One of the best and cheapest DIY rehab tools for any horse can be found at virtually any decent hardware store… Poles!!!

Mine are 10′ long (12′ is ideal, but whatever you can lift works!) perfect rounds. I prefer the heavier 4″ wide poles, as they require a little more effort to step over when on the ground, and are more stable if knocked by the horse.

 

If you’re on a budget, you can start with the super versatile and effective labyrinth setup using only 6 poles (check out TTouch and Linda Tellington Jones’ resources for more info and ideas!).

I used the labyrinth to encourage relaxation when I first introduced Ollie to the indoor arena, and he soon forgot about the curious beast in the mirrors and focused on where he was placing his feet.

The next morning, I repeated the process, walking through the labyrinth in different directions to loosen his body and focus his attention. We then walked over the poles on an angle, to assist in mobilising (and over time, strengthening) his hindquarters and sacroiliac region.

The result? When I asked him for a few transitions into trot on the lunge, Mr-Usually-Explosive-In-Hand was so perfect that I felt he was ready to try the same on his bad side (the right hind being rehabbed for double-whammy injuries) for the first time.

He trotted off so beautifully that I had to get him to do it again, just to make sure I wasn’t blind. He looked comfortable and rhythmic, and not once did he consider protesting! Cue huge cuddles, tons of praise and carrots while I walked him out.

 

If poles are the #1 rehab tool, risers and stands are their ultimate companion…but what if you can’t afford to buy a set?

Milk crates are dangerous. I’m not a fan of the traditional X stands either, and prefer something with no sharp edges protruding. Something that will cup the pole fairly securely, but give way to more serious knocks instead of catching legs.

Enter the humble potty….

 

 

I got some funny looks when I walked out of IKEA with 12 of them earlier in the year, but at $4 each, I was too excited about the creative possibilities to care. I don’t want my poles far off the ground for a long time; a few inches is plenty for the controlled walk and trot work I had in mind.

DISCLAIMER: Yes, of course these are more likely to break than purpose made cavalletti stands. If you can afford the unbreakable, no-sharp-edges kind, they are a much better choice. In lieu of (exorbitantly priced) proper stands, these have a rubber lined edge, are an effective but comfortable height for raised pole work, seem to roll over easily with the pole when hit with moderate force, and in my opinion, are preferable to leg traps like milk crates. I probably wouldn’t use them for jumping or fast work – the patterns I am incorporating into our program are largely in-hand and I’ll be aiming dead centre for any trot poles under saddle. Use them at your own/your horse’s risk (and splash out on the real thing if you have a windfall!). Choose wisely – I liked these potties because of the low, rounded profile and protected edges. I saw other designs I wouldn’t take anywhere near a horse.

 

Poles can be also be used very effectively for improving the proprioception of horses with neurological deficits, and I was pleased to note that Ollie, who is mildly affected in the forelimbs and slightly worse in the hindlimbs, only knocked one pole at the start of the session. I have seen dramatic results when clients do pole work religiously. Try it out for yourself and ask your bodyworker for more ideas that are appropriate for your horse!

Be safe, be sensible, and share your #HorseRehabHacks with the rest of us! Above all, have fun with your horse throughout this journey. Rehabilitating your horse from serious injury can be a long, hard road, but if you embrace it, you will deepen your relationship with your horse and internalise knowledge and skill that money cannot buy. You are partners in the process… Treat it as an adventure and an opportunity to learn, and simply enjoy each other’s company.