RACING READ
Ahern found the trouble lay in five processes right under the saddle – and the weight of the jockey. “It’s back pain,” Ahern said, “and no one likes exerting with back pain. If you’re just a horse walking around with someone riding you, you’re unlikely to have a problem. But in a high-performance horse, the one or two per cent of extra performance can mean the difference between winning Group 1s or being an also-ran. “Dorsal spinous processes are like sails on a ship sticking upright. When they’re far enough apart, everything’s fine. But in AB’s case, they were pushing against each other, or even overriding, so the spine couldn’t flex properly.” Alligator Blood was scheduled for a remarkable surgical procedure. While the area was numbed with local anaesthetic, the horse was still awake, though sedated, and kept upright in a crush. Using a small, surgical buzz saw, for some 90 minutes Ahern sheared away the front and back sides of the five spinal “sails”, which are each about five centimetres from front to back. He reduced each by around two centimetres, creating an extra 10 centimetres of room – not huge in a horse’s back, but enough to make a difference. He’s tough, he’s durable, he rolls up his sleeves and he gets on with the job. ” “ After surgery came recuperation and rehab. Like any recovering patient, Alligator Blood had to take it easy, with minimal movement. Six weeks of box rest was followed by six more in a small paddock at the Robbins Equine Centre, near the Simpsons in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, with his longterm vet Mark McGarry heavily involved. Rehab focused on core muscles. Alongside considerable swimming, Alligator Blood was “worked over poles” – trotting repeatedly over low obstacles which, Ahern said, “requires horses to bunch up their abdominal muscles, building core strength and back muscles”. Another “trick” involves laying a carrot between the horse’s forelegs, or to one side, compelling them to bend to fetch it, again strengthening internal muscles. “It’s a good thing Alligator Blood loves carrots,” Ahern said. “Jeff and Robyn would bring bags of carrots for him. It was a perfect situation really – owners who love their horse, a dedicated care team, and a horse with ability who’s a real trier. “In the past, there hasn’t been great diagnostic technology, and rehab was overlooked. An injured horse would just be put in a paddock for six months, then brought back. But now, hopefully you can attain an accurate diagnosis, have good treatment and proper rehab.”
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