Sore rear legs

Question
Saturday I rode my TWH on a 20 mile wagon train. We stopped every 5 miles letting the horses rest. My stallion did great through the ride, but the next moring he was walking funny. He is pulling his rear legs up to his belly everytime he takes a step. Yesterday he started walking fine for about 10- 15 mins, then he started pulling his rear legs up again. He is drinking and eating fine, just has me worried about pulling his legs up with every step.

Answer
Lisa,

I don't know how fit your horse is but it sort of sounds like he's extremely sore in his hamstrings.  If he didn't have some serious conditioning beforehand 20 mi. is a lot to ask of an unfit horse.  

If you've ever pulled a hamstring (semi-tendonosis) you can imagine how he's feeling.  He's probably got some muscle issues in the hind end as well.  He needs to rest.  If you can find an equine massage therapist I would have him worked on probably at least twice, a week apart from one to the other.  He should get some rest, turnout would be ideal so he can move around as much as he's up to.  He's probably going to need at least 3 wks. of rest.  Please don't go the conventional vet route and stuff him full of bute or other NSAD drug.  Yes, they will help with pain but will actually retard the healing because of the anti-inflammatory action which reduces the blood flow at a time when it's needed the most to help rid the muscles of waste products.  The best thing for him now is massage work.

Check with a local health food store for the homeopathic remedies arnica montana and bryonia.  Don't touch the little pellets.  Go for a 100C strength of both and use about 6 pellets.  Dump them into the cap and just pour them into your horse's lower lip by his gums.  Administer them at least 4 times a day for a week.  This will help the healing and relieve the soreness in the muscles.  

TWH's, because of the way they gait, take a lot of conditioning to get them fit.  Unfortunately, because the walk is so comfortable riders will go for miles without giving the horse a break by changing gaits.  So the muscles get overused.  Because of the way the hind legs move it's very stressful on the hocks.  I see a lot of gaited horses with hock problems.  When I'm riding long distances, even a short 10 mi. training ride, I walk, trot, canter and gallop.  I usually gallop 2-3 mi. at  some point then the rest is covered mostly at a trot with walking as necessary because of the trail or conditions.  

I hope this helps you.  He'll be fine but he's got to have time to recover from overriding.  

Lyn