For horse people in New England, this means a serious increase in outside time for our horses. It may conjure images of our horses being a little WILD, coming in from the paddock FILTHY and/or missing a shoe on occasion. It just might be, however, my favorite season.
Spring gives us the opportunity to get back to work. We regain access to big open spaces like outdoor rings, grass fields and trails. For some of us, we meticulously plan and look forward to a busy show season. For others, we look ahead to the next stages of our horse’s rehab- setting goals to start trotting or resume ridden work.
What these two realities have in common, is planning. Having a solid rehab or spring training plan is necessary to move the needle forward toward our goals.
What’s in a plan?
The best plan for your horse should include a ‘whole-horse’ evaluation and take your unique circumstances into consideration. This plan should be made by qualified veterinary professionals who are well versed in any injuries or conditions that your horse has- (tendon injury, kissing spine, recent surgery, etc).
So what would be good for your horse? Is it PEMF (Magnawave)? Is it chiro? Massage? Laser? FES? How does one manage to sort through the rabbit hole that is the internet, when it comes to credible information? With the wealth of alternative or complimentary therapeutic treatments available and a variety of opinions on all of them, having to sort through it all is a tall order!
What In Gait Equine can offer...
As someone that has gone down the rehab rabbit hole and come out the other side- I can help. Let me work WITH your veterinarian to come up with a plan to optimize your horse’s recovery or performance. Let’s evaluate all options to treat that soft tissue injury or sore back and choose the treatments that best suit your horse. Let’s identify subtle asymmetries or compensation patterns and manage them BEFORE they become a bigger problem. Let’s come up with a varied, progressive exercise plan for your horse that aims to prevent boredom and avoid repetitive stress injuries.
If you’re wondering how adding a CERP (certified equine rehabilitation practitioner) to your horse’s team might be helpful, please get in touch. I would love to help you & your horse move forward towards your summer goals- whatever they may be!
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