Horse Exerciser Track

Constructing the Horse Exerciser Track

The Horse Exerciser Track beneath the EuroXciser is an important feature. There are many construction options to consider prior to installing the machine. What are the required steps to build a solid track base? What material should be used for the footing? How much footing material is needed? What planned maintenance cycles are needed? Getting the track correct enables the support, traction and cushion required for your horses as they exercise in the machine. In this two part blog, we review the construction approach with the associated tradeoffs for the horse exerciser track. The steps are similar to constructing a horse arena, with the track receiving more repetitive path use. In our second blog, we review building the Horse Exerciser Footing that sets on top of the track base.

Start with a Solid Foundation

Now that you have selected the location of your EuroXciser, it’s time to build a solid foundation for the machine, with the desired quality of solid compacted ground. The picture to the right shows the general arrangement of the track, consisting of the sub base, geotextile cover, base, footing and fencing.

The initial work scope focuses on the sub base at the planned machine location. Although the horses exercise on the track, it is important to prepare the entire machine pad to achieve a consistent grade, compaction and drainage so the track performs as desired.

Scrape the organic and surface soil to expose the sub soil ground. This may vary from a few inches to 6 inches or more. The goal is to reach the sub soil / sub base ground.
Grade the sub base pad area flat – 0% grade – so the track provides an even surface for the horses to exercise on
Establish a slight grade within the static ring area to facilitate water drainage from the center.
Compact the sub base to near maximum density

The compaction should be 92-97% if using the Standard Proctor Density per ASTM D698. The soil type may vary depending on your geographic location. A licensed contractor in your area will understand this and know how to achieve a near maximum compaction based on the soil type being more granular to more cohesive. In some cases, adding material is required to improve the sub base such that it compacts properly. The end result will be similar to a unpaved road base; firm compacted ground.

During this phase, the following should also be constructed:

the drain system/drain lines for the center ring.
the electric runs from the power drop, to the planned controller and machine center.
the cement mounting pad for the machine base.

IMPORTANT: Do follow to the manufacture’s power and install requirements. Do use a licensed contractor and meet local codes and requirements. Do have the existing underground lines marked before any construction grading or trenching occurs in the planned area for safety reasons and cost of damage reasons.

If the sub base has aggregate rocks, it’s worth while to add a geotextile fabric on the track between the sub base and the base. The fabric keeps the rocks from moving up into the base and footing of the track. Once the fabric is placed, add the base material on-top. There are many options available for the base material. The overall goal again is to create a solid surface. Local material can influence the best cost options, and some common choices include (and are not limited to):

“A” gravel topped by stone dust (also known as bluestone, #10 screening, limestone screenings),
Granular “D” material,
Decomposed Granite (DG)

The base should be at least 4 inches thick, and compacted to 92-97%. Like the sub base, the base must be flat – 0% grade. The correct moisture level during the compaction process will yield a road like base. A properly constructed sub base and base will provide:

a flat track surface for the horses to exercise on
a durable surface that does not rut or sink
a stable surface to add footing to control the impact absorption qualities desired

Getting the grade and the compaction correct is key to having a solid durable track. An example of a DG base is shown to the right. Porous asphalt is also an option for the base, and creates a solid base to build your footing from. An example of a porous asphalt track is shown to the lower right.

Most manufactures suggest the machine mounting pad be constructed a certain height above the grade, such that after the final base is completed and the footing is added, the partitions are at the correct height relative to the ground. Review this information ahead of time so you can plan out the steps to meet these requirements. With the track, pad, electrics and drainage set, it’s time to install your horse exerciser machine.

In our next blog we will review choices and options for the footing to provide the right impact absorption and traction for your horses.

Equestrian News

Horse Exerciser Purchase Considerations

What to consider when purchasing a Horse Exerciser?

This is an investment that will improve the performance and health of your horses. It opens training opportunities to build endurance base, interval strength, and rehabilitation work at prescribed speeds, durations and reverse directions. It’s also an investment into your facility, improving the value of your property, and marketability of your equine services. It’s important to consider the following during the purchase process:

Capacity you require – how many horses do you plan to exercise on this machine per day? In a given day, how many 30 minute to 1 hour sessions are you planning? Or if you are an endurance horse racer, how many 2-4 hour sessions are you planning per day? Make sure the manufacturer has built the machine for all day use, every day, common in competitive sport horse facilities. Purchase for your long term capacity plans at your facility. It’s easier to not use the capacity than not have it.
Work Plan – do you plan to walk the horses or move them through trot and canter paces? It’s important to move into larger diameter machines if you plan work sessions at trot plus gaits. The same goes for rehabilitation work – larger turn radius means less stress on your horses.
Set-up Location – The work flow of your facility is important to think about. You want easy movement from stalls to the machine and back. You may want a staging area if the stalls are further away as you move the horses through the machine. And if you have heavy rider traffic, make sure the machine location does not disrupt this flow. Power drops are also an important consideration. Many of these machines operate on single phase 220v power, and the closer the machine is located to the power drop, the less investment you must make in setting up power to the machine.
Can weather disrupt your training plans? Make sure you have well planned drainage where you locate your machine. And consider if you need to make a greater investment for a roof cover or an indoor machine if sun, heavy rain or snow will disrupt your training plans.
Be familiar with your local permitting requirements and use a local general contractor to help with your install to meet local requirements as applicable.

