As equestrians, most of us have experienced the heart-ache of a beloved horse side-lined due to injury. However, the road to recovery is a crucial journey that demands patience, care, and a well-thought-out plan. Bringing your horse back into work requires a delicate balance between caution and progress, ensuring your horses physical and mental well-being. The key is to start slow and focus on gently building muscle and fitness.
A lot of the time the rehabilitation program your vet suggests is generic and not tailored to the individual horse... and how can it be? We can't expect our vets to know every minor detail of every single horse, as owners we need to take responsibility - working with our vets but understanding that we know our horses best and have a good idea of what will work for them.
Establishing a solid foundation is paramount when reintroducing your horse to work post-injury. Begin with basic groundwork exercises, allowing your horse to regain confidence and trust in their own body. Gentle, daily walks can provide low-impact exercise and promote circulation without straining the healing area. As your horse progresses, incorporate controlled, light exercises either on a lunge line or under saddle, focusing on correct posture and movement. Lunging is preferable at this stage as you aren't over-loading your horses muscles and can clearly read any signs of discomfort. Every horses recovery pace will differ, so be patient and allow your horse the time they need to heal.
Happy horses heal faster - mental well-being plays a pivotal role in your horse’s recovery. Where possible turn your horse out (as long as your horse is calm and sensible in the paddock!). There's nothing more frustrating for them than being on box-rest and it's not great for circulation or digestion. Obviously some injuries leave box rest as the only viable option however it's worth broaching the subject with your vet. Dr Grass works wonders and allowing your horse to graze and live as naturally as possible can be the best thing for them.
By approaching your horse’s rehabilitation with sensitivity, rationality, and dedication, you can help protect them against re-injury.