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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
 
Location: Alabama | I have a big sorrel gelding that has been being treated for an eye injury. He has had a tube in his eye, so he's been stalled constantly for 3 month... Our recheck date is Wednesday, where the vet will hopefully  Remove the port. Once the port is removed he will still require medicine, but once or twice daily and can resume activity. However, I don't wanna rush him back into shape to quickly. How do you think or what are your suggestions to bring him back?
I very well considered turning him out for 3 days and just letting him be a horse and burn off some energy... But any thoughts are welcome... | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Barrelracingroper12 - 2014-08-11 7:26 PM
I have a big sorrel gelding that has been being treated for an eye injury. He has had a tube in his eye, so he's been stalled constantly for 3 month... Our recheck date is Wednesday, where the vet will hopefully Remove the port. Once the port is removed he will still require medicine, but once or twice daily and can resume activity. However, I don't wanna rush him back into shape to quickly. How do you think or what are your suggestions to bring him back?
I very well considered turning him out for 3 days and just letting him be a horse and burn off some energy... But any thoughts are welcome...
My good mare cut her cornea two years ago and we went through this too!
I could long trot my mare in a halter, so that is what we'd do in the pasture before they pulled the stint/tube thingy. The tube was stitched into her forehead and covered with medical tape and then it ran up between her ears and was braided into her mane. The halter was placed so that it didn't pull/rub/or move the stint, so the vets gave me the ok to long trot her. That is how I kept her sane living in a stall for several months.
Start small. You know your horse and his personality. So, if turning him out in a little run to burn some energy works for you, go for it! Then step on :) I don't think there is a truly "wrong" way to bring one back as long as you go slow. Just remember that he's had time off and won't be in the best shape so bring 'em back slow.
Good Luck! | |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | Mine is currently still in recovery from tendon surgery LAST April...as in 2013. We have a vet appointment next Tuesday and fingers crossed I get the go ahead to finally turn him out and get him out of his little pen.
With mine, when he was cleared to start the rehab process, I would hand walk him about 20 minutes a day. I worked up to trotting him a little too. Then when I was cleared to actually ride him, I started in a round pen so that he was contained since it had been 9 months since I last rode him. After walking and trotting in the round pen a few days, I took him out to the pasture to let him stretch a little more (still no loping at that point). My routine is way different than what yours would be because his tendons were healing, whereas your horse's legs are fine, he just needs to get back in shape. So I couldn't lope for a long time, but you can. Here's a link that has some good info on a routine to get one in good shape. It's for tendon injuries, but I think it's a good routine for getting any horse into shape.
http://www.atlantaequine.com/pages/client_lib_tendonlig.html#backto...
I'm kind of like you, though--I'd almost rather just turn him out for a couple days to let him burn off some energy. | |
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