Understand the safety considerations the manufacture has employed in their machine. A horse exerciser machine is often a one time buy for a facility, so consider your future needs and purchase to these needs. We have worked with existing customers that underestimated their needed capacity, and later upgraded to larger machines, and even add additional machines. When purchasing a machine, we recommend keeping the following in mind:

Buy a machine with an in-line drive train without belts or chains. We get requests to replace other manufacture’s bases to our set-up to eliminate reliability problems associated with belt drive and chain drive systems. Stick with motor/geared systems in your purchase requirements.
Quick support for service. The machine becomes an integral part of the facility work activities and it’s important to get quick response for service needs.
Reliability and outdoor use design considerations the manufacturer has incorporated into their machine

Horse Exercisers never replace good horsemanship and the real need for riding and training your horses for competition. A horse exerciser is an extremely useful training aid to build endurance conditioning, improve health and wellness and help with rehabilitation and recovery of your horses. And the benefits can be achieved by your trainer over a larger group of horses, without large labor investments in riders. Horse Exercisers are true time savers and help you meet your training goals with your competitive horses.

What are the Benefits of a Horse Exerciser over a Horse Walker?

Horse Walkers are staple training machines used at equestrian facilities. The machine tethers the horses to overhead beams, and carousel the horses in a circle. Many of the Walkers are 20-30′ in diameter, and larger models go past 60′ in diameter with up to 6+ horse capacities. The Walkers are useful and allow walking gait exercise. The machines have a relatively low purchase and install costs, making them an attractive training aid for equestrian facilities. The limitation relates to speed work and and restricted movement.

Horse Exercisers are an improved training aid when compared to Horse Walkers. The Exercisers operate without the horses tethered to the machine. This allows natural movement from walk, trot and through canter gaits. Eliminating the tethered connection between the horse and machine creates a few more benefits; namely, the horses’ can’t pull on the restraints to stall the machine or break loose from the machine. Without horses to tug on arms, the horse exerciser machine diameters can increase significantly, allowing less turning stress, making the machines ideal for rehabilitation work and faster speed training.

Dressage

Compete in Dressage

Are You Ready to Compete in Dressage?

You’ve been taking dressage instruction for a while now, and are tempted to take your horse to a show.

While the idea of taking part in a competition is exciting, you’re unsure if you have sufficient training for dressage riding in public. After all, you want to enjoy the experience, not be humiliated!

Take heart: you’re probably much better prepared than you think.

Attitude Checklist

Your attitude to showing will have a big influence on what you get out of your big day.

Are you happy to be at a show, whether you place or not?
Do you want to use the incentive of upcoming competitions to improve your riding?
Do you regard showing as an opportunity to see how your riding fits in with other riders at your level?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any or all of the above, your first show will be a success.

Dressage Movements Checklist

Once you feel comfortable with the following movements, you’re ready to compete. Remember I said, comfortable – you don’t have to be perfect!

Can you ride the medium walk and the free walk?
Can you bring your horse to a square halt from medium walk?
Can you transition into a working trot?
Can you trot straight up the center line?
Can you trot on a 20 meter circle?

“That’s all?” you ask.

Yup! Now let’s find the right tests for you.

Choosing the Right Dressage Tests

Download Introductory Test A and Test B from the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) website. These tests require only walk and trot, which makes them ideal for the beginner to dressage competitions.

Plan to ride both tests at the show.

During the first test you’ll be getting used to the competition arena. In the second test you’ll be much more relaxed, and get a higher percentage score.

There are two arena sizes, small and standard. Most shows use the standard 20 x 60 meter arena, as it’s also required for the higher levels.

Download a diagram of the standard arena and familiarize yourself with the arena letters.

(Don’t bother learning the location of the letters R,S,V and P. They don’t come into play yet.)

Memorize both your tests.

Don’t panic: you’re allowed to have someone read out the test movements for you at the show. A friendly voice during the competition will go a long way to calming your nerves!

Here are some tips for riding a great dressage test.

Where to Find Competitions

Check online and at your feed and tack stores for information about ‘schooling dressage shows.’

These are events organized by local dressage associations and barns. They are much less formidable, and cheaper to enter, than the licensed shows which are run by the USDF and FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale).

