Advice needed - getting a horse back into work

[KitKat_89]

I was wondering if I could pick some brains over bringing horses back to work please

It's a bit of a long story but I have got myself a welsh cob that I need to get back in to work after a two year break, and having never done this sort of thing before (owner of said horse in the same situation as me) I wondered if you could give me some pointers....

All we want to achieve is a happy hacker/some flat work, a bit of entertainment for a bored field ornament, and a bit of weightloss as horse is a bit porky and lami prone. Any suggestions of where to start with him? How long (roughly) to start working him for on the ground for before getting on?


This chap is 14.1 hh, 15, sec C breeding but more like a D and was brought by this owner at 61 so is generally sane, has never been worked particularly hard. Frequency of work atm is a bit of an issue due to work commitments and him being a 30 min drive from me so working him 3/4 times a week would be the most I could manage.

Thanks!

 

[jeeve]

I was wondering if I could pick some brains over bringing horses back to work please

It's a bit of a long story but I have got myself a welsh cob that I need to get back in to work after a two year break, and having never done this sort of thing before (owner of said horse in the same situation as me) I wondered if you could give me some pointers....

All we want to achieve is a happy hacker/some flat work, a bit of entertainment for a bored field ornament, and a bit of weightloss as horse is a bit porky and lami prone. Any suggestions of where to start with him? How long (roughly) to start working him for on the ground for before getting on?


This chap is 14.1 hh, 15, sec C breeding but more like a D and was brought by this owner at 61 so is generally sane, has never been worked particularly hard. Frequency of work atm is a bit of an issue due to work commitments and him being a 30 min drive from me so working him 3/4 times a week would be the most I could manage.

Thanks!

There are heaps more expereinced people on site so hope they answer, but I would do some lunging, long reining, and make sure that you could go up and down through transitions in a calm and responsive way, without and with saddle on, before getting on the pony.

he should be listening to you on the ground, and not bucking as he transtions into canter.

The sessions do not need to be long, I would suggest maybe 1-2 weeks, but may take longer before you could sit on him, could be 6-8 weeks. It really depends how he responds.

You are better able to hack him gently on his back, so would be aiming for this rather than too much lunging work.

i just bought my fellow back into some work and he really had not forgotten anything at all, but I do lunge a little before each session, to gauge how he is feeling and check how he transitions, because he has a huge buck in him.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

As he is a previously established and sane horse, I would be inclined to hop straight on and start with 10min walk hacks and gradually increase the time and then start to bring in short trots in a couple of weeks. I personally don't like lunging/schooling unfit horses as think that put more strain on them (especially if the surface brilliant - many get deep in the summer through lack of water). However safety 1st, so depends how safe he is.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I agree with the hopping on, he will be fine with 10 to 15 minutes walking at first, build up to 35 mins in two or three weeks, then a bit of trotting, but not much, walking will take the weight off and harden ligaments, over eight weeks aim to get him up to an hour of hacking without blowing at the canter and you have got him fit for general use.
I would be inclined to house during the day with a haynet and a handful of chaff , vits and minerals, this will slim him and help with footy issues, as a Welshie I would go the barefoot route as he has been unshod for a long time and you are going to build up exercise steadily, use a variety of surfaces, grass, arena, tarmac, stone tracks to build up the toughness of the hoof.

 

[be positive]

As other advice, hop on and build up slowly.
3/4 days a week is fine it will just take longer overall to get him fit.
If you are unsure how he will be, maybe tack up and walk in hand for a while the first day to let his back get used to a saddle again.
I would also suggest someone else was around just in case.
Good luck with your summer project once he is fit you should have great fun.

 

[Booboos]

I would also hop on him straight away and avoid the strain of lunging unless he is a lunatic! For safety's sake pop on him in a school, not to school him, but just to have an enclosed space with a soft landing.

I would stay in walk for 4-6 weeks as he has had a proper break, would ride often 6-7 times a week but start with 15 minutes and build up to an hour and a half. Then introduce increasing amounts of trotting over the next 3 weeks and then start canter work and schooling.

 

[Foxhunter49]

The biggest problem with horses that haven't been worked for a long time is the fact that their skin is soft.
I would get straight on him and ride him out at the walk but would make it up to 30 minutes.
Be very careful to clean any sweat off him and check for any spots or scabs around the girth area.

 

[maxapple]

I agree with hopping on too.

I am currently bringing my horse back into work who fractured his leg badly nearly 9 months ago. We can't lunge or go in the school so it was just a case of getting on and starting very slowly. We plan to just walk for a good few months.

The first time I rode him up our very long drive and back (which is 1/2 mile in total) and which took 10 mins. My friend walked next to us just in case.

I then walked him in hand up and down the drive a few times a week, increasing it to 1 mile.

