Natassia
Well-Known Member
I have had my loan horse for 7 weeks now, he has fairly mild osteoarthritis in 1 pastern, he is 7 and before I got him he had been turned away (living out) for 4 months while he was being advertised for loan, after being diagnosed. I have been bringing him back into light work, and he is on a joint supplement from the vets and has stayed sound, so far so good.
I started hacking him out regularly (4-5 times a week around uni) the week after I got him, however he had a week off after having his freezemark done. I have been taking him out for about 40 mins to an hour each time, alone and in company, mainly in walk but with a few short trots on slightly uphill surfaces, always on softer ground. I have been working on him going consistently well and making the trots longer, and he is doing really well, everybody is telling me how well he looks and how happy he is, I think he is pleased to be working again, he was an eventer before the osterarthritis so would have been fit this time last year.
Does what I have been doing sound right? He is getting stronger in trot and I think he is mentally ready to canter, but I don't think he is up to it physically yet. Due to his previous level of fitness it shouldn't take him too long to become fit again, but I really don't want to rush him. Between me trying him and him arriving to my yard he was taken out for a hack once and he cantered then, but in my opinion that was wrong, as he hadn't been ridden for 4 months, so I've been taking it slowly with him. When I do canter it will be in a large school, for safety reasons.
I started hacking him out regularly (4-5 times a week around uni) the week after I got him, however he had a week off after having his freezemark done. I have been taking him out for about 40 mins to an hour each time, alone and in company, mainly in walk but with a few short trots on slightly uphill surfaces, always on softer ground. I have been working on him going consistently well and making the trots longer, and he is doing really well, everybody is telling me how well he looks and how happy he is, I think he is pleased to be working again, he was an eventer before the osterarthritis so would have been fit this time last year.
Does what I have been doing sound right? He is getting stronger in trot and I think he is mentally ready to canter, but I don't think he is up to it physically yet. Due to his previous level of fitness it shouldn't take him too long to become fit again, but I really don't want to rush him. Between me trying him and him arriving to my yard he was taken out for a hack once and he cantered then, but in my opinion that was wrong, as he hadn't been ridden for 4 months, so I've been taking it slowly with him. When I do canter it will be in a large school, for safety reasons.