You can wear normal riding clothes for schooling shows, and don’t have to braid your horse’s mane. The judges are very encouraging – they want you to succeed.

If you aim to have fun at your first dressage competition, you’ll be relaxed and so will your horse. This will guarantee an enjoyable show day and set the stage for many more in the future.

Dressage

Easy Dressage Exercises

Seven Easy Dressage Exercises for Newcomer

When beginning dressage, the aim is to let your horse find his natural rhythm and release any tension. But relaxation in the rider is also important. These 7 simple exercises dressage exercises will help both you and your horse unwind and develop mutual trust.

Get Into the Rhythm: 4 Walk Exercises

1. Positioning Yourself for Success
Developing a correct dressage seat is the key to effective riding.

a) Sit tall in the middle of the saddle without hollowing your back, and place weight evenly on both seat bones.
b) Let your legs hang at a comfortable length. If you stretch them down too far, you’ll be ‘fishing’ for the stirrups.
c) Position your legs in such a way that if someone suddenly removed the horse from under you, you’d land on your feet. This will put you in perfect balance.

Holding the Reins

a) Each rein fits through the ring and little fingers of the hand, threads across your palm and out between your thumb and forefinger. Hold your hands in a gentle fist with your thumbs up, a little in front of you. Place them just under two hands’ width apart.
b) Relax your arms at your sides, with elbows bent.

2. Moving Off
Every riding session should begin with at least 10 minutes in the walk.

a) With a light rein contact (feel of the horse’s mouth) move your seat as if you were polishing the saddle from back to front. This is your driving seat: it asks the horse to move forwards.
You may also have to apply some leg pressure until the horse understands that he is to move off your driving seat only.
Your seat is the principal aid (communication with the horse) for controlling the horse’s rhythm, his speed, the length of his stride and transitions (changes in gait).
b) Next, adopt a passive seat, which simply follows the horse’s motion and lets him continue forwards in the regular four beat walk tempo.
c) Walk on a 20 meter circle on the left rein a few times. Relax in the saddle and allow your horse to move freely without rushing.

3. Changing Through the Circle
It’s now time to switch direction

a) Squeeze the fingers on your outside rein, for a brief moment of increased contact with the horse’s mouth. If you’re traveling to the left, your right rein is your outside rein.
This squeezing is called a ‘half-halt’ and tells your horse to be ready for something new.
(Another function of the half-halt is to regulate his tempo when combined with the stilled seat as in Exercise 4 a) below.)
b) Now ride an S shape through the circle to walk in the other direction – called ‘changing through the circle.’
Keep the horse moving at the same tempo in the new direction.

4. Walk-Halt-Walk Transitions
Transitioning between walk and halt improves communication between you and your horse.

a) Transition from walk to halt.
To halt your horse, apply the preparatory half-halt, and use a stilled seat: grow taller in the saddle, lengthen your legs and stop moving your hips with the horse’s movement until he stops.
b) Alternate between halt and walk.
Use your driving seat to move off in walk, your passive seat to continue walking in rhythm, and your stilled seat for halt. Remember to prepare your horse each time with gentle half-halts.
c) Practice walk to halt and back to walk until your horse responds immediately to your seat aid.
Stay relaxed and keep your back supple.
d) To further test your aids, slow down his walk with a stilled seat, but before he halts activate your driving seat to increase the tempo of his walk and lengthen his stride again.

Feel how using your seat aid regulates the tempo and rhythm of his footfalls.

Tension-Free Transitions: Three Trot Exercises

You and your horse will now be relaxed and supple after your walk work, and ready for trot.
1. Trot on a 20 Meter Circle

a) Shorten your reins couple of inches, apply the half-halt, and use your driving seat to transition into posting trot from the walk.
Again, you may need to back up that initial request with some leg pressure.
b) Trot on a 20 meter circle to the left.
It’s easier to control the horse’s speed when on a circle than on straight lines.
c) When posting to the trot, your passive and driving seats won’t come into play. (They are effective at the sitting trot, which comes later in your training.)
Instead, use the rhythm of your posting to create an even one-two-one-two rhythm in the trot. Counting out loud really helps achieve a steady tempo.
If it’s too slow, rise a little faster. If the horse is rushing, deliberately slow down your posting. Your horse will respond to your rhythm.

