Advice needed in how to bring my new horse back into work

[Dexter]

Long story short but I've just bought a new horse. She wont arrive until the end of the month as shes weaning a foal. Obviously she hasnt been worked for a while, but she was in work until about month 5 of her pregnancy. This is her second foal and shes followed the same routine every time. Being worked until she got too big, then roughed off, had the foal, weaned it and come back into work for a while until she got too big again.

To complicate matters shes an ex JA who did a tendon, had stem cell treatment, got turned out after 9 months and tweaked it again. At that point she went to be a broodie. The current owner brought her back into work whilst covering etc and she was hooleyed about by teenagers for about 6 months with never a lame step.

She did the tendon nearly 4 years ago and has never been lame while shes been with her current owner. The leg is slightly 'bowed' but other than that you would never know. Its not the end of the world to me if she isnt up to work, but shes such a cracking mare I really want to ride her!

Time and light is short over the winter, and I wont ever work her hard, light hacking and a bit of schooling to keep her supple. I'd really like to do some very low key dressage next year as well. I have a school with a good surface to work her on, but I'm wary of too much work on a surface.

Whats the best way to bring her back into work? If she was yours how would you do it?

edited to add: I want to breed from her again, but ideally in 2 years time once my youngster is up an running

 

[Jade17]

Interval training, write yourself a training plan, over a 10 week or more period, and slowly increase the amount of work you do with her, so your taking it easy, should any problems occur you wont have pushed her to far. hope this helps x

 

[sam72431]

Use gentle longreining to start building her muscles up maybe some gentle lunging but not sure if that would be ideal dependant on which tendon etc, maybe even wlaking her out in hand on the road to get her legs used to a harder surface, it all depends on how cautious you want to be!

 

[not_with_it]

I have just brought my mare back into work after a 2 year break. The advantage I had is that I know my mare inside out. I started out by lunging her to build her strength and fitness. She was still well muscled and I knew she would be OK so I just jumped on her and got going. I now ride or lunge her for 3 days and then she has a day off as she hasnt got the energy to do more than 3 days.
Seeing as you dont know her I would start her as if she was a youngster with lunging and long lining and then lean over her to see how she reacts. If she is OK then hop on and away you go.

 

[Izzwizz]

Straight lines and plenty of roadwork. Build up the time gradually. My mare has just this last year recovered from a tear to her tendon, the DDFT. Roadwork was what the vets recommended to harden her legs and generally fitten her all over. I know its a while since she had the injury but if you want to play safe thats what I would do were she mine. I personally wouldnt touch the arena for a while until you have some roadwork behind you first. Hacking out will help her build up strength to work on a surface, I hacked out from Feb to July this year before we went in the school and I now have lessons so my Trainer can keep an eye on her. We not so long ago started canter work and my mare is doing so well. We have also been to Walk Trot dressage and done well there - when she isnt been a spooky girl!!

Good luck with it.

 

[Dexter]

I'm not keen on lunging too much due to the previous tendon issue. I'm also not worried at all about getting on, shes a doll! I saw her last week and she looks fab! She certainly doesnt have the typical slack looking broodie thing going on

What I'm dithering about is what to do before the getting on stage? I was thinking about walking her out in hand/on long lines for a couple of weeks combined with some groundwork, walking over poles and belly lifts etc? Then walking her out in tack and getting on for the last 15 minutes or so, building it up very carefully to the stage where we are hacking out in walk for an hour. At which point I was thinking about introducing some very gentle long and low schooling/lunging on a big circle, and starting with some trot work. Due to the winter light and work I probably wont be able to work her every day, more like 4 times a week.

I am going to be uber cautious and there is no rush at all. I've read some scary articles about mares needing 12 months to recover from foaling down, and the last thing I want is to do too much to osoon and have her tweak the tendon or something worse because I've rushed her!