My boys vet visit

[Anna**]

What kind of stretches do you do?

On the advice on my RI I have started doing carrot stretches with Ben. This seems to really be helping supple up his left side.

Yes I love carrot stretches, you can certainly see a difference. Paddy seems quite supple anyway but they still definitely help him. Becca didn't have a clue what I was trying to do and we had to build up slowly but just in a few weeks she is looser. Which do you do? I do sides to girth and gradually further as they get better. then side but low, reaching sort of behind the fetlock but at the side and also the stretch between the front legs.

I also do the front legs where I pick them up and stretch them forwards, holding behind the knee and letting the rest hang. Sort of holding at a 90 degree angle but I tend to bring to point you feel resistance and then hold.

The back legs I pick up and bring forwards and hold, again to point of resistance.

The leg ones are of course harder than the carrot stretches and you have to watch in case they don't like it, always gently replace the foot and be careful to watch they're not going to retract the leg or become unbalanced. They should be done after muscles are warm and I'm also very careful not to overstretch. I'm sure there are some other great ones but I worry I might do them wrong so just stick to the ones I've been shown :smile:

 

[MrA]

Okay thankyou for all the wonderful advice everyone, you have been great. I will contact my insurers and make them aware that I had the vet out as he seemed to be having some stiffness problems. I will tell them that he trotted up sound and no further action is being taken at the time.

The physio I had out to do his massage is fully qualified and also works in partnership with my vet, but thanks

 

[MrA]

And I know nothing about stretches so will look into these with great interest!

 

[Anna**]

Okay thankyou for all the wonderful advice everyone, you have been great. I will contact my insurers and make them aware that I had the vet out as he seemed to be having some stiffness problems. I will tell them that he trotted up sound and no further action is being taken at the time.

The physio I had out to do his massage is fully qualified and also works in partnership with my vet, but thanks

Great Stuff...keeping fingers crossed he'll be all back to normal very soon!!

 

[newforest]

What kind of stretches do you do?

On the advice on my RI I have started doing carrot stretches with Ben. This seems to really be helping supple up his left side.

My physio suggested the tail stretches for us, I also do the carrot stretches. Its great for their back.
Also pole work for the back end, looking vat her bum its hard to believe she has a weakness in it! But she has though much improved. Its all in my groundwork and she loves carrots though you could use CT.

 

[Rubic]

Like Anna, I do leg and carrot stretches. These are the ones I got from my physio:

Stretches:
Leg

1. Pick her front foot up as normal with you facing her shoulder, use your hand closest to her head to gently push the knee backwards toward the hind leg on the same side. Use your other hand to support the fetlock and just make sure the cannon bone drops from the knee slightly and is not held too high as this will stop the limb from being able to fully stretch backwards. If you have a helper then ask them to gently guide Rubic's head away from you to increase the stretch.

2. Stand in front of her and draw her front leg forward as if you were making sure her girth doesn't nip, once she stops giving the limb forwards then gently lift her leg a few inches. Try and make sure she doesn't lock her knee straight and keeps a little bend in it.

3. Hold her limb like in no. 1 but push the outside of her knee across the front of her towards the opposite side.

4. With her back legs - if you stand facing her hind leg, pick it up as normal and guide her - from the fetlock or the back of the cannon bone - towards the hoof of the foot in front.

5. From the forward hind limb stretch then guide the leg diagonally underneath her like she is leg yielding and aim towards the opposite front limbs hoof.

Just make sure and place the limb back from where you picked it up from so she doesn't hurt herself.

Neck:
1. Using a carrot ask her to take her chin to her chest, then knees then between her front feet - try and keep her neck as straight as possible.

2. Ask her to get her chin to her girth line, then flank and then towards her hind hoof - on both left and right hand side.

If she starts moving around the stable, back her into the corner of a stable to try and stop her being able to go backwards and avoid the stretches.

Back:
1. Tummy tuck - apply pressure to the midline on her underside, around where the girth sits and look for her to round her back to stretch out her withers.

2. Lumbar flexions - run your fingers from either side of her tail up the way to ask her the tuck her pelvis forwards and keep going so she then flattens her bum.

Added Points:
* The limb stretches only do after a minimum of 10 minutes exercise as the tissues need to be warm.
* The neck stretches are once each daily
* Back flexions are 3 repetitions daily.

With leg stretch number 4 I was told to start aiming for the back of the hoof in front then gradually work up and I can now hit around the knee of her front leg. I think it is important not to push the stretches, improvement with them is gradual as they start to get a bit more supple.

ETA thoses leg stretches were to be held for 20 seconds