ASK HQ

Q: My horse’s legs swell overnight in the stable but reduce to normal size after a bit of turnout or exercise. Why does this happen?

A: Your horse’s lower limbs can become swollen overnight due to a lack of movement. Horses circulate blood around their bodies through movement, such as when their frogs hit the ground and pump blood back up their legs. Therefore, reduced movement affects the circulation and lymphatic drainage of the lower limb, causing an accumulation of fluid within the tissues making them appear swollen. Bandaging or increased turnout can help to reduce the build-up of fluid. If the swelling resolves with turnout, then this is likely nothing to worry about, and it is, in fact, very common in lots of healthy horses. However, if the swelling remains and doesn’t reduce completely, it may suggest a problem. In these cases, we advise that you contact your vet to discuss the situation.

Q: My horse hates water, even tiny puddles. If we encounter water on an outride, I have to find a way to go a long way around it, or sometimes even turn back. What can I do to make him more confident?

A: Many horses are wary of putting their feet into a puddle because they don’t know how deep it is. Some horses are naturally less confident with water, but you can still work with them to improve their confidence. Even horses at the top of the sport sometimes need reminding that the water monsters aren’t out to get them…

When starting, only focus on small bodies of water, like puddles. If your horse can get a little bouncy, it may be worth starting on the ground next to him to keep yourself safe and give him some additional confidence. Remember always to wear a hard hat and protective footwear if working on the ground with your horse. Reward your horse every time he shows some curiosity about the water by giving him a treat or scratches. If he ultimately walks through the puddle or puts a foot in it, reward him and end the session there.

Over time, work up to getting on his back and walking him through these puddles. You can still give treats from horseback as a reward or simply scratch him.

Next up, you need to start practising on slightly bigger bodies of water. We advise recruiting some friends for this part of the process, as your horse will be much happier to follow other horses into the water than to go in first or alone. Once in the water, allow your horse to play, splash and put his nose down.

NOTE: Never practice this in deep water or anywhere you are unsure about the footing; you want to avoid frightening your horse, especially if he is already nervous. The trick here is to go slowly and gradually increase the challenge. If you reward him for his efforts and do your best to make the process fun for him, you will find that his confidence will quickly improve.

Q: What is thoroughness?

A: Throughness involves your horse working from his hindquarters, swinging through his back, into a consistent, relaxed contact in front. His neck and jaw joints should be relaxed. To achieve thoroughness, your horse must work in a regular rhythm and stay straight and relaxed. You also need to sit in balance, with an independent seat, to help him achieve this. When your horse is through, he will be super responsive to your aids and will work from your inside leg to your outside rein.

NOTE: Head position does not denote thoroughness. Many riders make the mistake of pulling their horse’s head into a frame and then assuming they have achieved thoroughness. Throughness comes from the horse working from behind through a relaxed back. If the horse has a hollow back, his hindlegs will push out behind, and no matter what the head position is, he will not move correctly or be responsive to the aids. Rather, focus on working your horse from back to front; the head position will arise organically once the hindlegs and back work correctly.

Q: What is H-wave therapy?

A: H-wave is a type of muscle stimulation therapy that can be used to reduce pain and assist healing. It does this by passing an electrical current through the skin of the horse, which stimulates the sensory and motor nerves.

This stimulation of the sensory nerves has two possible effects:

1. Blocking pain signals to the brain.

2. Stimulating the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals.

Which of these effects is achieved depends on the machine’s specific settings.

Motor nerve stimulation causes the muscle to contract, helping strengthen and awaken muscles that have become weak or wasted due to injury, dysfunction or long periods of inactivity. This stimulated contraction also increases circulation, helping to flush toxins out of the muscles and encouraging the flow of nutrients to the muscles. This action assists in healing and improves the overall health of the muscle.