2. Changing Rein
Once you’ve established your horse’s trot rhythm on the left rein (i.e. riding to the left) it’s time to ‘change rein across the diagonal’ and ride in the other direction.
The usual way is to change rein across the ‘long diagonal.’

a) Draw an imaginary line across the arena rectangle to divide it into two equal triangles.
“Changing across the diagonal” involves riding along that imaginary line to switch the direction of travel. This is the long diagonal.
As you trot across this line, remember to change your posting diagonal by sitting for one stride halfway along it. This mid-point is known in dressage as ‘X.’
You’ll now be on the correct diagonal (rising out of the saddle when the horse’s new outside foreleg moves forwards) as you reach the other side of the arena.
b) Trot a 20 meter circle in your new direction.
Concentrate on moving forwards in a solid one-two-one-two rhythm, so that you and your horse can continue to loosen up and relax.
c) Change rein frequently across the diagonal. This prevents you both from getting too comfortable on one rein and neglecting the other.

3. Transitions from Trot to Walk
Transitioning from trot to walk tests how well your horse is listening to you.

a) While on your 20 meter circle, apply your half-halt and slow down your posting. As your horse reduces speed, sit in the saddle instead of rising and apply your stilled seat.
Your horse will transition down from trot to walk.
b) Walk for half a circle then ask him to trot again.
c) Alternate between walk and trot on both reins.
d) Change rein across the diagonal in walk sometimes and ask for trot on the circle in your new direction.

Mix things up, as this will keep your horse listening and always ready to obey new commands.
Work on the smoothness of your transitions between gaits and into halt, and end each riding session with 10 minutes in walk. This lets your horse get his breath back and allows his muscles to wind down.

These exercises will help you stay stress-free, while creating the harmonious relationship with your horse which is the foundation of all dressage.

Dressage

Dressage Horse

Do You Need a Special Horse for Dressage?

Training dressage can be an end in itself, or part of the horse’s education in another equestrian discipline. Your ultimate riding goal will determine which equine type best suits your dressage needs.

Here are some common situations where dressage is ridden, and a look at the appropriate horses for them.

The Beginner’s Dressage Horse

You don’t need a fancy horse for starting dressage: he only needs to be sound and able to walk and trot.

Even canter is optional at the very beginning level of competition. To encourage riders to enter shows, the USDF (United States Dressage Federation) has created three Introductory Tests. The first two only require walk and trot, with canter added in the third.

You can then move up to the next level as your equine partnership progresses.

The More Advanced Dressage Horse

If you want to ride at the upper dressage levels, you’ll need a more specialized horse. His conformation (build) must enable him to perform lateral movements (forwards/sideways) and collected (more compressed) work. All three of his gaits must be pure, and he needs the temperament to deal with the stress of difficult, sustained work.

You have a choice of proven dressage breeds which include the German, Swedish or Dutch Warmbloods, together with the Thoroughbred. The Friesian, originally bred as a carriage horse, is also becoming a winner at dressage shows.

Dressage and the Event Horse

If you’re a budding event rider, dressage is only one of three competition phases – the others being stadium jumping and cross-country. It takes a very versatile, athletic horse to perform well on the flat and over obstacles.

As long as he is fit, any type of horse can compete in low level events. But for the speed and stamina demanded at the upper levels, your best breed is the Thoroughbred or a horse with at least ¾ Thoroughbred in him.

Dressage and the Show Jumper

Another breed with the necessary aptitude is the Irish Draught horse crossed with the Thoroughbred, known as an Irish Draught Sport Horse. The sensible brain of the Irish Draught combines well with the athleticism and swiftness of the Thoroughbred to produce talented jumpers.Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds often have the right build for show jumping.

You’ll enjoy riding dressage on these breeds while you improve their agility round a course of fences and develop their jumping strength.

Dressage for Western and Gaited Horses

Can you ride dressage with your Western or gaited horse?

Most definitely!

Because it maximizes the riding potential of all horses, dressage is becoming widely accepted outside the sphere of English riding. Gaited and Western tests up to Third Level are now available.

The type of horse you need for riding dressage depends on your training goals. If you aspire to the higher levels of pure dressage, you’ll need a more specialized equine partner. But for the lower levels, or if you use the schooling as a foundation for other disciplines, your regular trail horse, jumper, gaited or Western horse should be more than capable.

Dressage

A Look at Dressage

A Look at Dressage, Part One: What Is Dressage and Why Do It?

My original sport was show jumping, and I thought dressage training entailed riding ever decreasing circles in the sand. Why would anyone pursue such a boring activity?

But dressage has since become my passion, and now I don’t understand why anyone would not include it in their horse training.

Dressage is the art of creating harmony between horse and rider. Surely that’s the aim of every horseman and horsewoman?

So What Exactly Is Dressage?

Far from being a monotonous repetition of artificial movements, dressage develops a horse’s natural athletic talents. From the French ‘dresser’ – meaning ‘to train’ – it fulfills the animal’s potential as a riding horse. Over time he is transformed into a supple, strong and willing equine.

Ideally, his schooling follows a structured program based on ‘The German Training Scale,’ also called ‘The Training Scale’ or ‘The Training Pyramid.’ The six phases of the German Training Scale flow logically from one to the other, with no rigid timetable.

