Stiff horse advice?

Question

I just bought a 13 year old gelding. I've been doing light riding with him outside, the temps been in the 40s, for the past two days. He seemed ok while I was riding him but as I lunged him today he seems very stiff in his hind legs. What are some natural ways I can help him stay loose as the weather gets colder and he is riden less often during the winter? Please use layman terms, I'm a bit of a novice.

Answer 1

It could be a number of reasons why his hind legs appear stiff. I can't quite identify the problem by what you provided, but I'll offer you a few explanations and leave it up to you to figure it out.

To start off, as you know, all horses have different comfirmations. He may have straighter legs than other horses. How is he when you ride him? horses with straighter legs tend to have a bouncier gait, especially in the trot. Do his legs bend naturally at the hock or do they look a bit straight? If this is the problem, there's nothing really you can do about it, it's just the way he's built.

Also, thirteen years old isn't old, but it's about middle-aged. He may be developing arthiritis. It's not impossobile for younger horses to have this problem, just unlikely. Does he favor any legs if he's on rough terrain or if you ride him? He might have another health issue, so I would have him checked out by a vet, even if you don't think this is the problem. He could've strained a muscle in his back giving him the appearance of stiff hind legs.

Once you've found out what the issue is, you'll have to treat it according to what the actual problem is. Massage therapy will definitely help if he's sore or has a pulled muscle. Have a professional come out and give him a massage. I even know people who hire equine massage therapists to massage their horses once a month, even if they're perfectly healthy. It's a way of relieving the horse, soothing their muscles, and relaxing them. It improves how they act while under the saddle.

There's a variety of different stretches you can do yourself every day for your horse. Side passes, backing up, and pivoting on the forehand are ways to get that back end moving. Good luck, hope he's okay

Answer 2

Try simple horse stretches. You can get a book at your library to help with this. Also, make sure that he has plenty of room to roam around and exercise in. Don't keep him in a stall or a small area all the time. He needs to have pasture to run around in. I knew a horse who got stiff and swollen in his hocks, and it was just because he was kept in a stall most of the time. That isn't natural for a horse, so make sure he has plenty of room.

Also, after riding him, try rubbing liniment on his legs. I use Absorbine Veterinary Liniment Gel on my horse because he has a little arthritis and had a bowed tendon injury a long time ago.

Make sure that your giving your horse plenty of time to warm up and cool down when you're working him. If these tips don't help, you might want to try a joint supplement. It could be some mild arthritis. There are many joint supplements on the market. Try Platform Joint, Corta-Flx, Cosequin, or anything with glucosamine, choindroitin, and MSM. You can buy a joint supplement online or at a horse supply store like State Line Tack. Try www.horse.com (Country Vet Supply) for really reasonable prices. Also, try the liniment. That should really help.

I think the most important thing is to give him plenty of pasture or turnout space to run around in and make sure that you warm him up and cool him down after you work with him, even if you're just lunging him. And since you say you're a novice, you might want to ask a trainer or more experienced rider if he looks stiff to them. A more experienced person might have more of a keen eye for those things.

Answer 3

one thing you can do for your horse is to give it a nice warm up before you get into anything to vigorus, try walking your horse at a slower pace and then gradually increase the speed. I live in New York where it gets cold also and I havea one 13 year old, a 7 year old and 26 year old horse. We work with them in the round pend when the weathers nice before it gets cold but weeks or days without exercise can get them be a little stiff , there are ways to strectch your horse's legs, you can search this on the internet. One thing to do if your horse seems stiff is always to check there feet for stones stuck in them and ankles for warmness just to make sure no infection or lameness has occured when you havn't used your horse for anything vigorous

Answer 4

M.S.M - a wonderful powder pain killer and anti-inflamatant suppliment used for horses and other animals. Ask your vet and/or probably anyone who owns a feed store that carries it.
Also seen others have good results with shark-cartlidge suppliments but it's really spendy and kidna dodgy.

Absolutely do a lot of warm-up/cool-down time during workouts, wrap the offending appendages, and look into T-touch or other equine massage techniques.

Answer 5

We kept a Horse for a Friend as we had a better pasture. He was a good Cutting Horse in his day. But, he had a bad leg when we keep him. I made him a little stall and fixed a little heater for him to stay warm. But, through the day, I made him come out to play and loosen up and had him a warm blanket. This all I know. Your horse may have some Arthritis I not know. We never used any type of liniment, but, may ask around if no one give any good fixes.

Answer 6

try stretching out his legs.... like u would do if u were exercising..... also u could start putting glucosamine in its feed.... it may only be 13 but it doesnt hurt to start gluclosamine now if he is starting to get stiff... u can use gluclosamine tablets from a grocery store... just open the tablets and pour the powder into feed and mix it up..... use bout 5-10 tablets a day- depends on size of horse

Answer 7

I would start with having a good check up with the vet. If he's got early arthritis, or needs a chiropractic adjustment, a vet should be able to advise you where to go and what adjustments need to be made. Regardless, I would make sure that he is in a pasture where he has room to keep moving around. Just like in humans, arthritis is best handled with movement and activity. A good joint supplement with anti inflammatory properties, and joint support would be a good idea to start with him. I use Cosequin, but there are other good quality products out there that your vet should be able to advise you on (depends on what is available in your area, and/or through your vet). Again, the best thing for him would be activity, so if you can turn him out with other horses that he can play with, and keep himself moving and active, it should keep him comfortable, and happy. Good luck with him....

Answer 8

About your first horse I urge you to call the vet! That could be very serious! And as for the second horse I think you should get the farrier to come check him out and buy some hoof sealer for the crack. Good luck xx

Answer 9

Some linement might help.
You might want to try streching him before work. Helps my appy a TON!
The more exercise he gets the better, so don't put him on rest.

Answer 10

look for books on horse stretches, hes probably cold and needs warmed up before really riding. bend him, which means use one rein to turn him in tight circles, before you start working him....this will loosen up muscles.