Lottie - Rehabilitation Case Study - Caution - Graphic Photos of Injury

Therapy Case Study

HORSE ID:

Name	Age	Type	Job
Lottie	9	Irish	All rounder

HISTORY:

Unfortunately while Lottie was out on loan she became tangled in barbed wire and sustained a large soft tissue injury to her nearside hind leg. Luckily there was no damage to the joint or underlying tendon and ligament structures.

TREATMENT:

Treatment in the first instance was to immobilise the limb and clean it. This was done at the yard by the local vet. The wound was then dressed and monitored by the vet every 3 days while Lottie was on a long term course of antibiotics and pain relief. 

Lottie arrived at Moulton Therapy Centre on the 14^th April, five weeks after injury. The dressing was removed after a couple of days and we started to cold hose and hand walk Lottie three times per day; as well as liberally applying Vulketan cream. Over time, her course of antibiotics and pain relief was tapered, ensuring that she was always as comfortable as possible. 

RESULTS:

Treatment of Lottie’s wound is still ongoing however by the 4^th week of Lottie’s stay with us the wound had nearly halved in size (photo from May 23rd ) and continued to heal extremely well.

From week 5, Lottie was able to be have all day turnout and was far more comfortable since the swelling had reduced significantly and was much more localised to the site of injury.

Lottie returned home last weekend and is now back to being turned out with her friends.

Once the wound has fully closed Lottie’s owner intends to bring her back to stay with us, so that she can use the aqua treadmill in order to regain strength and condition before returning to ridden work. 

As a yard favourite and given her fantastic rate of progress we are very much looking forward to seeing Lottie soon!

Jiminy Cricket's Case Study

Therapy Case Study

HORSE ID:

Name	Age	Type	Job
Jiminy Cricket (IRE) Jim to his friends!	6	TB	NH Racehorse

OWNER:

Jim Gordon

TRAINER:

Simon West

HISTORY:

Bruising in his feet meant that all over-ground work for Jim was halted on Veterinary advice and he would therefore be confined to box rest for two months!  Jim’s trainer Simon started to investigate swimming as an option to help keep him fit during this period of non-concussive work, and that’s how Jim came to stay with us at Moulton College Equine Therapy Centre.

TREATMENT:
Considering Jim was not allowed to do any concussive work, he was stabled on the Therapy Yard in the box nearest to the Therapy Centre.  This meant that Jim had only a very short controlled walk on concrete (about 20 strides) before reaching the softer rubber floor of the Therapy Centre.  On Day 1 the plan was to ensure that Jim could swim and ensuring that he had a positive first experience, as we like to do with all the horses on their first visit to the Centre.  It took about 40 minutes of gentle coaxing and persuasion before Jim took his first tentative steps into the water, down the ramp and into the pool.  And what do you know; he was a great swimmer!  On day 1, he swam about 10 lengths, and as he took to it all in his stride.

We developed Jim’s programme in accordance with trainer Simon West. At home

Simon likes to keep the same programme for 5 days in order have a comparison. So that is exactly how Jim’s program was designed while staying with us.  We could then have a direct comparison of Jim’s heart rates week on week, to assess how much to increase his programme. By Jim’s 8^th week here he was totalling 40 lengths. This incorporated straight warm up lengths, back to back lengths and sprint lengths. Towards the end of Jim’s time with us we also turned the jets on within the pool, creating a current which he had to swim against making his programme more intense.

RESULTS:

Jim stayed with us for 8 weeks in total swimming 5 times per week. After leaving us, Jim travelled home and the next day went straight back onto the gallops for a canter. Feedback from Simon was that Jim felt great and looked ‘a million dollars’!

Jim’s owners and trainers believe Jim is a very special horse and so do we!  We wish him and all of his team the very best of luck and hope to see Jim winning his races very soon!

UPDATE Jim’s first race back was in Newcastle on the 14^th April! He was entered into the Novice Hurdle over 2m4f.

 ‘I couldn't be happier at the way Jimmy returned for his spell @ Moulton Equine Centre. I was kept fully updated the whole time he was away and the Team liaised with me on Jimmy's training program while he was there. 

Jimmy's return to the racetrack would not have been possible if it wasn't for them’ - Simon West.