Horse owners realize that it is in their best interest, as well as their horse's best interest to prevent lameness-causing injuries. Ask any veterinarian or experienced trainer what the top three preventive measures fare or making sure a horse does not become lame and the answer will be: 1) conditioning, 2) conditioning and 3) conditioning!
Building layers of fitness in horse conditioning
Horses at the highest risk of injury are those that are unfit, or that have had days, weeks or months without exercise and are then suddenly worked hard.
© 2013 by Debra Krall
Horses at the highest risk for injury are those that are unfit, or that have had days, weeks or months without exercise and are then suddenly worked hard.
It is important to work with a good trainer or educate yourself on the best way to condition a horse for its intended use.
Eight general rules to follow for proper conditioning of your horse include
- Build layers of fitness gradually and consistently ,
- Never work to the point of exhaustion, as this is when tendon and ligament injuries are most likely to occur,
- Add discipline-specific rigors, such as collection in a dressage horse, speed and tight turns in a barrel horse or uneven terrain in a trail horse only after the horse is fit,
- Palpate your horse’s legs before and after exercise to monitor for heat and swelling,
- Schedule regular farrier care to maintain good foot balance,
- Warm up before and cool down after strenuous exercise,
- Provide good footing during hard work whenever possible,
- Stop exercise immediately if your horse feels “off,” and call the veterinarian sooner rather than later.
As with many other medical conditions, the best approach with lameness caused by tendon, ligament, joint or muscles injuries is early recognition and treatment to prevent problems down the road. If these injuries are caught early and treated, and, if the horse is rehabilitated properly, the chance for good-quality healing and a return to soundness are increased drastically.