Some horses move easily from one phase to the next, while some take longer or get stuck at a particular stage. If the animal encounters difficulties the answer is always to go back to basics until he is comfortable again.

The German Training Scale

Here is a brief overview of the six steps in the training pyramid. Each has the German term followed by its usual English translation.

Takt – Rhythm

The horse is encouraged to move forward (not rush) under a balanced rider, so he can find his natural rhythm. His gaits become regular in length, with the correct footfall. The gaits of an English riding horse are the four beat walk, two beat trot and three beat canter.

Often a horse has two ‘good’ gaits while one is lacking. For example, the canter may not be ‘pure’ – perhaps it is four beat instead of three beat. This beginning phase helps achieve purity in all three gaits.

Losgelassenheit – Relaxation and Suppleness, or Looseness

Now in a calm state, the horse can concentrate on his rider without anxiety or distraction. Signs that he is relaxed are snorting softly through his nose and beginning to stretch his neck down in walk, trot and canter. Another indication he’s loosening up is that he uses his back: it ‘swings’ as he reaches for connection with the rider’s hands through the bit.

Anlehnung – Contact

The horse now accepts bit contact – i.e. he’s comfortable with the even, gentle pressure of the bit in his mouth. His whole body softens as his hind legs increase their pushing power.

The rider should always ride ‘back to front’ – i.e. by activating the animal’s hind legs and encouraging him to step willingly into the bit contact. The horse’s mouth should never be pulled with the reins to force contact.

Schwung – Impulsion

The forward thrust flowing from the animal’s hind end is contained in front by the rider’s steady yet sympathetic hands. This creates impulsion. The horse’s whole body now becomes supple and elastic as he moves towards the state of Durchlässigkeit, or ‘being through.’

Here is a helpful video of international dressage rider Lisa Wilcox demonstrating how to achieve Throughness. (She is not wearing a helmet, but please wear one when you ride!)

Geraderichtung – Straightness

Every horse is somewhat crooked. This is partly due to the fact that his hind end is wider than his front. His haunches tend to swing to one side, so in this fifth phase he learns to move in a straight line, by placing his hind legs directly in the traveling path of his forelegs.

The total weight is then distributed more evenly over the animal’s body, creating a balanced horse. His strides become increasingly powerful as all his energy is channeled forwards.

Another reason for straightness is to reduce uneven wear and tear on the horse’s limbs.

Versammlung – Collection

Only when the horse is straight and balanced is he ready to begin collected work.

His thrusting strides are now shortened without losing rhythm and regularity, and exhibit extra energy and activity. Over time his hind legs become stronger, taking more weight and thereby lightening his forehand. He is then able to perform the higher levels of movement.

These include piaffe (trotting in place with impulsion) and passage (trotting slowly forward with high, prolonged steps) and canter pirouettes (180° or 360° pivots on the hind legs in canter).

Such movements demand a high level of strength and training, and a horse should never be asked for collection before he is ready.

Why Do Dressage?

The process of creating a capable and willing equine partner is enormously satisfying. A horse well-schooled in dressageis both a joy to ride and enjoys being ridden.

Dressage competitions offer an opportunity to showcase the harmonious partnership between horse and rider, and demonstrate their athletic skills.

This type of training provides the ideal preparation for other riding disciplines, too.

Show Jumping

Show jumping riders school their horses in dressage to develop the balance and strength the animals need to negotiate fences successfully. They become tuned in to their riders, and can easily obey requests to adjust their strides before a jump or make tight turns for the jump-off.

Eventing

Dressage is a vital stage of one and three day events. An event rider, who jumps clean in the cross country and stadium phases but places low in the dressage, has no hope of winning. For good reason is it said that one day and three day events are won or lost in the dressage.

Western and Gaited Riding Disciplines

Western and gaited horse riders are also warming up to dressage. The USDF (United States Dressage Federation) competitions used to be tailored to English riding only, but the tests are now being adapted to suit these other equestrian styles.

This system of training is becoming increasingly popular as more people understand its value for every riding horse.

To the uninitiated, like my former self, dressage might appear to be senseless routine. But the exact opposite is true. It develops physically fit equine partners, willing and able to perform their best. Carried out correctly, dressage creates a win-win situation for both horse and rider.

Equestrian News

Journey to Successful Recovery Part 4

Getting Your Horse Back Into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Four: The Journey to Successful Recovery

When your horse pulls his tendons, doubt nags at you constantly: even after months of patient equine rehabilitation, will your beloved animal ever fully recover? This is our fourth blog about a successful horse rehab journey.

I went through the same anxiety with Double Clover, my big gray gelding, after he severely pulled both his front tendons. Hopefully his story will keep you optimistic about your own horse’s chances of healing.

