Re: MUSCLE WASTAGE?

Firstly, well done in getting him well again and he is lovely.  For muscle wastage in the rear end and with the bucking, I would get him a session with a properly qualified vet physio to give a good deep massage and free off anything that is tight, as this is usually the case with horses with a history like yours - I have a showjumper and he needed some freeing up last year too.  To build up the muscle the ideal thing to use is a pessoa lungeing aid - you don't need to get the "real McCoy", I got a copy from ebay called a Top Flyte and it is just the same but about £50 cheaper.  It will encourage his legs under him and get him into the correct outline and using all his back muscles properly, but start with short sessions in walk only, about 5 mins each rein, no more than 3 times a week, and build it up weekly to longer and add in trotting.  When he's getting stronger add in canter work and build up to 20 mins in total but no longer than that really, but you could do it more than 3 times a week at that point.  I once had a thoroughbred with sacro iliac joint probs who was developing muscle wastage and the pessoa really helped him so much.

Re: MUSCLE WASTAGE?

thank you guys! im seeing if my yard owner has a pessoa if not i shall invest in one!

Just to throw in another question, do you know how to stop horses from neaughty behaviour on lunge eg, bucking, rearing and clowing in on the circle? thanks x