getting a horse fit
- Thread starter traceye
- Start date
Are you looking to get him fit by hacking or would you be using a school environment ?
If hacking:
Best thing is to start first couple of weeks with walking ( say 20/30 mins) , building up time of walking (say 50/60 mins), then add in short periods of trot little by little extending distance. In week 3/4 ( depending how you feel the fitness is improving) add in short periods of controlled canter.
Start on flat ground if possible and add in hilly ground later on.
If hacking:
Best thing is to start first couple of weeks with walking ( say 20/30 mins) , building up time of walking (say 50/60 mins), then add in short periods of trot little by little extending distance. In week 3/4 ( depending how you feel the fitness is improving) add in short periods of controlled canter.
Start on flat ground if possible and add in hilly ground later on.
My horse has been off for 8 weeks due to injury. He's lost all his muscle and is very unfit now.
Bringing him back into work now we're starting with two weeks walking on the flat, building from 20mins to 1hr.
Like Bob's mum says (my horse is called Bob too!) it's important to do things little-by-little, building up gradually and not asking for too much too soon.
Bringing him back into work now we're starting with two weeks walking on the flat, building from 20mins to 1hr.
Like Bob's mum says (my horse is called Bob too!) it's important to do things little-by-little, building up gradually and not asking for too much too soon.
Ditto the others. My mare had been off for 14 weeks due to injury (pulled muscles in the back end) so I'm being really cautious with her. We had our fourth hack today - 31 minutes in walk on flat ground which she coped with well. Next week we're starting hillwork in walk which we'll do for another week or two before introducing trot and canter after another two or three weeks.
I think the key thing is to bring them home with fuel in the tank - if you exhaust them they'll just drag themselves home rather than gently working and stimulating the muscles. And listening to a rider after several weeks of not having to means they'll get tired mentally as well as physically.
I think the key thing is to bring them home with fuel in the tank - if you exhaust them they'll just drag themselves home rather than gently working and stimulating the muscles. And listening to a rider after several weeks of not having to means they'll get tired mentally as well as physically.
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