Endurance post Colic Surgery

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Dianne Martin DianneMartin@frco.com
Hi,

I'm a subscriber, but for some reason my email address aliasing is causing problems for me to post to RideCamp. You can reply to me directly or to RideCamp (if this is of interest to anyone else).

My question is this: I currently ride a friend's Appendix QH/Paint gelding who is about 12 years old. He used to do barrel racing but when he was younger (@4-5yrs old), he colic and required surgery. He lost about 8 ft of his intestine (small I think). It had been strangulated through a hole in the fiberous tissue which suspends the intestine.

He came through that with flying colors but developed a post surgery hernia (that's what the owner was told it is called). It has to do with something about the stomach wall. It has caused a 'belly shelf' along his incision line. His owner at the time was told no more barrel racing. So, the owner now has him as a pleasure horse (she has 2 horses and I ride the barrel racer since he is a bit of a handful). We were wondering how much work is too much. I think he would do well with LDs for fun, but we are afraid of aggrevating his condition.

He hasn't had any problems since that one incident. He loves to go trail riding. We go for about 2 hours at a time at mostly a walk, but with some light trotting and cantering. He barely breaks a sweat and we are in Texas! I am wondering if I can increase his work and to what level before the post-surgery hernia becomes a problem. The owner is anxious for him to do something since she knows he gets bored with just pasture and light riding. Her other horse (full QH) is arthritic and wouldn't be doing that long of a ride.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Dianne & TC


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