My 10 year old Dutch mare apparently pulled a glute muscle either bucking going downhill on an “after lesson trail ride” and/or made it worse from a stop on course 2 days later at a show. Vet has eliminated other issues that would lead to this “flat tire” feeling behind and is pretty confident that it’s a muscle strain. Stall rest, bute and time seem to be the rehab plan at this point. Has anyone dealt with this and if so, what was the rehab plan for your horse? Thanks!
My horse pulled something when he hooked a hind shoe in the noclimb fence - the shoe was twisted but still on when he came in. Bute, an acupuncture treatment, and lots of suppling exercises at the walk - LOTS. ALso, I used the Posture Prep tool to really get into the fascia and loosen things up. Back on Track sheet 30 minutes before every ride. Stretching after every ride. The injury showed most at the canter - and part of the rehab was cantering and pushing him forward through it to work the muscle.
I actually had this happen to one of my mares in January! I came back from the holiday (she had about 7 days off) and she was “ok” at the trot, but really sticky in the canter. A regular vet and a chiropractor didn’t really find anything they could pinpoint as the problem. However, the person who does massage on my horses found it easily. She was working in the upper hind leg area and got a huge reaction when she was touching the muscle in the left hind (inside, up high). Then we also noted that there was some swelling too. Sometimes vets aren’t always touching the areas that a massage person does—so it was great that I had another perspective to figure out what was going on. The massage person suspected that my mare might’ve slipped on ice or snow during turnout and did the “splits” (or some other gymnastic move that horses aren’t meant to do).
Anyway—we put her on bute (for the first week) and under saddle work was limited to a walk for a couple weeks, and then just trotting. No collected work or small figures. No cantering for about 6 weeks. I stuck to the plan and everything went fine. She was back in business in about 6 weeks and we haven’t had any issues since. Good luck.
Yup, it was a chiro/massage guy working with the vet who isolated it. I’ll chat with my trainer about the plan. Looks like bute and rest for a week, then walk, trot and work toward canter. Thanks for your input! Helps to hear positive recovery stories.
If it is a pulled muscle you’re on the right track but these can be very very painful and as with most soft tissue injuries can take longer than you think, especially if you don’t allow her enough time to rest. A week seems a bit short for a bad tear.
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Very short IME.
These sort of soft tissue issues are a real PITA to deal with. IME there is no real by the book timing for it to resolve. Could take a couple of weeks, could take a couple of months. One things for sure, better to give more time then needed. Then not enough. Error on the side of caution. The horse may be non reactive when manipulated in a week, 2 or 3. But that doesn’t mean things are back to normal. It’s the sort of thing that is easily re injured.
It shouldn’t take a “paid hand” to pick up on this IMO. It’s always good idea to run one’s hands over their horse once a day. I don’t think it is a good idea to make the horse too comfortable. The discomfort they have is the body’s way of telling them to take it easy.
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Had something happen to my mare. Might have also been an SI injury, but we didn’t know a lot about those at the time. Acupuncture/chiro helped and as far as rehab, we treated it much like a stifle or SI injury anyway. Lots of long and low trotting in straight lines. Took quite a long time to get back jumping and had some setbacks, but she was a hot mare and difficult to keep long and low and chilled out all of the time.
In our case it was buteless pellets for inflammation, Chiro and handwalking plus turnout —no stall rest…my vet says they have to move to heal. Took 8 weeks and is now fine
To answer the “why didn’t I catch this” comment, she is part leased as I’m laid up with foot surgery and she was injured at a show where I was not in attendance. Vet called immediately (our regular vet) and then chiro/massage after second exam at home. She’s on two weeks stall rest now, followed by turn out in 12x24 dry pen. Rehab plan to begin with walk only. I’ve been able to visit her (45 minute drive, I’m on crutches) and ran hands over while grooming. I’m confident my barn team has her under control. Thanks for continued responses and insights!
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Also, it can be hard to diagnose - there’s a lot going on back there and knowing which part is injured can be tricky. My gelding started displaying signs of injury and we thought it was an SI strain - so kept him turned out, lots of walking under saddle. Three months later and he’s not improved ultrasound showed that he tore fascia, which needed stall rest and NO riding to heal. But who suspects torn fascia when he’s acting like he strained his SI. Sounds like you are on the right track with her and I hope she is back in good form soon.
