Stifle Rehab
By Gaye DeRusso
Now that you understand what the stifle is, let’s start your horse’s rehab. It usually takes 6-8 weeks of rehab before you see or feel a difference. If you are inconsistent your horse will not improve as fast or at all. This is a gym workout for your horse. So, if he does not do it, he cannot get stronger.
Day 1 – Trail.
Ride your horse on trail, try to keep hills to a minimum. Stay off the very steep hills. Aim for gradual inclines and declines. On the flat and inclines, make your horse engage its back end and walk out and also gait. On the declines, walk very slow, like a quarter horse, this will engage the muscles around the stifle. If having issues, serpentine down the hill. If horse is protesting, get off and walk and feed little treats on the way down to encourage the horse to try. It can be painful in the beginning for the horse. So, encourage your horse and lots of praise once he gets to the bottom of the hill. He may even need Bute if really protesting, check with your vet if issues.
Day 2- Arena
Lunge your horse over poles. You can spread them around the arena or if you do not want to walk far, then put the poles in a circle. Keep 3-4 feet between the poles in the beginning to make it easier. In other words, a big space between poles. Lunge at a walk for 3 min each direction. Praise or give a treat after each direction. And use your phone to time it. If horse is ok the next day, then increase the time to 5 min each direction the next week. After a week or two increase the time to 5 min each direction, then 3 min each direction. Over time increase it to 5 min each direction then another 5 min each direction. Always change direction after 5 minutes so that side gets a break.
Day 3- Trail.
Try to ride mostly flat as horse may be sore. Practice leg yielding and serpentines and walk straight as the horses break. Occasionally stop and try to back up a couple steps. Have the horse engage and walk out or gait for 2-3 min intervals with 5 min break in between.
Day 4- Arena
Work on cavaletti poles. Set the poles 3-4 of your steps apart in a straight line, line up 4 poles to start. Lunge or ride horse over poles. Lunging is best to start in case they trip. Then lunge around arena or ride around the arena but keep going over the cavaletti poles for a total of 10 minutes. Mix in your arena work so horse gets breaks but also is going over the poles at times. Praise each time after going over the poles. It is hard for them.
Day 5-Arena or Trail
Either a light trail ride or Arena ride. Practice going forward and backing up, but do not get mad if you cannot get many back up steps. Horse may drag toes a lot in the beginning when backing up. Go up very mild inclines and declines. Remember this is a light workout because your horse may be sore from the previous days. So just 10-20 minutes of work.
Day 6 and 7 – Rest
Let your horse have 2 days off to recover. But take for a hand walk or out to graze or turnout. It also helps you see how they are moving and how sore they are. Keep a diary of how your horse does so you can see if getting better or not. If not better after 2 months, speak with vet about other options.
Stifle Rehab
By Gaye DeRusso
Now that you understand what the stifle is, let’s start your horse’s rehab. It usually takes 6-8 weeks of rehab before you see or feel a difference. If you are inconsistent your horse will not improve as fast or at all. This is a gym workout for your horse. So, if he does not do it, he cannot get stronger.
Day 1 – Trail.
Ride your horse on trail, try to keep hills to a minimum. Stay off the very steep hills. Aim for gradual inclines and declines. On the flat and inclines, make your horse engage its back end and walk out and also gait. On the declines, walk very slow, like a quarter horse, this will engage the muscles around the stifle. If having issues, serpentine down the hill. If horse is protesting, get off and walk and feed little treats on the way down to encourage the horse to try. It can be painful in the beginning for the horse. So, encourage your horse and lots of praise once he gets to the bottom of the hill. He may even need Bute if really protesting, check with your vet if issues.
Day 2- Arena
Lunge your horse over poles. You can spread them around the arena or if you do not want to walk far, then put the poles in a circle. Keep 3-4 feet between the poles in the beginning to make it easier. In other words, a big space between poles. Lunge at a walk for 3 min each direction. Praise or give a treat after each direction. And use your phone to time it. If horse is ok the next day, then increase the time to 5 min each direction the next week. After a week or two increase the time to 5 min each direction, then 3 min each direction. Over time increase it to 5 min each direction then another 5 min each direction. Always change direction after 5 minutes so that side gets a break.
Day 3- Trail.
Try to ride mostly flat as horse may be sore. Practice leg yielding and serpentines and walk straight as the horses break. Occasionally stop and try to back up a couple steps. Have the horse engage and walk out or gait for 2-3 min intervals with 5 min break in between.
Day 4- Arena
Work on cavaletti poles. Set the poles 3-4 of your steps apart in a straight line, line up 4 poles to start. Lunge or ride horse over poles. Lunging is best to start in case they trip. Then lunge around arena or ride around the arena but keep going over the cavaletti poles for a total of 10 minutes. Mix in your arena work so horse gets breaks but also is going over the poles at times. Praise each time after going over the poles. It is hard for them.
Day 5-Arena or Trail
Either a light trail ride or Arena ride. Practice going forward and backing up, but do not get mad if you cannot get many back up steps. Horse may drag toes a lot in the beginning when backing up. Go up very mild inclines and declines. Remember this is a light workout because your horse may be sore from the previous days. So just 10-20 minutes of work.
Day 6 and 7 – Rest
Let your horse have 2 days off to recover. But take for a hand walk or out to graze or turnout. It also helps you see how they are moving and how sore they are. Keep a diary of how your horse does so you can see if getting better or not. If not better after 2 months, speak with vet about other options.