Bad Horsemanship…

I should have realized the Irish Sport Horse’s injuries were inevitable from observing his owner’s disastrous concept of horse care.

When I arrived to try the horse, the farmer pulled the five year old out of his dingy, poop-filled stable, let him loose in a small arena and chased him with a whip.

While the gelding bucked and galloped round the ring, I learned he’d been left in his stall for several days. The farmer normally rode him three times a week to round up cattle and never turned him out to graze.

The tall farmer now caught the heaving horse, threw a saddle on his back, jammed a bit in his mouth, and a bridle over his head. He then leaned across the animal and swung his right leg over the saddle. Once upright, he kicked Double Clover in the ribs and they took off at a gallop across extensive farmland.

They roared back a few minutes later, and when I got on him, the poor horse didn’t realize he was allowed to walk. He immediately trotted, and needed much persuading that he wouldn’t get into trouble if he transitioned down to first gear.

Yet the Irish Draft/Thoroughbred Cross’s lovely temperament had not been ruined, despite his owner’s dubious training methods, so I bought him.

…Leads to a Bad Breakdown

Back home I was careful to put Double Clover on a gradual training program, which included walk work on our freestyle horse exerciser and under saddle. He enjoyed daily turnout with my other horses and settled quickly into his new environment. His skinny frame soon filled out after I’d addressed his horrific worm burden.

A few weeks later, I began jumping him. Had his tendons been strong when I bought him, it would have been the right time to introduce this next phase. He loved his job, and was a confident jumper.

But suddenly his lower front legs swelled up, and the vet confirmed pulled tendons. I was horrified. I’d been so conservative with his training and couldn’t understand how this had happened until the vet assured me: “His tendons were going when you bought him.”

Background Check

Now it all made sense. No wonder his tendons were weak before he arrived at my barn – just look at the treatment from his previous owner:

Leaving him for days on end in a small and dirty stall which resulted in poor blood circulation in his legs.
Exercising him only three days a week, which is not nearly enough to get a horse fit in wind or limb.
Galloping him from a standstill every time he was ridden, with no walk work to warm up his tendons, ligaments and muscles. That is an absolute training no-no.
Not walking him afterwards to let his body recover from the exertion – another horse training error.
No turnout for physical relaxation and improved blood circulation.

The poor horse was doomed from the start.

If only I’d thought to have his legs checked before purchase! But hindsight wasn’t going to help. The issue now was, how serious were his injuries and would he ever recover from them?

The Long Road Ahead

If you’ve read the first three articles in this four part series, you’ll be familiar with the equine rehabilitation protocol I now had to follow.

After four weeks we took him for another ultrasound. The vet decided to split the more damaged tendon to increase blood flow to the injury site and improve the healing process. Today additional methods of promoting healing are open to the horse owner and here is an excellent article about alternative treatments: MDHorse The difference being that this happened almost two decades years ago, when ‘stall rest’ meant exactly that: the horse really had to stay in his stall for 24 hours a day during the first three months. Fortunately thinking has now changed, and usually horses can be hand-walked or put on the horse walker daily for a few minutes right from the beginning of their rehabilitation.

Luckily my equine patient had a great disposition and stayed calm in his stall. I rotated barn buddies to keep him company, and he had plenty of hay to munch and toys to play with.

Achieving the Goal

Double Clover’s period of complete stall confinement ended and I took him for another ultrasound.

While the vet examined the big gray’s legs, his assistant came in. She had a client on the phone, whose horse was beginning its walk phase after a tendon injury, the same phase I was about to enter with Double Clover. But the client had ‘accidentally trotted her horse’ and it was now lame. What should she do?

“Tell her the horse is now an insurance write-off,” was my vet’s terse response.

I was shocked, and immediately resolved to strictly follow my gelding’s prescribed rehabilitation program. I didn’t want him to become a write-off, too!

It took three more months of careful reconditioning, but Double Clover did return to full work. He became a wonderful show jumper, dressage horse and eventer. Impressed by this, one of the vets who’d taken care of him used his story for her case study about how a horse can recover completely after seriously damaging its tendons.

Eighteen years later, Double Cover is now twenty-three years old, sound and still competing in dressage.

So take heart: your horse’s career is not necessarily over if he pulls his tendons. Stay hopeful and be patient. Do exactly what your vet tells you and don’t attempt any short cuts.

You, too, could have a success story to share with other owners of injured horses.

Equestrian News

Tendon Injury Part 3

Getting Your Horse Back Into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Three: Transition to Canter, Plus Tips for Preventing Re-Injury

Your horse’s walk and trot reconditioning phases are successfully completed, and an ultrasound confirms his tendons are healing well. At last, you have the green light to canter post tendon injury!

