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OTTB Soreness Issues/Lameness?

5K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  loosie 
#1 ·
I've recently adopted an OTTB, (who last raced on May 6th, 2012) I gave her a 6 weeks off and then started doing some basic ground work with her. Now we are onto lunging with side reins. She is beginning to stretch and work off her top end... but I've noticed that she is now showing signs of being in pain. Her trot is a little "ouchy" and off looking and tonight I noticed that she kept lifting up her back legs and pinning her ears back like she is in pain.
Anyone have any suggestions? I know that I am asking her to work in a completely new way, and I'm keeping her lunging sessions very short so that use isn't too sore from working collected and off her top line. Does anyone have any experience with this? Besides just paying the vet to come out and tell me that she is stiff and sore I'm thinking about getting a chiropractor and/or massage therapist.
If anyone has any experience with OTTB's, I would love some advice on the subject :)
 
#2 ·
Not that I'm any sort of expert but...

I would avoid lunging her til whatever it is has been identified and fixed (if possible). If you're determined to work her (I'd leave it til after everything has been cleared up myself, there's no rush) try ground driving her and working in straight lines. Just take things nice and slow (training wise) and don't worry too much about collection, her muscles will need to develop for that. How old is she, may I ask? :)

A vet will help localise any leg pain through flexion tests and should be able to perform x-rays to identify any arthritis, bone spurs etc. A chiropractor would also be great to get out to pinpoint and fix any tightness and alignment issues.

If it is a joint problem then it's a came of managing it rather than fixing it but there are some decent supplements out there and you can get joint injections - none of that stuff is cheap I'm afraid, and she may never be sound. Arthritis is a b**** :-( But I'd wait to see what the vet says.

Sadly this stuff isn't uncommon with OTTBs, racing places great stresses on developing musculoskeletal structures.
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#3 ·
You know that unless you're very experienced with siderreins, your horse isn't actually collected and/or working off of her topline, right? I've yet to actually see anyone correctly use sidereins in front of me. (Youtube has a few people...). Sidereins usually make the horse tense and behind the bit/movement, even in horses used to wearing them.
TBs generally aren't lunged on the track. This is probably pretty new to her. Most OTTBs come off the track and develop arthritis at an early age. Your mare might be developing arthritis in the hocks, if they're ouchy from lungeing.
I personally dislike lungeing anyway, as it puts a lot off pressure on the joints and puts the horse off balance. Free lungeing is the way to go. :)
Throw her on some MSM (10,000mg per dose, takes a week to start working). If it helps, you know she's got some joint issues. Take her off it in a month or so and if she's ouchy after a week again, you know you've got issues and ought to take some x-rays to see if there's arthritis.
 
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