Would you start long lining him etc? *long*

LokiSofi

LokiSofi

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Oct 11, 2003
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Not sure if I'm putting this in the right area but here we go.

As most of you know Joey has been out of work since last summer, At first due to behavioural issues which I thought may benefit from time out (which has improved him greatly) and then because the stiffness he had periodically in his hindquarters went to severe lameness in the winter and then he was just walking odd even when sound (he has always been very very stiff behind and doesn't track up, was like this when i viewed him and passed a 5* vetting like it)
Anyway Joey has seen a sports massage person who said Joey had tension but once they were sorted out he'd be fine and he wasn't that bad (that was Spetember) A couple of months ago Joey started seeing a physio who has said he is not to work until early next year as he is in such a bad way, I've had to stop using her as she cost so much and I have a different physio coming to Joey next week. But Joey is as you all know a very large over excited horse who throws himself around in the field and terrorises the other horses. I think he is starting to get a bit bored with just being out now and not doing anything. He is sound in walk trot canter and gallop:rolleyes: and leaps, bucks and rears in the field. I can't take him for walks in hand as he just gets silly if over excited and is then near on impossible to control and I don't fancy that on a road. (I'd have to go up a small road to get onto a bridle path and leading Joey across a bridlepath would be asking for trouble)
I was thinking about long lining him to get him some muscle back etc and hopefully strengthen him up a bit (vets have checked him and can't find anything, the time when he was really really lame they reckoned he'd just pulled something and couldn't find any problems and just said to rest him, the next day he was sound) but the physio he was having said not to long line him only walk him in straight lines and to do his carrot stretches and back lifts and thats it. I'm waiting to hear back from the new physio what day she can come out to Joey.
What would you guys do? He is a 7 year old 16.3hh ex racer for those who don't know him.

Cakes and cookiesfor those who managed to read to the bottom:D
 
I don't know about long lining - but I'd certainly be doing some groundwork and games to exercise his brain as well as his body......
 
Im inclined to think that if he can walk, trot, canter and gallop in the fields, and im guessing he is doing this in a circular direction, then I dont see any harm with long lining him.

Start off with walk and see how he goes.

:)
 
Joey is a complete lunatic in the field (Poohsmate can vouch for this:p) and throws himself around and puts in some awful movements (not really suprising he hurts himself)
He has been doing things on the ground but he gets bored very quickly and then just gets stupid so unless there is an actual purpose to something he's a bit hopeless:rolleyes::eek:
 
Lisa&Lady said:
He's not a rig is he?

Just wondering why he's such a loony tunes?

:)
Click to expand...

No I had him tested last summer when he mounted every mare on the yard:eek::eek:
Not a rig.... I have on occasion wondered if he has a brain tumour or brain damage:eek:

No idea why he is so bad....He is a hell of a lot better than he used to be, I even led him to a new field the other day and he didnt bolt off but stood and waited for me to shut the gate and take his headcollar off then walked away quietly a few months ago as soon as his hooves touched a new field he'd be rearingbiting and attempting to bolt.
In a lot of ways he has improved dramatically but certain things he has such huge issues with....he completely lost it the other day because someone walked past with a phone on loudspeaker. He became really anxious and fidgety than started spinning then started sweating and shaking and then dropped to the floor. An hour later he finally calmed down. Whether he thought it was a tannoy or what I don't know.
 
I can't see why long lining would be a problem

If he is charging round the field like you have described then gentle controlled exercise is not going to hurt! Even if you don't work him, you cannot stop him from doing circles bends etc in the field

As long as you keep it short and sweet, but to the point, and don't do really tight circles bends etc then I'm sure it would benefit him!
 
Thankyou. See i didn't think it would be a problem to long line him becuase of what he does in the field and thought long lining him may chill him out a bit in the field if he has had to use himself sensibly and use his brain but what the physio said was in back of my mind and I'd hate it to be several years til he can be ridden or something
 
Elly Koopman said:
You can long line in straight lines ;)

If you have access to a 20x40 or bigger school/schooling area, then you can long-line/double line lunge using the whole school so not as much 'strain' on a circle
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Oh I know I can long line in straight lines, It is more Joey who won't long line in straight lines nad will either plant himself or take off like a rocket.:eek: I will give it a go tomorrow and let you all know how we get on:eek:
 
I am slightly confused by the physio saying yes to walking in straight lines but no to long lining. To me the differences are:

where the person is (head vs behind)
the kit - you might walk out in a halter only ?
and because of where the person is, the contact is from a different direction

but long lining also has the advantage of being even, i.e. you have control of both sides of the horse ?

I think as long as you are careful about not asking for too much - i.e. basically just a walk with no real outline etc - then you minimise the differences ? (and hence any potential risk to his recover that long lining might (??) pose at this stage).
 
