Bringing a horse back into work.... Plan?

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MarinaBay

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Hi All,

I will soon be weaning my mare and foal and hope to bring my mare back into work. She has had over a year out of work. I plan to start with lots of walking - probably about 6 weeks, should I start with trotting in straight lines? Can anyone suggest a fitness plan I should use / work towards?

I should mention she does have the arthritis in her front fetlocks - before anyone jumps on me this is down to concussion at a young age and I had the vets full approval / go ahead before she was put in foal. She is on a good joint supplement.
 
Give her at least a month off after weaning, preferably longer to dry up completely as rearing a foal takes a lot out of them; she needs to recoup for a bit.
After that start with steady strong walking (no slouching!) with 20 mins a day for the first week slowly increasing it each week so that by six weeks you're up to 90 mins at least. Until then I'd stay out of a school as all that turning won't be good for her joints. Gradually introduce trot, maybe 100 yards in every 500 yards or up any steady hills.
Vets usually say it takes a week for each month they have off to get fit again (depends how they're worked obviously, just slouching will take twice as long) so you're looking at three months at least.
 
Great advice thank you.

I am glad you pointed out about giving her a month off, I was planning on giving her 2-3 weeks as she has been on box rest with the foal for 3 months bless her due to the foal. But I will ensure she has the full month - I want her to find herself again too!!
 
I like to do a lot of long reining when bringing them back into work- straight line work which gives them a chance to build up muscle without the weight of the rider.

My youngster had 3 months off over winter and came back in middle of Feb.

He has done 3 weeks on long reining around the fields up to 1 hour a day with 2 days off a week.

I will be getting on this weekend and plan to ride him once a week alongside his long reining for another 3 weeks or so before starting 'properly' under saddle where we will be mainly hacking for another month or so before schoolwork.

It sounds quite long winded but I am a bit of a stickler for getting the base fitness there first without stressing the body.
 
Thanks millitiger. Embaressingly I have never long reined her in the 8 years I have had her.... Should she take it well??
 
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