best exercises for getting my pony fit :)

[aliceeventing131]

as title, got a pony on loan and she could do with being more fit as i hope to compete her next year (her owner only rode her for about half an hour a day and competed rarely) she gets tired after being ridden for an hour a day, so this needs improving! any help appreciated

 

[Blitzen]

Plenty of slow steady road work (if she hacks out happily), mostly walk at first then build up the amount of trot, will prepare her tendons for harder work. Gradually increase her workload - imagine a person who wants to get fit, they don't go for a 10 mile run on the first day, lol. It will take a few weeks, and depend on her initial level of fitness, and how much you intend to do with her. Obviously if you plan to hunt or event then she will need more time spent getting fit than if you want to hack and school twice a week. You say she was ridden for half an hour every day which should mean she has a good basic level of fitness already. Its quite a hot topic in the horsey magazines at the minute, due to so many horses being overweight and unfit, so beg/borrow some back issues off your horsey mates, or keep an eye on the front covers of the new magazines til something catches your eye (early spring time is most common for features on fittening work as lots of horses have a break of sorts over winter). Good luck, and have fun with your new pony!

 

[fidleyspromise]

I agree, lots and lots of brisk walking on roads.
Don't let her dawdle but get her striding out. Start off with half an hour and build it up.

Also, make sure you feed for what she's doing now and not what she will be doing.

When you say she's tired after an hour - what does that hour usually consist of?