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Fitness plan after a curbed hock injury.

2K views 1 reply 1 participant last post by  ohmyitschelle 
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My mare injured herself in early Feb and apart from the swelling and the irregular beat to her gaits, I couldn't figure it out. I was putting clay poultice/ Tuff Rock on it, which took away the swelling, and got a very experienced horsewoman to take a look. She mentioned my mare had curbed her hock, and gave me a treatment plan. I contacted a vet who after speaking with confirmed what I was told and followed the plan religiously. This educated horsewoman mentioned to me a week ago I could start bringing my mare back into work, only at a walk.

Honey is no longer irregular, and I've watched her in her paddock trot out properly, and just the other day she cantered without looking like it was an issue. So I'm in agreement that a fitness routine is now needed, because all this lack of work has turned her into a blimp even with feed management and inhand walks. I have moved her out of the pen she was in but not into a super large area, just so she moves around more as I think that greatly contributed to the weight she has gained. The dramas of an easy keeper :wink:

So far I've ridden her twice. Both rides haven't exceeded 10-15mins. The first ride she was hesitant to step out at first, and I almost got off, had she not suddenly starting happily walking out - guess she expected it to hurt or something. She was highly appreciative for having something to do finally, and on our second ride, I did so with a friend and her mare and she was very pleased again for work. That's just her, she loves being ridden.

I'm wondering what kind of plan should I do with her. How many times a week should I ride her to begin with? I thought about doing two days of short rides, then a day off, and two days again etc... I'm also booting the hock after every ride and she so far hasn't shown any adverse affects from being ridden.

Since this is my first time dealing with such an injury, I just wondered if anyone could let me know if there's something more I could be doing. I've been keeping her on the buckle for our rides and just plodding along, not even considering anything more than this for the next month or so. I can guarantee she's going to get sick of just walking (unlike myself, she likes to move out haha) so I'll have to get creative when she's ready for it.

Obviously I'm riding her on a flat-ish paddock, though have access to the farm with different levels of ground for when she's stronger in that leg. Since I didn't get a vet, and a lot of people on things I've read talk about ultrasounds and lengthy rest etc... I'm worried that since it's roughly only been 8 weeks, I might be rushing things... but like I said above, she's feeling loads better, all swelling and the entire site area has gone drastically down... and the person who is looking over this situation has dealt with this type of injury before, so it seems logical to do more than we are to help at least shift *some* of her weight.

Any handy hints would be awesome!
 
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