bringing a horse back into work after 6 months off

I just get on mine, no issues at all. Walking exercise for a couple of weeks then introduce a few trots and go from there.
 
My Section D mare had 5 months off as a 9 yr old.

I just got on her, walked for 20-30 minutes the first week, up to 45 minutes the second and then introduced trot. I had no school and it was a wet February so riding in fields wasn't an option - straight out onto the road,no problems.
 
Doing this with our new loan horse, he's been ridden three or four times a year for five years! He's being ridden about three times a week, mainly walk although he spends a lot of time trotting to catch up with the others who all out walk him. Yesterday we went out for nearly two hours and it was steep and hard work but I figure so long as it's slow it won't do him any harm. BTW we weigh taped him at 680kgs at 15.2hh, he has a lot of flab to lose!
 
No he's not a youngster he's 7. I was thinking I'd lunge a few times first to get the feel of him etc but basically same as everyone else. Just wondered if anyone did anything special!!
 
A spin on the lunge is good to settle the horse but it depends why the horse has been out for 6 months. If he's been injured then lunging is not a good idea

Prior to starting work, bathe behind the elbows where the girth will go with Meths to help toughen up the skin again.

Weeks 1 & 2 Walking only initially for just 20 mins and then gradually increasing up to 2 hours and introducing short trots towards the end of the second week - Walking strengthens tendons and ligaments and starts getting the muscles fit again.
Weeks 3 & 4 Continue the walking and increase the duration of trot. Towards the end of Week 4 introduce short canters on good going.
Weeks 5 Start schooling on the flat, keeping up with the fattening work
Week 6 start jumping again, continue with fattening work with trot taking up the majority of the time ridden

On return from exercise, especially in the first 3 weeks check for girth galls.
 
Its completely normal for mine to go months without being ridden (im a lazy fair weather ridder who hates tacking up!) theres never been any issues with any of them, i just get on and go as normal, obviously dont over work unfit horse, but i really think, topline aside, it does them good!
 
I had to bring my horse back into work after a serious injury (broken leg) and 9 months off. First stop is getting everything checked very carefully - dentist, back, saddler and shoes. We then started with just 10 mins in walk - I wore a body protector and had someone walking on foot. My boy didn't put a foot wrong but I was very careful and only added a tiny distance more every time we went out. We walked for a month, then started adding short trots and didn't canter until month 4 I think - but as said he'd had a very serious injury x
 
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