Am I working my horse too hard?

[jumpthemoon]

Just wanted to get a few opinions on this as YO says I work him far too hard (almost suggested I was cruel).

Last week was a fairly hard week in comparison to normal

Sat - flatwork 30mins
Sun - hired out SJ course and spent 45mins schooling over it
Mon - day off
Tues - flatwork 30mins
Weds - hacked to jump schooling approx 2hrs (included standing around for 1/2 hour and 1hr hacking at walk/steady trot)
Thurs - flatwork 30mins
Fri - Jump clinic 45mins (lots of standing around)

A normal week would look something like this:

Mon - flatwork 40mins
Tues - flatwork 30mins
Weds - 40min steady hack (mostly walk)
Thurs - Jump schooling approx 2hrs including hacking there and back)
Fri - 30mins schooling
Sat - 1hr hack
Sun - 2x novice dressage tests

Is this too much work for a horse? He doesn't always get a day off each week but if he doesn't have a day off I will have a day where I take him for a plod round the block for 40mins just to chill out. What do you think?

 

[Thistle]

Well if you do then so do I and many others.

Your horse has 23 out of 24 hours every day to himself, why shouldn't he work for the remaining hour?

Mine always get a day off though, mainly so I can have a break!

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

Sounds pretty intense..but i wouldn't say it was horrendously over working your horse and by no means cruel! However, I would make sure he had a day off though, but that's just me
xx

 

[squiz22]

Thats pretty normal.

Mine event and work harder than that I'd say. So long as they are supported by a decent diet and responsible exercise (which yours sounds like it is) then that's absolutely fine.

Usually comments like that stem from a bit of bitchiness/jealously or lack of experience. You'd know if it was too much because you should be able to tell if your horse is flagging.

 

[lex2501]

I would say it is much more cruel to not have a horse fit enough for the job it does! As long as your horse is fit healthy and happy ignore all the busy bodies! Mine have similar schedules

 

[Pheme]

Sounds fine to me. I'd vary the type and intensity of schooling a lot though because you are doing three schooling sessions a week. There is a lot of walk-trot, bend and softening exercises you can do to keep improving him during his schooling sessions while dropping the cardio intensity if you really feel it might be wearing him down. For fit, healthy, well fed horse I don't think what you're doing could be called excessive.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Sounds fine to me. I'd vary the type and intensity of schooling a lot though because you are doing three schooling sessions a week. There is a lot of walk-trot, bend and softening exercises you can do to keep improving him during his schooling sessions while dropping the cardio intensity if you really feel it might be wearing him down. For fit, healthy, well fed horse I don't think what you're doing could be called excessive.

When we do schooling, I do try to vary - one of the sessions might be purely stretching and working long and low. he doesn't feel overworked to me, he has plenty of energy and seems quite happy to work. YO only works hers at weekends and maybe once or twice in the week so he does do a lot more than her horses.

Thanks for your feedback everyone,

 

[Firewell]

Lord no!!!

I don't go out competing quite as much as you, normally twice a month to do a clinic and a comp or maybe two comps but my horse works just as hard during the week if not more so! If mine feels particuliarly fresh and has had an easy day, say a 30 min walk hack or whatever then sometimes I don't give a day off either. I was even riding twice a day when he was really fresh on the grass.. a 45 min school or jump in the morning and a 45 min hack in the evening with a canter!
I always do fast work at least once a week as well where I let him canter round the field untill he tires or lots of canter work on the lunge, of course only if the ground is good and he is properly warmed up first.
Mine felt only just fit enough doing his first ODE, he had foam round his martingale/hind legs at the end of the XC and while he had plenty of nice energy throughout the day I felt I wouldn't have wanted him any 'less' then what he was.

 

[paddi22]

thats seems similar to what i would do. i'd usually give a day off a week if its been fairly intense workwise,.

 

[Billykid]

Your horse has 23 out of 24 hours every day to himself, why shouldn't he work for the remaining hour?

Totally agree, and thats what my instructor told me!! Workload sounds fine to me! I work my horse in a similar way, except now it's the holidays (during school i can only ride him at the weekends) i give him a day off every week as he's 15 and i go on hacks more than if i were at school.

 

[blood_magik]

sounds similar to my boys work load except I give 2 days off a week..
I must be cruel too

 

[jumpthemoon]

Oh I'm glad noone seems to think it's too excessive anyway! Like I say, he has plenty of energy and enthusiasm and looks well on it. If he felt tired or bored I'd give him a day off anyway. Also, he's having a holiday at the end of September for about 10 days (though he will be a nightmare when he starts work again lol!)