SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Saturday, July 03 2021 / Published in General

Eventing With Boyd Martin

How do I bring my horse back from a tendon injury in the right hind? He’s a showmanship horse, so he needs to pivot on the right hind — Cheyenne D. via Facebook

One of the most heartbreaking injuries in the sport of three-day eventing is a bowed tendon. It’s a crushing feeling, waking up the morning after a big event or a gallop, and the tendon down the back of the leg has a profile. I’ve experienced this heart-sinking feeling over and over again and unfortunately now have lots of experience bringing horses back from tendon injuries. 

On the bright side, out of all the injuries a horse might pick up, I’ve had the most luck with horses returning to full capacity after a tendon injury; only a couple came back to haunt us, and those were due to me bringing the horses back into work too early. 

Obviously I’m not a vet, but the number one thing I’ve learned from great horsemen and -women is you can’t fast-track a tendon. Sure, laser therapy, PRP, shockwave, stem cell and therapeutic ultrasound are all therapies that can assist the healing, but in my experience it doesn’t speed up the time of recovery — it will look better on an ultrasound, but won’t necessarily make the tendon stronger faster. 

Step one, after you’ve come to terms with the injury, is to keep them on stall rest for two or three months. I’d do a stable bandage at night, but that’s all. This is an agonizing process when your horse is fit and has been in work and loves doing his job, but he has to stand still and stop using that tendon! I hand graze three times a day for about half an hour each time. It’s good to get the horse out in sunlight and eating some green grass. I’ll caution that the horse may be excitable — this isn’t the time to check your Instagram or listen to music. I’ve had many horses buck and break loose and even injure the handler.

After a month or so I’d build a little round pen out of gates, or use an existing round pen on your farm if you have one, basically as a mini-paddock so the horse can move around a little but can’t pick up a full gallop. I’d probably do this for another six weeks so the horse has a little freedom but can’t re-injure himself.

After four or five months, I put the horse out in a big field. A lot of people will tell you that you can bring them back into work earlier, but every time I’ve done that they’ve been re-injured. I’d start walking with a rider on after about 11 months. That’s three months of stall rest, then the mini-paddock and then another five months in the field. After that I’d have a rider hacking for about 45 minutes a day, which puts a little weight on the horse’s back and gets his back and that tendon used to carrying the weight of a rider.

Around 12 months, I’d walk for 40 minutes and trot for one minute; the next day I’d walk for 40 and trot for two, and then add a minute of trotting each day, so after twenty days you’re walking 40 minutes and trotting 20. After that, I’d jog 20 minutes, then intersperse light flat work. As time goes on, you can do a little more. To begin with, it might just be a couple of circles. After about a month you’ll be back to your regular dressage training and your horse’s tendon should be good to go. 

I have a big Thoroughbred mare who is super straight and forward, but not great at turning in between fences. Do you have any exercises to help her? — Hilary P. via Facebook

This is not an uncommon thing. To start with, you can include a lot of 10-meter circles in your flatwork. I’d put a 10-meter circle in every corner of the ring. It’s quite an effort for your big horse to make a tight turn like that, but the more she does it the better she understands that this is part of life and she should learn to bend her body from head to tail. 

Next I’d include cavaletti: Go over a small cavaletti on a 15-meter, at a canter, so the horse is always turning. Then start doing figure-eights over the cavaletti on a 15 or 20 meter circle. The horse might trip a bit over a cavaletti, but it’s small and will not cause a loss of confidence like a big jump. Next, instead of a jumping day I call it a jumping-flatwork day: Have a bunch of cavaletti in the ring and just make use of all of them so that you’re constantly turning and jumping and the horse is soft, supple and available, turning before and after the jumps.

Obviously you always want your horse to jump straight, but you can use a small cross pole and let your horse know that it needs to land into a turn both ways, again on a figure-eight. Repetition is key here, asking the horse to be available to turn left and right. There’s no quick fix to this; all horses have a weakness and rideability on the turns is a common problem. I believe the secret is to focus on the flat work and start every jumping session with some sort of rideability exercise over cavalettti. 

Photo

Boyd, who recently competed at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and will be part of the U.S. Eventing Olympic team in Tokyo, explains the process of bringing a horse back from a tendon injury as well as how to turn between fences. 