But whether including this gait on the horse walker or under saddle, continue to be conservative. You don’t want to undo the successful equine rehabilitation work you’ve done so far.

Introducing the Canter

Your vet will probably want to add five minutes of canter gradually during the first two weeks. Begin and end every session with ten minutes of walk work, and split the total canter time allowed into short segments.

Also:

Trot before and after cantering: don’t transition up to canter from walk, or down from canter to walk.
Avoid abrupt changes of gait or direction.
Don’t lunge your horse, as his tendons are not yet sufficiently conditioned for moving in circles of twenty meters or less.

Every two weeks, continue to increase the total time spent in this new gait by five minutes, or as your vet prescribes, until you reach twenty minutes of canter work during each one hour exercise routine.

Using the Horse Walker

The freestyle horse exerciser once again becomes a valuable tool. It allows you to control your horse on a gentle curve in a contained area, and you can gradually increase and decrease the speed for smooth gait transitions through trot. Putting a steady buddy on the horse walker with him will have a calming effect. Only canter your horse for this stage of rehab on exercisers with large diameters (65′ – 70′) with safe track footing.

Under Saddle

Your vet will ask you to continue riding in straight lines and on large circles, to minimize the stress on his tendons.

Another way to reduce tendon strain is to collect him. In the last post we talked about how collection is not just for dressage training – it benefits all horse disciplines. Here again is the link to an informative article on the correct way to collect your horse: Collection

Collecting a horse in canter makes sense, because it reduces the amount of weight on his forelegs.

Your horse’s rehabilitation is now complete. You’ve been patient and worked hard, and the chances are good that he will soon return to his normal work load.

Tips for Avoiding Tendon Re-injury

There are no guarantees your horse won’t injure himself again, but here are a few ways to help prevent another set-back. We’ve talked about some of them already.

Always walk your horse for ten minutes before progressing to faster work.
Always walk your horse for ten minutes after faster work.
Avoid abrupt downward changes between gaits and sudden turns.
Work your horse evenly on both reins. It’s tempting to concentrate more on his worse side, but overdoing this can lead to tendon and suspensory problems.
Listen to your vet’s advice about turnout. Start with a small area, and maybe a mild sedative, and move to a larger paddock only when your horse is reliably quiet.
Avoid turning him out in muddy areas where he can skid and pull that tendon again.
Avoid trot extensions when your horse is tired.

Check his legs every day for unusual swelling or heat and call your vet if you notice anything wrong.

Equestrian News

Tendon Injury Part 2

Getting Your Horse Back into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Two of Four: Adding the Trot

In the previous post we examined the two walk phases of equine rehabilitation after a tendon injury, which included walking in hand, on the horse walker and under saddle.

When your horse is being ridden for sixty minutes a day at walk, and an ultrasound has confirmed that his damaged tendon is healing on schedule, it’s time to include trot in his routine.

How Much Trot?

Your vet will probably suggest trotting for five minutes in total during his one hour exercise routine, still working in straight lines and large circles.

Whether using the horse walker or riding, start each session with ten minutes of walk. This rule applies regardless of the horse training method, even when the animal is fit, as an equine athlete’s muscles and tendons need proper warming up to prevent injury or re-injury.

Introduce thirty seconds of trot at regular intervals between the walk phases, building up to sixty seconds during the first two weeks.

Gradually add five minutes every fourteen days, until you’re up to twenty minutes at the end of eight weeks – or other prescribed time period. Always call your vet if you detect any heat, swelling or lameness.

Starting with the Horse Walker

Your horse has been ridden under saddle for the past eight weeks. But all he’s done for four months is walk and the addition of trot could prove exciting for him.

With a european style horse walker, your horse can naturally move up from walk to trot in an enclosed space, and the partition will prevent him from gathering too much speed.

A calm equine companion will help your horse stay level-headed, and your control over the machine’s speed will enable gradual walk-trot-walk transitions.

Once he has settled down, you can progress to riding again.

Trotting Under Saddle

This walk and trot riding phase is an ideal time to work on collection.

Valuable for all horse riding disciplines, and not just dressage training, collection distributes weight more evenly over your horse’s four legs by shifting some of the load onto his hind end. The uncollected horse carries the greater proportion of his and the rider’s weight on his forelegs, which is especially undesirable after a tendon injury.

Collection also creates smoother, less ‘choppy’ gaits and transitions, further reducing tendon stress.

Here is a very informative article on achieving true collection (not the forced type, which makes the horse tense and rigid and more likely to hurt himself): SustainableDressage

If possible, ride with a friend on a quiet horse to keep yours calm until he gets used to this change in his daily exercise. You may want to use a stronger bit for extra control, or ask about a safe sedative for those first few trot rides.

