Stretching
Bridget Bazell is a chartered physiotherapist specialising in the treatment of horses and riders. This includes those riding and competing for pleasure up to international level. For more information visit bridgetbazellphysio.co.uk.
Q My horse has recently had spinal surgery and I’ve been told to do stretches by my vet. What stretches should I do? I’m worried about him overdoing it. Mark Nind, Sussex A The type and frequency of stretches that you will need to do after your horse has had spinal surgery will depend on many things. These include the age, type and expected workload of the horse, type and extent of surgery, and overall condition of the horse and its stage of recovery. It is possible to overstretch joints or soft tissue if the tissues are not accustomed to moving through that range. Some horses are generally more flexible, or stiffer, than others, just like their riders. Therefore it’s a good idea to know what is normal for your horse, i.e. his available movement. Do this using simple stretches, such as encouraging your horse to bend his neck round to his sides each way. But before you start any kind of stretching routine with a horse who is in recovery, you should get specific exercise recommendations with your vet and liaise with a local qualified veterinary physiotherapist. To find your nearest physiotherapist from the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) visit www.acpat.org.