Bringing back into work after a month off, regime?

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Hanz

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A friend has had to give her horse a month off because he lost his shoes, cracked his feet and basically has bruised soles and she has to wait for them to grow. (He is Highland x Connie, would you believe!)

She wants to use this month off as a break for him anyway, then when she can ride him again, get some lessons and really crack his schooling, jumping and napping.

But we were discussing this and she said the first time she gets back on him she wil get a lesson, so the instructor can catch any bad habits and sort them straight away, but am I right in thinking after a month off it wouldn't be the best idea to school straight away?

Could anybody please give us some ideas on how we should be bringing him back into work, should she lunge and long rein him for a couple of weeks, with an instructor there, until she can finally get back on him, or will it be OK for her to have a lesson straight away?

Before he had to have time off he was ridden around 4x per week, hacking all the time, and popping a few jumps, the horse was quite fit although a tad overweight.

Advice woulod be much appreciated, thanks.
 

I wouldnt have a lesson striaght away. I think if it were me, Id long rein him for a week first, then lunge, then get on and build the work up that way. But thats only me, Ive got a crazy young TB, so theres no way Id get straight back on after a month off!
But saying that, one month off isnt really that long, so if the horse will be ok to get on, theres no reason why your friend cant just ride in walk for say, starting with 15/20 minutes and building it up that way.
All depends on the horse, but I defo wouldnt have a lesson yet.
 
Well I think it depends on the level of fitness but I wouldn't think in 4 weeks that it would drop off that drastically. Your friend should know how long it took to get her horse fit to begin with and should be able to gauge it by that. Also, a lesson doesn't have to last an hour, try going for 1/2 an hour to start?
 
So it will be OK to have a lesson the first time she gets on him, for say, half an hour, then just do some long reining/lungeing for a fortnight, then start serious schooling?

Just if she brings him back into work and he starts taking the pee with her, then she won't have anybody there to nip it in the bud before it gets too bad.

Cheers for the help guys, I hope your following me here as it id rather complicated.
 
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