|
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
 
| How do you know when your horse is okay to start back running?
It’s been 11 months. He’s been under saddle since November, but just a couple of days a week for 45-60 mins (what my schedule currently allows). Walk, trot, canter, sidepass with no issues at all and trotting the pattern.
He had a full lameness exam about 5 weeks ago and was within normal range.
He tears it up in the pasture - dead runs, bucks, stops, turns on a dime....
I’m planning on taking him along this weekend to exhibition. How do I know what his limits are? Start at a lope and increase speed slowly at every show? Or allow him to go a little faster? |
|
| |
|
 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
  
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
|
| |
|
 Maine-iac
Posts: 3334
Location: Got Lobsta? | My horse had this issue, and than surgery in July of last year. I brought him back slowly with ground work in March, than rode him in April. I was so paranoid I'd do something wrong to mess things up. We went to our first competition this past weekend and he did good for being off almost a year. I was so nervous to ride him the next day thinking he'd be lame, but he was great no issues. Just take it slowly and read your horse. good luck! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
| My vet has cleared him to start back running. I plan to take him to exhibition and slowly let him gain speed with each practice run. :) |
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | I'll let you know when my horse recovers!
Mine has a lesion ABOVE the pastern in the DDFT. Just diagnosed about a month ago. Vet estimated 6-8 months no riding.
I'm crossing my fingers I can run him again someday.
If I were you, I'd start bringing him back at a slow lope and just bump it up a little each time. Slowly test the waters, so to speak!
|
|
| |
|
 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | I did what you're talking about doing--start slow and build back up. Lope through once or twice, and if he's not sore after that, step it up the next day. |
|
| |
|
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | A vet that’s good with an ultra sound will be able to tell you what the condition is of the DDFT and surrounding soft tissue. I wouldn’t begin to even leg him up without doing an u/s. It’s about $85 at my vet.
Edited by Liana D 2018-05-24 1:30 PM
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
| We did one ultrasound in July when he got the diagnosis - it’s up very high on the tendon and was in between a grade 1 & 2. I’ve been riding him since August 11 at a walk and have just increased what he does until now - so 9 month under saddle.
I called my vet yesterday to see if she wanted to do another ultrasound before I go back to the pattern and she said no. She has seen him every 6 weeks since July and I trust her....so I’m okay without a second ultrasound.
Another local barrel racer is dealing with an SI injury and uses the same vet. They’ve done 3 ultrasounds and she still isn’t cleared to go back to running...but vet feels confident that my gelding is good to go. |
|
| |
|
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | dRowe - 2018-05-24 1:59 PM
We did one ultrasound in July when he got the diagnosis - it’s up very high on the tendon and was in between a grade 1 & 2. I’ve been riding him since August 11 at a walk and have just increased what he does until now - so 9 month under saddle.
I called my vet yesterday to see if she wanted to do another ultrasound before I go back to the pattern and she said no. She has seen him every 6 weeks since July and I trust her....so I’m okay without a second ultrasound.
Another local barrel racer is dealing with an SI injury and uses the same vet. They’ve done 3 ultrasounds and she still isn’t cleared to go back to running...but vet feels confident that my gelding is good to go.
Gotcha.
I was just answering your question as to how you know when it’s time to leg up and got to the pattern. I want to see good fiber alignment and no lesion. Being “within normal “ range in flexions and the vet not showing me a healed DDFT doesn’t make me very confident. That’s just me :-)
Sounds like you’ve dedicated a lot of time to proper healing, I hope it works :-) |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
|
Gotcha.
I was just answering your question as to how you know when it’s time to leg up and got to the pattern. I want to see good fiber alignment and no lesion. Being “within normal “ range in flexions and the vet not showing me a healed DDFT doesn’t make me very confident. That’s just me :-)
Sounds like you’ve dedicated a lot of time to proper healing, I hope it works :-)
Yikes. Okay - I assumed because the vet didn’t feel that another u/s was needed, that it must be healed.
I’ve never ever dealt with anything like this before. I assumed I should trust my vet. :(
Thank you! |
|
| |
Folks on-line