LokiSofi said:
Not sure if I'm putting this in the right area but here we go.

As most of you know Joey has been out of work since last summer, At first due to behavioural issues which I thought may benefit from time out (which has improved him greatly) and then because the stiffness he had periodically in his hindquarters went to severe lameness in the winter and then he was just walking odd even when sound (he has always been very very stiff behind and doesn't track up, was like this when i viewed him and passed a 5* vetting like it)
Anyway Joey has seen a sports massage person who said Joey had tension but once they were sorted out he'd be fine and he wasn't that bad (that was Spetember) A couple of months ago Joey started seeing a physio who has said he is not to work until early next year as he is in such a bad way, I've had to stop using her as she cost so much and I have a different physio coming to Joey next week. But Joey is as you all know a very large over excited horse who throws himself around in the field and terrorises the other horses. I think he is starting to get a bit bored with just being out now and not doing anything. He is sound in walk trot canter and gallop:rolleyes: and leaps, bucks and rears in the field. I can't take him for walks in hand as he just gets silly if over excited and is then near on impossible to control and I don't fancy that on a road. (I'd have to go up a small road to get onto a bridle path and leading Joey across a bridlepath would be asking for trouble)
I was thinking about long lining him to get him some muscle back etc and hopefully strengthen him up a bit (vets have checked him and can't find anything, the time when he was really really lame they reckoned he'd just pulled something and couldn't find any problems and just said to rest him, the next day he was sound) but the physio he was having said not to long line him only walk him in straight lines and to do his carrot stretches and back lifts and thats it. I'm waiting to hear back from the new physio what day she can come out to Joey.
What would you guys do? He is a 7 year old 16.3hh ex racer for those who don't know him.

Cakes and cookiesfor those who managed to read to the bottom:D
Click to expand...

I'm just trying to piece together his story.... what sort of tests have the vets done as far as diagnostics or eliminating problems... just a simple lameness work up, or nerve blocks etc
Did they give you a choice between furthur diagnostics or a treatment option? A lot of the vets around here will offer 'hit and miss' treatments for owners who can't pay for furthur diagnostics.... for example, medicating a stiff joint to see if there is an improvement.

It sounds a bit dodge, but I've seen it work in the case of a flat racer, showing signs of stiffness and muscular issues related to his sacro-iliac region, the owner couldn't afford furthur diagnosics so they medicated the area and he's racing again.

What advice did the vets give you? What are you paying them for?

What were the vet comments at the 5 stage vetting? A horse has to be sound to pass... I can't understand how a stiff horse qualifies as sound... stiffness could be an indication of a whole range of serious problems...

Is it the same vets you have been using?

I don't think any one could advise you on whether or not its beneficial to longrein him or not based on the information given.
 
Joey was vetted by a different vets not my own. I know he previously had his pelvis or hip or something out of alignment with previous owner which was put back in. It was beleived by my vet that this had happened again the first time they came out in the winter when Joey was lame, Joey was given medication and anti inflammatories and just told to rest him unless it didn't improve no need for concern, Joey was better the next day. Joey went lame a couple more times, tendons & ligaments were checked and Joey was sedated and had hips and pelvis fiddled with, no problems found. Again told to rest him...again within 2 days was sound again. Joey didn't go lame again was just stiff which he has always been since i viewed him (he isn't horrendous or anything and he moves with such elevation and is so sparky you don't notice it until you notice he doesn't track up) I mentioned this to vets and they came out to see Joey again. Joey was on this day throwing himself around and acting like a complete idiot vets said he can't be in any pain (or if any its minimal) as he is playing at liberty and putting a lot of pressure on his joints with the movements he is doing and isn't reacting to them. Vets have said if gets worse etc they can do x-rays etc etc but at present they see no need for further investigation as he is happy,healthy and playing etc. Also since he started physio he is now moving better and isn't really stiff behind anymore andit is only occasionally he will look a litte short up behind.So vets have said to continue with the physio and possibly get a chrio out to see if anything is out of place.
 
So the vets have put it down to a soft tissue problem then?
Then I would go with the advice of a physio. Where did the physio say he had the problem? Which joints are stiff? Does he pass flexion tests? Did he/she have a treatment plan?

You have to put it in perspective of a horse with a job to do, its all very well for the vets to say, 'he's comfortable playing, he can't be too bad off' the flat-racer was too, but when he pulled out stiff on the morning of a race it was a big problem. I know a race trainer wouldn't be paying for advice like that.

With all the vetting/physios etc you don't seem to be any furthur along in actually finding out whats wrong with him, so if he is sound, I would work him, in longreins, slowly building him up. I would keep him as active and busy as possible so he spends less time and energy hooning around in the field. I would have him sectioned off in a small field, I wouldn't be feeding him high energy feed, I would possibly even consider having him on a calmer if it will halp him from damaging himself in the field.
 
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