Equine injury...how can you prevent your horse from suffering?
The most common equine injury problems associated with equine therapy, generally stem from sore mouths, feet and limbs and the back. As with humans, due to exercise, posture (conformation), accidents (or ill-fitting tack), horses can suffer hard and soft tissue injuries. Although possibly minor to start with, if these injuries are not dealt with, they can cause sever pain, creating further problems as the horse moves differently to accommodate the discomfort. This change in the way of moving creates further problems as additional stress is placed on certain parts of the body. With some horses it can take months for an owner to recognise the problem. This is common due to the fact that if you see your horse everyday, it’s sometimes difficult to spot minor changes. As such, people often feel that a problem has arisen suddenly over night, whereas it’s often the case that the specific equine injury has been developing over time. MOUTH An incorrectly fitted bit (or wrong type of bit for your horse’s mouth) can cause problems in the mouth and elsewhere. A horse that is not happy in the mouth may throw its head up, causing it to hollow in the back. This in turn causes the quarters to be stuck out behind the horse, rather than underneath (engaged). Tension can then be created along the back, specifically around the lumber region and pelvis, the withers and poll. Other than throwing the head up, symptoms may include the horse starting to move with shorter strides, showing signs of discomfort to tack up, soreness toward the back of the saddle and tightness developing in the hamstrings. FEET / LIMBS Many supposed back problems have actually originated from a horse having sore feet or limbs. This could be due to the onset of an abscess, poor shoeing or the horse having suffered an injury or having poor conformation. Nonetheless, as the horse starts to move differently to accommodate the discomfort, more pressure is placed on other parts of the body. The horse may be intermittently lame or unlevel and any alterations in the horses way of going will start to create tension elsewhere. BACK A common example, here could be bad backs from ill-fitting saddles. (Take a look at
The Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book).
Horses change shape with different work loads and feeding regimes throughout the year and of course young horses are constantly changing shape! As the horse changes shape, the saddle may become tighter or looser (if there is muscle wastage or weight loss due to injury). This in turn affects the way in which the saddle sits on the horse's back and may pinch at the wither, (if tight) or move on the back due to being too wide. The saddle may tip forward putting pressure on the withers or tip back, creating pressure on the horse’s lumber region. The problem with saddles is that even though you should get a saddle fitter to check your saddle on a regular basis, no saddle will fit any horse all of the time! The key is to get the saddle checked at least twice a year and be aware of possible issues so that you will spot them quicker, causing less stress to your horse. There are also some excellent pads available to dissipate pressure and so reduce pressure build up. Any additional pressure placed on the back will undoubtedly cause pain, leading to possible ‘cold back’ syndrome and signs of unwillingness to be tacked up or ridden (including bucking, napping or rearing in severe cases). For advice on saddle fitting and correct use of pads, have a look at
The Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book: Ensure Soundness and Comfort with Back Analysis and Correct Use of Saddles and Pads.
Well, as the saying goes: ‘prevention is better than the cure’! Where possible, this is of course true as none of us want to put our horse through pain just so we can have the pleasure of riding them. Below is a simple list of some easy measures that can be employed to help prevent common equine injuries, including simple checks and remedial exercises. 1.Always make sure that you warm your horse up correctly before starting any fast or strenuous exercise. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t eat a meal and then change into a T-shirt and shorts and start running down the road! Your horse also needs time to digest food before exercise (minimum 1 hour) and when cold, if your horse is rugged up, he / she should wear an exercise sheet, at least to start with, to allow the muscles to warm up. You should also allow a good 10 minutes of walking before trotting and trot before cantering. 2.In terms of fitness, it is important that you are aware of how to get your horse fit according to the type of work you want to do. For example, the fitness and type of work required of a dressage horse is very different to that of an event horse. Where a horse has had time off through injury, it must be brought back into work slowly and fitness work gradually increased over a period of weeks. Having decided to run a marathon (or even a 10K race), if you are unfit then you don’t start out by running the whole distance at speed! The same applies to horses...if you drag an unfit horse out of the field and take it on a fun ride, then you are likely to cause an injury. 3.Correct shoeing, by a qualified, experienced farrier is vital to your horse’s health. The old saying of ‘no foot, no horse’ is absolutely true! Make sure you note in your diary when your horse is due for its feet to be done so that you can book the farrier in plenty of time. Each horse is different but most horses need to be re-shod somewhere between every 4 to 8 weeks. 4.Your horse’s teeth should be checked regularly, generally every 6 to 12 months. This can be carried out by a qualified horse dentist or your vet. It is also advisable to get a qualified opinion on the bit that you are using for your horse, to make sure that it fits comfortably and is the correct type of bit for your horse’s mouth and for the work that you are doing. 5.Making sure that your tack fits correctly is vital. Uncomfortable tack is the same as us wearing the wrong size shoes – painful! You should get a qualified saddle fitter to check the fit of your saddle at least once a year. Also find out as much as you can about your horse's back by taking notes as to when minor changes occur or when any different behaviour starts. For advice and information on saddle fitting, have a look at
The Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book.
REMEDIAL EXERCISES Simple exercises can help to keep your horse supple and injury free. These include massage, stretch exercises and in-hand pole work. As with all aspects of your horse's health, always consult a veterinary surgeon before starting any form of treatment for any type of equine injury. MASSAGE There are many books on massage techniques, but essentially anyone can learn the art of massage and it really can help. By massaging your horses back, neck, shoulders and quarters you can help to warm your horse up before exercise and cool down afterwards, which will reduce sprains and strains. Massage basically increases circulation to the area being massaged, which increases blood flow to that area. It also helps with lymphatic drainage, which enables damaged cells to be flushed out of the area and so reduce the build up of scar tissue. STRETCH EXERCISES Again, there are some fantastic books explaining rehabilitation exercises that you can do with your horse to speed recovery from injury and these can also be used regularly to keep your horse supple. A supple horse is a relaxed horse, capable of performing the tasks we require. Using treats, such as carrots, with your horse standing still, you can encourage your horse to bend to each side in turn, aiming his / her nose towards the hip and stifle. You should never force your horse to stretch too far too soon as this will cause further strain, but practice little and often and your horse will be able to stretch further and further. Another exercise is holding a treat between the front legs, encouraging your horse to stretch down to take the carrot from your hand. The more supple the horse becomes, the further back you can move the carrot so the horse has to stretch further back towards where the girth would be. POLE WORK In-hand pole work exercises can be a great way to help your horse to flex correctly from the hip and stifle, instead of sticking their bottom out behind them and simply swinging the back legs. Correct use of the quarters (i.e engagement) creates a supple, round back with correct muscle development, instead of hollowing the back, creating tension. Simply lay 3 to 5 poles on the ground approximately 70cm (2’ 4”) apart. Start with the poles flat on the floor and then gradually raise them anything up to approximately 46 cm (18 “). Obviously the distances and heights will vary according to the size and type of horse, but the poles need to be close together to encourage the horse to flex correctly, or they will knock them! Simply lead the horse in walk over the poles several times, on a regular basis.
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