Bringing Back to Work

[Gentle_Warrior]

Horse has had all winter off. Starting to bring him back into work. What would you do with him ?

Background : heavy cob x 21yrs young this year. Gelding, lives out 24/7. Schooling is not an ideal combination for us ( he sulks, I get frustrated = tantrams from us both ), lunging, can be a bit fizzy but generally ok.

Main job is hacking and odd sponsored ride, has been naked all winter, recently full clipped and now rugged nice and warm. Weight is good, has lost which is good over winter, lost muscle. In summer restricted grazing as a good doer. Fed Baileys Local, chaff (currently speedi beet to) plenty good quality hay.

I work so most riding done at weekend, until nicer weather comes. Varied hacking including roads, hills etc

What would you do with him .... ?

 

[flump]

If he were mine I'd just start gentle hacking now maybe 20 mins walk and then gradually over the next 3 weeks introduce some trotting and then when he can comfortably trot a good distance after 3-4 weeks introduce cantering where suitable. If he is safe to just get on and go.

If you don't want to just get back on can you long line for a while?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

By default, my 20 yr old has also had most of the winter off - not ridden from Boxing Day until last week and only spasmodically because of the weather before that. She is a very sensible animal, so the first exercise was a short hack with her field mate. since then we hve been doing a mix of accompanied and solo hacking. We are intending to do several weeks walk work, gradually increasing the length of the hacks and introducing hillwork. I shall introduce trot as she gets fitter, being guided by the horse. If yours is not so sensible and isn't good in the school, perhps some in-hand road work would be a good introduction.