Advice on bringing a tb back into work after 2yrs off!!!!

B

bumblelion

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2008
Messages
1,962
Visit site
I'm hoping to bring my tb exracer back into work this week after 2yrs of being off! Any advice? He's a very sharp horse at the best of times! He's had regular turnout since being unridden and is currently out 24/7.

I know he will not remain in walk if I get on him/lunge him, he will be like a loose cannon! Also the hacking is all grass tracks so I wouldn't be able to walk him out as he'd get pretty wound up and nappy. I personally don't feel experienced enough to long rein him as I know he'd get wound up!

So, should I just get on him and attempt some light schooling? Let him trot it out and walk as much as possible in the manège? He's as fit as he can be from turnout if that makes sense. I worry about him getting injured, pulling something etc, but just can't see how I can bring him into work without getting on and getting it out of his system at first in a relatively controlled environment (manège). As I said before, he moves freely out in the field, been checked by chiro, teeth etc. Saddles also fine although will get checked again in a couple of weeks once ridden.

Any advice or tips would be great, thanks :)
 
I wouldn't school after 2 years off, he needs to be walked for a few weeks before doing anything else. Can you not ride him on the roads, most horses that take off on grass will walk on tarmac or failing that lead him off another horse ?
 
No there's no other horses I can lead him off and the only roads are main roads so wouldn't feel safe. It's a really difficult situation :(
 
In that case you have a problem ! Not helpful I know ....
Move him somewhere else ?
I have a similar sounding horse just coming back into work and no way would I ride him an arena or on grass. Was your horse injured ? Has he done anything other than race ?
 
I know! I can't move him from where he is. No he wasn't injured, had the time off due to me having a baby and then struggling to fit in riding! I am now in a position where I have more time everyday to do something with him! He raced for 6years, I retrained him when I got him 5years ago and we mainly schooled and hacked.
 
That's a bit different then ....if he's used to schooling then maybe you will be ok doing that although I think that to fitten him up again you are going to have to hack out at some point. Don't worry about having the time off, in my experience it doesn't seem to make much difference to the horse, you should find he's the same to ride now as he always was. They don't forget ! If you are worried about hacking him do you have someone with a steady horse who can go with you ?
 
My horse (TBx) has also had over 2 years off due to baby. He gets ridden very randomly for maybe 15-20 minutes at a time in the arena in the paddock (the arena is just a fenced off section of the paddock). We mostly walk, do maybe 5 minutes trot work and one time when he was full of energy we had a brief canter.

I am lucky if I get to ride once a week. My boy can't be ridden out of the paddock. Developers have taken over the area, between the earth moving equipment, dogs, motor bikes, push bikes, cars and ignorant kids / parents he will not go out of the paddock again.

Oh I would love to move him but he is in love with his paddock mate and is so close to home. We have no competition future and we are content just to occasionally plod around the paddock (he was never a plodder until now :D)
 
I had a very sharp anglo, when coming back into work we would start by lungeing off the headcollar for a few days (she had problems with mouth) with no tack as very cold backed, then lunge without anything on, then put tack on (had to be lunged without prior due to her attitude) would then lunge in tack for a few days, then hop on having lunged again.
This always worked for us, and we would also use a spot of sedelin on occasion.
She is greatonce in work, its just getting there.
I certainly wouldn't try to ride a very fresh horse on te road.
 
I would start off with 20 minute sessions, walking then walk and trot on the long reins, just start off with normal tack, but no riding until you are sure all is calm.
Depending on your facilities you can do a bit of schooling, but if you have the cash and no facilities, I would send to a trainer for backing, schooling and roadwork for three weeks.
A lot depends on the temperament, if she is flighty and prone to bucking and so on, then a little training might help her calm down and settle in to work. You will also not be as fit as you were when you stopped riding.
PS I would feed a magnesium calmer [ Steady up] particularly as the grass is spring grass.
 
Last edited:
Do you think he is still a "sharp" horse. After 2 yrs off and being a bit older he might have chilled a bit. I tend to agree with the poster who said they dont forget, my TB gets the winter off, this year he wasnt ridden from end Oct til about 3 weeks ago, I spent 2 weeks lunging and long reining (only round the field) to make sure he hadnt forgotten my voice commands then tacked up and got on. We only hack and school so he is never fit and I can honestly say he is never any different, however often I ride him, Not very helpful I know cos they're all different but he might surprise you. Good luck
 
I have bought back a horse into work who was too sharp to hack out. I found that long and low work in the school was safest for us. I understand it is far from ideal but you can mitigate the damage you might cause by stretching him first.

tack him up and pull the front legs forwards (as you would to stretch out the armpit skin) then circle the legs three times inwards, and three times outwards then let him stretch his leg forwards again at a high level, then at a low level.

For the hind legs pull them under the body and wiggle them side to side a couple of times (this stretches the sacro-illiac joint), and stretch them out behind him straight. Then do carrot stretches to get his top line working before you get on!

It's not ideal- but sometimes needs must!
 
Last edited:
Walking out in hand us really under rated. I had to do this with my exracer I was bringing back into work as he had lost loads of muscle (and I needed to buy tack).
If not an option 15 mins schooling in hand or on board long and low, walk only, lots of big circles and change of direction. U can build up the time and make circles smaller - all in walk with lots of halt transitions to get him listening and prepared for half halting , for wen u start going faster!!! . Then when up to 30 mins walk, intro some trot transitions, and build up from there. Howerver I prob air on side of caution and go too slow :-(
 
Hi thanks everyone for your replies and advice. I have just spoken to my instructor and he's going to pop up at the weekend and help me get him walking out! He says there's no reason why we can't! I think because iv not ridden in two years neither I would benefit from him bring there for my confidence! Sounds pathetic as before we had a break we'd go all over but it's amazing how soon your confidence goes! Saying that I'm desperate to get in him! Hopefully he'll walk out nicely and we can spend a month pottering until he fittens enough to begin trotting etc!
 
Lots if walking out, lengthening the time and terrain.
He can't be "schooled" yet but for safety walking around an arena to start with may help.
I know you said he is a typical tb but he has to take things slowly to prevent injury.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top