.. Look, the horse is happier on the firm surface - go with his opinion on the subject!!
 
Is there a field you could use to long rein in? Even his turnout field would be ok. I think I would go for that instead of ploughing through a deep surface - I think it will only cause tendon and ligament issues as he has been boxrested for most of this year.
 
dont know original injury/problem, but i am of the old school of 6 weeks pavement pounding in walk, intoducing trot at 5 to 6 weeks and most roads are fairly straight! walkers are good but do stress the joints and feet even if large!(the walker not the horse!)
 
Hi there no there isn't unfortunately - his turnout small paddock is divided into little pens 20footx20 foot, and I couldn't hold him in a big field, even under sedation - he just wants to go!

I think perhaps I've made out this surface is deeper than it is. It wasn't meant to be a conversation about the surface - just about which injuries look worse on soft as opposed to hard surface!
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dont know original injury/problem, but i am of the old school of 6 weeks pavement pounding in walk, intoducing trot at 5 to 6 weeks and most roads are fairly straight! walkers are good but do stress the joints and feet even if large!(the walker not the horse!)

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Yes I'm of the same school of thought, but the vets won't allow it I'm afraid due to the specifics of his injuries. We're not allowed to use the walker, vet has refused. Straight lines on a soft surface only.
 
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Soft springy surface, no problem. Horrid deep sand where it shifts under their feet and they have to plough through - bad bad bad.. Look, the horse is happier on the firm surface - go with his opinion on the subject!!

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Thanks for your opinion
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Unfortunately in that case I won't be able to exercise him twice a day as the vet has instructed me to do. Vet has given ok to what I'm doing, and I'm afraid I have to trust the vets.

I was just wondering which injuries look worse on soft surface than hard. I thought I had read something years ago about it.
 
QR - i was always of the thought that bone/joint problems were worse on the hard and soft tissue were worse on the soft..
good luck with the rehab!
 
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i was always of the thought that bone/joint problems were worse on the hard and soft tissue were worse on the soft..


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^^^ That's always been my (very basic!) understanding too.
 
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i was always of the thought that bone/joint problems were worse on the hard and soft tissue were worse on the soft..


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^^^ That's always been my (very basic!) understanding too.

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Not with my horse. He has DJD in his fetlocks and much prefers a harder surface. I think the softer surface makes his joints move around too much, if that makes sense.
 
Oh
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Looks like they're all different then, as usual! When I was younger it used to be one sort of injury if lame on a hard surface, another if lame on soft surface. It was in the foot if lame on inside of a circle and higher up if lame on outside of a circle (or vice versa, I can't remember!). Things were much simpler then
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I've recently increased the amount I lunge my two (one has been lame, one is sound) on a rather deep and very soft surface.

I myself struggle enough to just walk round it while lunging, and really notice by the time i have done both of them, my legs and hips feel a bit sore just from the deepness of the sand. Yet I could probably walk around all day in their field or on the road without feeling sore.

The horse with former ligament injuries really struggles on the soft surface and this is the only place he still sometimes looks a bit lame.

I really don't like it and it has made me aware how much hard work they are doing to walk and trot on it. Thankfully we are moving to another yard at the end of the month with a lovely springy school.

I think however it's probably correct to say that a too-firm surface will stress bones and joints.
 
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