Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The first part of that is dead on....now if you have a horse to which the second part does not apply, maybe my experience can help.  I have a favourite mare that in fairly quick succession (over a 3 yr period is quick in my book) blew a suspensory tendon and then snapped a sesamoid in the same leg.  At that time I was boarding her at a stable where the horses had boxes and got as much turnout time as either you or the groom could wangle.  Since I was working, it was up to her groom and he wasn't always wonderful.  So I had a hot little mare and the Sahara desert....perfect spot for a blowout, just ask any driver in the Paris-Dakar rally.  We worked out the exercise solution the first time around and perfected it the second. 

Once her initial box rest/hand walk twice for 20 minutes daily period ended and she could have more time out, we started walking under saddle.  Dory was insane in the turnout because she wasn't getting the exercise that she needed both physically and mentally, but she's a good girl once you get her clothes on and ride. So we would go for walks gradually increasing the length daily. That worked really well. If I tried to hand walk her more, she got very argumentative and would try to dance and skip around, but in her working clothes, she settled right into the routine.  In our case, this was when we started to learn about riding in the farmland rather than the desert as well.  The firm footing was much better.

Good luck.

Maryanne
Cairo

On Sunday, January 25, 2004, at 03:34 PM, Chipnml@xxxxxxx wrote:

> The key to rehab is lots and lots and lots of time.? My horse blew a tendon a few years ago in August.? Fortunately he is a wimp and takes care of himself,