[Iberian]

Originally Posted by DB4L90

Some of you guys know that Char was on the injured list for about a month but has been back undersaddle for about 2 weeks. When i first got on her after the month off, i wasnt worried about her frame, i just wanted her to move forward. She did awesome but i did notice that on her bad/weaker side (which is clockwise) she would be kinda rushing and acting nervous/anxious at the canter. I just thought it was because of not being ridden.

Its getting better but not by much or not as much as i would like to see.

New to the board so don't know the history of your mare's injury. Hopefully it was nothing serious and just needed time to heal. Assume that you had a vet involved. Many times when a horse has been injured their bodies learn to compensate by using other muscles so when they do go back to work they feel different. Usually a couple of massages loosen their muscles up and get their bodies back to normal. Sometimes if there has been pain the muscles will tighten, get knotted or the connective tissue inside their bodies actually becomes attached to their skeleton (very simple explanation and not totally correct). So if you haven't had her seen by an equine massage therapist I recommend you go this route. An experienced massage therapist will let you know if she finds something that's not normal and may refer you to a chiro. Sometimes arthritis will set in and a good joint supplement may help.

Again depending upon what was wrong you may be doing things her body isn't yet ready for at this time. Most of us have no idea how hard circle work can be on a horse. So instead think of riding squares or gentle, large, half circles (serpentines). Do alot of walking and any lateral movements she may know but always allow her to go forward after the lateral work. If asking for a turn on the forehand or turn on the haunches start small like 1/4 of a turn first.

Has she always been weaker on this side? I like to ask a horse that's reluctant to pick up the canter from a leg yield. Start on a circle to get inside bend, then when parallel to the long side leg yield to the rail and ask for the canter. Make sure you keep your hands low and still & not asking for too much collection at this time.

Sometimes ground poles also help strength out the back and after going over them the horse is more willing to canter.

If this doesn't help holler. I'm very glad that your horsie is now able to be ridden. I absolutely hate it when any of mine get hurt.

[DB4L90]

Originally Posted by Iberian

New to the board so don't know the history of your mare's injury. Hopefully it was nothing serious and just needed time to heal. Assume that you had a vet involved. Many times when a horse has been injured their bodies learn to compensate by using other muscles so when they do go back to work they feel different. Usually a couple of massages loosen their muscles up and get their bodies back to normal. Sometimes if there has been pain the muscles will tighten, get knotted or the connective tissue inside their bodies actually becomes attached to their skeleton (very simple explanation and not totally correct). So if you haven't had her seen by an equine massage therapist I recommend you go this route. An experienced massage therapist will let you know if she finds something that's not normal and may refer you to a chiro. Sometimes arthritis will set in and a good joint supplement may help.

Again depending upon what was wrong you may be doing things her body isn't yet ready for at this time. Most of us have no idea how hard circle work can be on a horse. So instead think of riding squares or gentle, large, half circles (serpentines). Do alot of walking and any lateral movements she may know but always allow her to go forward after the lateral work. If asking for a turn on the forehand or turn on the haunches start small like 1/4 of a turn first.

Has she always been weaker on this side? I like to ask a horse that's reluctant to pick up the canter from a leg yield. Start on a circle to get inside bend, then when parallel to the long side leg yield to the rail and ask for the canter. Make sure you keep your hands low and still & not asking for too much collection at this time.

Sometimes ground poles also help strength out the back and after going over them the horse is more willing to canter.

If this doesn't help holler. I'm very glad that your horsie is now able to be ridden. I absolutely hate it when any of mine get hurt.

My horse got an infection in her leg from a close nail and yes we did have a vet come out and check on her. She was on Penicillin for 5 days and bute for 6. The infection has cleared up and she wasnt lame or in any pain so she didnt need the bute anymore. But i still have her 2 weeks to heal up, we just did some light lunging for a while, slowing building up to riding. we have had a chiro come out to look at char and he has found some things out of place but that was before her infection.

When i take her into a circle they are pretty big circles, but I am going to try the leg yields when i ask her to canter. Maybe that will help her.

When char went to the trainers she hadn't been worked in a month and she was doing this rushing and acting anxious but we slowing worked it out of her. She stopped doing it and was starting to round up. But Now we fell right back where we started before.

but thank you very much for your help! I really appreciate it!