Quanah, my ten year old paint horse, was out of work for three years. As was I - out of the saddle, I mean. So we both recently started lessons with a very experienced knowledgeable RI/trainer. Who pointed out to me that Quanah, on his off fore, is calf-kneed. The hoof on that leg is even slightly smaller than the other.
He's been a bit off and sore - but of course it was difficult to tell whether it was due to his bad farrier trim and foot fungus (I've since switched farriers and we're correcting this), or coming back into work (he was fat and out-of-shape) or if it was the conformational defect.
RI has been giving him bute - maybe a gram every two to three days - and once after a two-hour trail ride (followed up by Quanah galloping of his own accord around the pasture) he was very stiff and sore and off on that leg, so she stall-rested him overnight and gave him a couple of days off work.
He's now lost most of the weight he needed to lose and muscled up, plus his farrier problems are being corrected. But at the start of my last lesson, I could feel him "missing" on that leg. RI said to keep walking and trotting and he'd work out of it - and he did. After the lesson, he felt good enough to chase the new mare around and around the paddock at a gallop.
RI says no jumping (other than the occasional tiny cross-rail), no turns on the haunches or forehand, no small circles, and no short halts. But other than that, we're ok to do whatever we want.
Other folks act as though I'm a horse-abuser for not retiring him immediately.
In between are those who say he should be used only for gentle trail-riding.
IMO, letting him get fat and out-of-shape again would be bad for him. And he's one of those air-fern ponies who need to be ridden to manage their weight.
So I thought I'd ask the opinion of those here. How would you limit the activity of a calf-kneed horse?
He's been a bit off and sore - but of course it was difficult to tell whether it was due to his bad farrier trim and foot fungus (I've since switched farriers and we're correcting this), or coming back into work (he was fat and out-of-shape) or if it was the conformational defect.
RI has been giving him bute - maybe a gram every two to three days - and once after a two-hour trail ride (followed up by Quanah galloping of his own accord around the pasture) he was very stiff and sore and off on that leg, so she stall-rested him overnight and gave him a couple of days off work.
He's now lost most of the weight he needed to lose and muscled up, plus his farrier problems are being corrected. But at the start of my last lesson, I could feel him "missing" on that leg. RI said to keep walking and trotting and he'd work out of it - and he did. After the lesson, he felt good enough to chase the new mare around and around the paddock at a gallop.
RI says no jumping (other than the occasional tiny cross-rail), no turns on the haunches or forehand, no small circles, and no short halts. But other than that, we're ok to do whatever we want.
Other folks act as though I'm a horse-abuser for not retiring him immediately.
In between are those who say he should be used only for gentle trail-riding.
IMO, letting him get fat and out-of-shape again would be bad for him. And he's one of those air-fern ponies who need to be ridden to manage their weight.
So I thought I'd ask the opinion of those here. How would you limit the activity of a calf-kneed horse?