Am I being mean?

only_me

only_me

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merlin never gets a day off... he is worked everyday, monday he is dressage schooled for up to 1hr, tuesday i jump or do flatwork for jumping, wednesday I either gallop or hack, somtimes both, thursday i jump or have a dressage lesson, and friday we jump or dressage run through, depending on what we did on thurs.
Sat he is usually at a competition ie. ode or showjumping.

So then on sunday instead of giving him a day off I usually hack him, a stress-free hack (:p) for about 1hr if weather is good.

what do you think? he does get in the field after hack on sunday for a couple of hours (thats all he wants
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odd horse)

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well, he isnt stuck in his stable; he is loose in yard for whole day. He cant go out in field during week as ground is soo wet/muddy and other field has just been rolled...

On sunday he can come and go as and when he wants as field backs on to my yard, but he ends up going out for 2/3 hours and then coming back into yard
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I just keep going - I have to be
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I think his work load sounds ok as he is an eventer isn't he, and you need him fit for the season, but personally, and mine is an eventer too, I try to allow at least one day off a week just to let him chill and enjoy being a horse and not to have to think about anything. He always gets the day after an event off, for rest and recuperation, even if he doesn't need it, I will trot him up/turn him out.

Because of course, you have a long season ahead, and need/want him to keep going, maybe one rest day might increase the chances of this, if he is usuing his brain 365 days a year!!
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I have to say I would be doing a bit more hacking to prevent him going sour, thats a lot of days in the school currently, I tend to only school max 2x a week.
 
Presumably he copes with this routine fine and probably enjoys it, espcially as being worked every day gets him out of his box and you have a nice varied work plan so it is not like he's doing the same thing everyday. Effectively Sunday is his day off as it's an easy day, you don't push him on it, it's just like if one of us went for a nice relaxing stroll on our day off, it's far better than being stuck indoors all day.

My horses often have this sort of routine too and they don't mind. I always give them one easy day a week where they either go for a gentle hack or loose school or possibly horsewalker, just something not very taxing. It keeps them fit and active and they seem to enjoy it.

I do always try to give them a day off after a competition though (as long as they worked hard!
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) so they can rest and to ease any sore muscles etc. Mine go out everyday as well as being worked. If they couldn't go out for some reason then i would rather they did some gentle exercise on their day off rather than just stand in a box and stiffen up.
 
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