Life is finally becoming more interesting for you and your horse. When an ultrasound of his injury shows sufficient healing, you’ll get the green light to include canter work. We’ll examine this in our next post, together with tips on how to prevent re-injury of the healed tendon.

Equestrian News

Winter Horse Training

Starting Cold: Winter Horse Training Tips

As those of us in colder climates know, harsh winter weather can sometimes make riding unpleasant. While exercising and training your horse in cold weather, it is important to take extra care to ensure your horse is comfortable and adequately warmed to reduce the risk of injury.

Stretching is a simple and effective way to loosen up your horse prior to exercise and training. Although this is good practice year round, it is especially beneficial in cold temperatures. There are four primary stretches to consider implementing before putting your horse to work.

The first is called the “carrot stretch”. Use a carrot to stretch your horse’s neck both left and right. Then bring the carrot to his chest and down between his legs. Let your horse nibble a little of the carrot each time he does a full stretch.

There are two different simple back stretches. I recommend trying both, initially, to learn which stretch your horse responds to best. One type of back stretch is the “belly lift”. Use a firm object, such as the blunt handle of a hoof pick, and run it along the midline of the belly with slight upward pressure. The horse should respond by lifting his back. Repeat this two to three times. See below left picture.

The second type of back stretch is called the “butt tuck”. Again with a blunt object- this time one in each hand- apply slight pressure at the rump with your hands on either side of the back bone, and run down the back of the hindquarters. Be careful when performing either back stretch as sometimes the horse may kick out, especially one with a sore back. Talk to your horse, stand close, and apply increasing pressure slowly. See below right picture.

Next, stretch each of the front legs. Holding the front leg, stretch forward and down for about five seconds. Now, holding the leg level just behind the carpus (“knee”), rotate the leg in a small circle toward the other leg two to three times. Repeat both these stretches with the other front leg.

To stretch the back leg, pick up the leg and gently stretch back, then forward, then across the belly towards the other leg. Hold each stretch position for about five seconds before moving to the next position. Again, repeat with the opposite leg. It is imperative not to over-stretch the legs as this can cause strain on the muscles, ligaments, or tendons. A gentle pull until the leg naturally stops is all that is needed.

Another great way to beginning warming up your horse before you get on to ride is to use a Back On Track Mesh Sheet or Fleece Sheet. The Back On Track sheets are designed to reflect the horse’s body heat back onto him, heating up the muscles in the shoulders, back, and butt. They are great for horse’s with sore muscles, those in heavy training, and those with cold backs. A good alternative to a Back On Track sheet is to use a heating pad on the back for about 10 minutes prior to exercising.

Even after stretching and heating the back, it is critical to slowly and thoroughly warm up your horse. Allow time for the rest of your horse’s body to warm up in unison for superior performance and to prevent injury, especially to tendons and ligaments. It is best to start with a cooler on your horse at a forward, working walk for at least five minutes or more, depending on how cold it is and how stiff your horse might be. When starting at the trot, start at a long and low steady pace before asking for a collected or extended trot.

Giving your horse adequate time to warm up at his own pace will keep him happier and healthier. It may help an especially back sore horse to warm up with you off his back in a two-point position or standing straight up in the stirrups. On especially cold days or for horses that tend to be chilly, a fleece quarter sheet can help keep your horse warm, loose, and comfortable.

It is just as important to properly cool your horse off as it is to warm him up. You can never put a horse away that is hot or sweaty as this can lead to serious health problems. After exercising, it is good practice to again let your horse trot long and low to stretch out his back and neck. Once at the walk put the cooler back on and walk at a relaxed pace for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the heat the leave the muscles slowly. Using a horse walker or hot walker is the best way to cool off your horse safely and efficiently in all seasons.

After this cool down period, if your horse is still sweaty you can either hand walk him or put him in his stall to dry off with a fleece or wool cooler or dress sheet. Rubbing the sweaty areas with a towel will speed up the drying process. Also, placing an Irish Knit beneath a cooler puts a pocket of air between the horse and the cooler, which will help a sweaty coat dry more quickly. Once dry, you can proceed with your regular grooming routine and put blankets back on if your horse has them.

Regardless of weather or season, it is important to care for your horse’s legs by wrapping after especially hard training sessions. In the winter, I tend to stay away from poultice as it is already so cold. Instead, I spray liniment or a 50/50 mix of wintergreen rubbing alcohol and witch hazel (which works just as well as store bought liniment) on the legs prior to applying standing bandages. Spraying liniment or 50/50 on sore muscles will also make your horse more comfortable and ready for work the next day. For horses with sore feet, packing the feet at night will greatly help to eliminate the soreness.

Horses require an extreme amount of commitment and care in all seasons. Each season requires a little extra specialty care. Follow these tips and both you and your horse will be sure to have a warm, happy and healthy winter season