Re: Discombubulated hind end!

[Annette Gordon <agordon@worldofwonder.net>]

I also have this problem here in the not so sunny UK. On Monday evening my
equine chiropractor came out and did Kitty's back. She said that she was
weak in the back and quarters area and needed more excersises to build her
up. Incidentally Kitty also drags her hind legs and wears the front of her
hind feet and shoes down so there is a straight edge at the front - all from
dragging her hooves. 

This is what I was told to do to strengthen the quarter, back and sholder
muscles - it is all connected. 

Hillwork - but at a walk. This is tough for them and the slower they go the
harder they have to work and the more good you are doing strengthening the
muscles. But the walk has to be a brisk, fluid one - not an amble. 

Trotting - changing diagonals and trying to favour/strengthen the weak one.
(this is supposed to deal with the shoulder weakness). She told me to wrap 2
brushing boots on the off-fore (this is the weak diagonal in Kitty's case)
thereby putting extra weight on that leg and causing it work harder and
develop quicker. 

Schooling - more schooling in a shape, get her to use her back end, to bring
her back end underneath her and again work the correct muscles correctly. 

I have yet to put this all into practice since I have had to wait two days
after the treatment for things to settle. Kitty is an anglo-arab (half
thoroughbred, half Arab) similar to your horse. I'm also getting a new
saddle - something I've been searching for for a long time. I finally
settled on a panel system saddle made over here in the UK. I rode her in it
and unlike my Arabian Solstice saddle - it doesn't move around causing
friction and rubbing. However my chiropractor felt that the saddle wasn't
really the problem (I'm not so sure about this since this saddle moves so
much that I struggle to stay in balance let alone what it does to Kitty -
and she never saw the saddle on her in action). She says all these things
can be solved with excersises and correct use of muscles. 

Hope this helps. 
Annette


----------
> From: LynOlds@aol.com 
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net 
> Subject: Discombubulated hind end!
> Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:26:04 EDT 
> 
>Recently I had a chiroparator out to look at my half-arab. He seems to be
>dragging his hind feet a little bit and doesn't have much impulsion (so I'm
>told at rides). The doctor said that he needed adjustment and that his
right
>side is weaker than his left (which explains why he won't bend to the left
and
>throws his head to the right.) Anyway she adjusted him and now he is all
>discombubulated (sp?) in the hind end, esp. in the downward transition to
the
>walk. Sometimes it looks like he is going to fall down (he seems to trip or
>something.) I can see this best when he is on the longe line. However, when
I
>am riding I can feel it. The doctor gave me excercises to help strengthen
him,
>but now I am afraid to do anything with him for fear I will hurt him. Since
>there was talk about the "roach back" and "hunters bump" on this board I
>thought maybe everyone could elaborate further and help me with my problem.
He
>does seem to have a slight roach.
>Should I call the vet or should I have the chiroprator out again? Does
anyone
>else have this problem. Any advice would be appreciated.
>