Photo by Ruby Tevis

Double D Trailers Info

What you can read next

Take on the Five Day Charity Challenge
Yann Candele Scores Coveted Win at Canadian Show Jumping Tournament
ReRun and Akindale New Mid Atlantic location for OTTB’s!

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
It's finally Spring🌷🌻☀️! Get your barn s It's finally Spring🌷🌻☀️! Get your barn set up with a Pyranha SprayMaster Misting System. 
✅Provides whole barn insect control! 
✅Easy to install with basic tools!
✅Electric pump & programmable automatic timer!

Get yours today!
@pyranhalife

#pyranhalife #madeintheusa #pyranha #equestrian #horselife #horselifestyle #barncare
Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

#dressage #equestrian #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #dressagehorse #equestrianlife #showjumping #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #instahorse #dressur #horselove #eventing #equestrianstyle #cheval #dressagerider #horselife #horselover #pferde #love #riding #jumping #pferdeliebe #horseofinstagram #horsebackriding #paard #dressurpferd
We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

 ✨ALVESTA OWAIN✨
Thistledown Arctic Lore x Alvesta Fairy Lustre
13.1hh, Welsh section B
Stud Fee $750 (plus collection)
AI only and EVA negative
Fairfield, VA

Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

📸  SAS Equestrian
‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️ The purpose of this ‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️

The purpose of this month’s column is to help the young equestrians of our sport develop and maintain healthy friendships within the industry. Cultivating healthy relationships with other members within the industry is not as easy as one may think. As a young equestrian, it may be difficult navigating friendships at the barn and at horse shows. Typically, kids have friendships within the barn they ride at but also friendships with others from different barns in their area. 

Initially, it may seem as though making other friends in the sport would be easy and ideal; after all, there is the common interest of horses. However, because of the natural therapeutic benefits of horses, the sport has a history of attracting all types of people, with a wide range of personalities. This can be both an advantage and a drawback. We are now in an era that acknowledges the growing need to discuss and manage one’s mental health. 

One thing I have learned is that we are likely to notice mental health challenges at an age younger than most people may think. Some of the friendship dynamics I have observed over the years have caused me to pause and really think about the future of our sport. Without looking for a source to blame for the cause of this, i.e. social media, parents, school, teachers, etc., I think if all adults involved worked to encourage, affirm, love, and respect our youth, the likelihood of them developing authentic friendships with their peers may increase.

Both humans and horses were designed to have connected relationships. These relationships allow a greater sense of security when one experiences challenges in life. Cultivating the quality and authenticity of these relationships requires intentional work. 

Thank you Rob for providing your helpful insight on developing healthy relationships. Check out his tips in his column you can find in the link in our bio.
Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine🦄 

Photo by Blenheim Equisports

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #hunterjumper #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #sidelinesmagzine
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Laura-Lee Jones, SRS, C2EX, LRES
    The Laura Jones Team Long & Foster Real Estate Text/Cell 410-707-7246 Office 410-480-3338 https://www.longandfoster.com/LauraJonesTeam1

    [Read more]

  • OAK HAVEN FARM - GENIE HARPER
    Hunters-Jumper-Equitation-Ponies Lessons-Showing-Sales Folsom, LA 985-630-5489

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
  • Longines Global Champions Tour of New York Returns to Governors Island
  • A Paris Horse Adventure: Saut Hermes 2022

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • Will Coleman Retains Yanmar America CCI4*-S Lead in Dramatic Show Jumping at Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International
  • First edition of the World Sport Horse Sales was a hit with $410.000 for the most expensive horse
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp Takes Third Victory in $50,000 Grand-Prix Eventing Festival at Bruce’s Field

Category

Recent Posts

  • April 2023 – Table of Contents

    Subscribe for just $9.95 or Order Individual Is...
  • Building a Bond With a New Horse

    By Margie Sugarman I just bought a new horse. I...
  • Developing Healthy Relationships With Your Barnmates

    By Rob Jacobs The purpose of this month’s colum...
  • The Value of Self-Coaching

    By Liz Halliday-Sharp The sport of eventing is ...
  • Unbridled With Annette Longenecker

    By Britney Grover  Annette Longenecker wasn’t j...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!