Help for lumbar issues? Heat packs? Magnets? ???

[Luci]

Any therapy suggestions? What experiences have you all had?

I'd love to find warming herbal packs like I put on my back, but affordable. Or, do I make a patch, fill it with flax seed & rice and heat in a microwave and lay it on his back before riding?

What about cavaletti? Do you think that helps bring the hind legs under? That is part of my goal. I was told to back him as well to help stretch that loin area. Regular trot allows the leg to just swing. Canter rocks the pelvis. Wondering if trot over cavaletti would simulate hill work?

Oz and I have been through quite a bit so canter work is way behind and it's been hard for him. Two rides, all is good and I feel like I'm such the trainer LOL! The next on a 25 degree night I get cross fire, buck to fix it, then mad pony who bucks and bounces with me. Repackage, calm down, ask again and lovely canter.

The good news is that my own crooked problems that contributed to the mess are improving. Not sure I can get my pelvis to not be tweaked forward on the right, but back is sure a lot better, it's more effective, and I've got stretches from the massage therapist I'm doing.

I had an awesome equine massage therapist work on him Sat. Fred had me run my hand over Oz's loin area where he was working and it felt like a strip of concrete about 1" wide under all the surface. Poor pony! After Fred worked on him it was much better, but Oz has a way to go.

I'm to work him on hills and make sure he does every gait when I work him. That was one of my big mistakes in winter. When he was struggling some, I backed way off any canter work.

I'm to let him out and gallop too (I'll do that part from the ground. Not interested in pony learning where legs & balance are to do it with me on board.)

The cool thing is this totally mirrors what Gerd Heuschmann was talking about when he did our clinic two years ago. He sent all the dressage riders into a full gallop in the huge indoor. I thought it was to get them forward and didn't realize it was to work and warm up the lumbar area. He also had people doing engaged stretchy trot circles in two point.

So . . .I don't really have hills right in my back yard, but do have about a 10' incline we can work on as the weather gets better on the stable grounds. There are plenty of hills I can trailer to, but no trailer and he and I aren't ready for trails until the weather is warmer and he is consistently worked outside. (you should see how high he can leap ) Once he's going he's a great little trail horse.

Schleese saddle rep is out in two weeks for refitting.

[Katelyn]

What about the Back on Track back pad??
(it is a pad that extends from the wither to the tail - the material has ceramic in it to reflect the infrared heat back to the muscles and help them relax)

I got Panda one and she liked it so much that I bought one to sleep under at night!! Has helped my morning stiffness a LOT. They're $79 with Dover and TOTALLY worth it!!

You can put it on with a surcingle or stitch it into a sheet.

The other thing to consider:
Panda is a little thing and we were having problems with being sore in the back.

Saddle fitter finally decided that the BIG problem is her saddle - it is TOOO long. So - we're sending my Schleese Wave back to the factory to have the entire underside redone - cutting back the shoulder and shortening the padding behind the cantle", so the end of the saddle is in FRONT of her floating ribs.

The problem was that, as I got better at getting her really pushing and swinging, the too long saddle would get pushed up her withers - this would cause the saddle to bridge, causing pressure/pain.

She said short backed horses are SO hard to fit, especially b/c there aren't a lot of saddles made for them.

I wonder if you don't have something similar going on, since Morgans are notoriously short backed as well (though they are usually really wide in the ribs, too)

[Luci]

Thanks! Very similar issues. I bought a Back on Track saddle pad today and I am so excited to get it . I want one of the mini blankets for me too! Next check. In the long run I'll save because I'm buying herbal patches to stick on my back and they aren't cheap. I may wind up getting a mesh sheet for him too, but wanted to try the saddle pad first before putting out even more $$$.

I also asked my trainer flat out to ask the message therapist if he thinks I'm too heavy. I think I'm o.k. or I wouldn't have bought him and see heavier folks on Morgans, but I'm asking him to do more than just lounge on the trail and I don't want to hurt him.

Schleese is supposed to be here the 2nd week of April and I'm very curious to see what she thinks. I have a 17.5 JES which is an open saddle so that I could keep it to a smaller size (plus I prefer a more open saddle), but I think I could use a size down which could help too. Perhaps then they can make some similar adjustments like you had done.

I'm curious to know if I should work on canter transitions by getting off his back now and haven't heard back yet from my trainer.

I bought my caveletti poles and last night set a few up in an "L" shape so we could play some back up games. He gets worried that he is going to do it wrong and be in trouble and then once he's got it he thinks it's so fun. Silly Morgan. So, now we both have our stretches for the lower back haha!

[Katelyn]

Good luck!
We're in the same boat!

I have the saddle pad, too, but it is the Back Pad that made the big difference for Panda. I actually sleep under the back pad - it covers me from shoulder to knees.

I rub Sore No More (arnica gel) into her back from behind the saddle to the big muscles over the croup after every ride.

I also do a short, lighter massage before riding (get muscles soft and warm) and a big massage after riding (really rub out lactic acid.) I really concentrate on releasing the accupressure points in the big muscles that go from the top of the croup and spread over the hip (above the point of the hip)

The accupressure release is something I discovered for MY back pain - look up Body Rolling on the internet. It has done WONDERS for my low back/sciatic pain and numbness!!

My Wave is labeled a 2-17 (which is the shorter tree), but actually measures 17.5" from cantle to nail head. Your tree size is stamped on your flap.

Fitter said its kind of like sizes in women's clothes - they numbers have gone down, but the actual sizes of the clothes are still the same. i.e. Marilyn Monro wore a size 12, but would prob be a 8 these days is how she compared it!

She brought a JES to try on Panda, but it was the same (and too long) b/c it was built on the #2 tree. The only thing that was different was the shape of the cantle and she said, with my low back/hip problems, the Wave would be more supportive.

[Luci]

I'll have to look at my saddle. I never knew that about the trees before, thanks for the info. I have a feeling that my fitting is going to be expensive, gulp.

Do you use Sore no More for yourself too? Wonder if I can add on to my order from yesterday ;D

The message therapist suggested I use tennis balls for myself, body rolling looks more fun though.

[Katelyn]

Cost $1,200 to get my saddle refit - still waiting to hear when I can send it in (gulp)

Yep- I use Sore No More on me, too!!

The body rolling is really great - it hurts like heck on the accupressure points, BUT, if you wait it out (i.e. do your 30 secs on the sore spots) it is SO worth it! I feel not so tight and achy all the time - kind of loose and limber, like after yoga. Especially in the big leg muscles and the muscle on the side of the butt that releases the back pain.

[TeachU2Ride]

Endless trot/canter transitions on the longe. 30' line, plenty of walk/trot warmup, then canter - trot - canter - trot -etc. Just a handful of steps in each gait (aim for three transitions per circle, though you may only get one every few circles to start with). It'll help him not to have to compensate for you, giving him confidence and physical ease. GREAT ab strengthener - the key to a sound back. Do this for a month (a few times a week) and I guarantee you won't believe the improvement in his canter when you ask for it under saddle again.

[Luci]

Thanks Teach. I've been doing walk canter work, but will increase it. I like the idea of a target number to see if we can do. I also have been cantering him all over the arena on the line as though I was on him. Canter a circle, trot along the wall to next circle and visa versa depending. I usually ask for canter as he approaches the wall on his circle. It's really fun and he does pretty well. My trainer was going to canter him today and I can't wait to hear how he did. She's really on it with getting all her boys in a nice hand gallop and more canter work each ride. I've never seen her galloping the Lusi stallions and would love to see them GO. Such pretty horses.