The next time I rode we rode down the drive twice which is 1 mile and took about 15 minutes ish as he was so much more supple than the 1st time. We'll be gradually increasing the time / distance each time we ride.

- Also, before you start get all the checks done. We had his shoes put back on 3 months ago so that he could get used to the extra weight on his feet, and have had his back done and he has had a nice massage / treatment by the physio. We are using a wintec as it is nice and light and are riding with very long loose reins so he can stretch out and walk in a way that is comfortable to him.

(I'd also advise wearing a BP just incase)

 

[jeeve]

you would use ground work for a horse that has not been ridden before, which may include lunging and long reining, why would you not use this for a horse that has not been ridden for two years???

It does not need to be excessive, but may prevent the rider from being injured.

Even 5 minutes on lunge each way working up and down through transitions will not put undue stress on horse, but one bad fall could put rider out of action for some time.!

 

[saddlesore]

you would use ground work for a horse that has not been ridden before, which may include lunging and long reining, why would you not use this for a horse that has not been ridden for two years???

It does not need to be excessive, but may prevent the rider from being injured.

Even 5 minutes on lunge each way working up and down through transitions will not put undue stress on horse, but one bad fall could put rider out of action for some time.!

I agree with this. Yes the horse has been previously established but 2 years is a long time off! I personally would start with some ground work and long lining and get him back into the frame of mind of listening to someone and remind him what his job is before you hop back on.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

you would use ground work for a horse that has not been ridden before, which may include lunging and long reining, why would you not use this for a horse that has not been ridden for two years???

Because the have been ridden before and they were of previous good temperament they are unlike to react to either the saddle or weight of the rider, so no need to work on a circle on a surface, which does nothing to harden of tendons/ligaments, much better to work in straight line on tracks and roads. I have got on several horses who have had from 6months to a over a year off, all were absolutely fine to hack straight out.

 

[KitKat_89]

Thanks guys, that has given me something to think about.....

Jeeve - your first post was roughly what I was thinking already.

As I've had a break from riding myself (and am a little bit hopeless at the best of times) I would like to get him lunging quietly with a saddle before I get on. But think I will try to minimise the lunging and get on him soon-ish. I did stick him on the lunge for a little while last night and he was pretty good but a bit more excitable than I would like when I get on him for the first time. (More trotting speedily round me than I had planned )

Edit - Where he is kept I only have a 5 acre field to get on him in when I first try to ride, so I think saddlesore has a good point about getting him listening to me and in the 'work' frame of mind....

 

[jeeve]

Because the have been ridden before and they were of previous good temperament they are unlike to react to either the saddle or weight of the rider, so no need to work on a circle on a surface, which does nothing to harden of tendons/ligaments, much better to work in straight line on tracks and roads. I have got on several horses who have had from 6months to a over a year off, all were absolutely fine to hack straight out.

You might get away with this most times, but one day you won't. I am a big believer in finding out where a horse is at before you get on

Quote
I did stick him on the lunge for a little while last night and he was pretty good but a bit more excitable than I would like when I get on him for the first time. (More trotting speedily round me than I had planned )

I would like this trotting to be relaxed, and a good trot to canter transition and back to trot before I got on.

 

[maxapple]

I agree with hopping on too.

I didn't read your post properly - sorry. I didn't realise this was a new horse for you.

I hopped straight on because it was my horse I have owned for 4 years so I trusted him (and I didn't really have any other option as we can't lunge etc)

If I were you I'd be doing lots of ground work first and then start with very small sessions in the school before hacking.

 

[Samantha008]

My very quiet, previously broken girl has had a year off due to injury, and she bronced like a bi**h the first time i sat on her again.

And that was after walking in hand with saddles,s long reigning etc. And her back is fine.

Id be safe over sorry and try some groundwork. It might not work but its worth a try first! Nothing strenuous, id long rein round a field over lunging in a school.

 

[Marydoll]

I would tack up and work with 2 long lines from the bridle almost like long reining,around the arena in walk move alongside him giving him plenty of room so you dont take a kick if he objects to see how he goes, i wouldnt work him on a lunge if i could help it as lungeing does put a strain on the joints and its boring, but it is only walk so not to bad if you need to lunge to begin with.
Build up the time walking around the arena the 2 reins allow you to turn him and work in different directions which is less boring for him, use your voice to work him for a week building up the time gradually, then ask for short 10 sec bursts of trot from the lines with you walking in a big circle to let him use more of the arena and see his reaction when you move him up a gear. Keep trots short and if you can manage on a sweep around the arena more than on a circle to begin with.
At the end of a couple of weeks depending on how he goes at some point ask for canter, keep it very short, possibly only 1 circut on each rein then back to trot then walk, use your voice to reassure him
If he copes ok with this i'd probably hop on, please
make sure you have someone experienced with you, just in case it goes pear shaped