Bringing broodmare back into work

[Henmen]

Can anyone please recommend an exercise programme for bring a 5 yr old TB mare back into work??
She has lost ALOT of condition, kind of looks like a hat rack with a sagging belly!! Vet has said she is fine but needs fattening up!!
I dont think it would be a good idea to ride until she has put a bit of weight on, so can anyone recommend how we go about starting??
Thanks in advance.

 

[AmyMay]

Brood mare at my yard had foal weaned about six weeks ago. Is now in week four of work.

She did loose some condition from stress after weaning, and this is one of the reasons she was brought back in to work so quickly - it certinaly helped her mentally.

She had been off for roughly 18 months. She is now doing some steady trot work and is looking great.

 

[Salcey]

My mare had to have box rest for 6 weeks after having my filly as the filly needed an op, she also had to be fed straw to reduce the goodness going to the foal hence she lost a hell of condition. The foal was weaned at 12 weeks.
It has taken a long time getting the mare back to fitness (over a year) but I think that was also due to her only having just been broken in before having the foal, it may be different for a mare thats used to being ridden. We did lots and lots of walking for ages at first, she used to get tired really quickly, it was her stamina that took longest to get back.
I can't really remember what we fed her on straight away to be honest, it think it was sugar beat, conditioning cubes, chop, and a broad based supplement.

 

[henryhorn]

To be honest the best way is to get on and go for a walk, increasing the distance every day, after a week introduce a little trot work on the level and use your common sense. Most horses find walking easy and you won't do her any harm, just make sure if your terrain is hilly you take any hills steadily and if necessary stop half way to let her get her breath. Increase the trotting slowly over the following three weeks until she feels more fit underneath you. Beware of girth galls as her skin will be quite soft.
Your vet has checked her over so I would put her on a weight gaining mix, add some oil, top spec balancer and perhaps some sugar beet, not the speedi beet type as that s only 5% sugar.
Ours all look a bit ropey after weaning, it's not a problem, we just allow them 24/7 access to unlimited haylage and they soon start to look better. (I can't afford lots of hard feed so they have to do it slowly)
Give her access to a vitamin/mineral block too and she should be fine.

 

[Weezy]

Agree with HH, get on and get going - this will help the muscles start to get stronger and as long as she has a saggy belly she more than likely WILL look poor as your eyes will be drawn there

 

[CBFan]

Feed add-lib hay / haylage, alfa - a original and hi fi (scoop of each twice a day) and Top spec feed balancer (increase gradually as her work does).

I agree with others re getting on and going - use a padded numnah so that the saddle isn't in such close contact with skinny ribs and maybe even purchace a girth sleve to help prevent rubs. Do short walks every other day (20 mins - half hour to begin with) for a couple of weeks then build up time / distance and start adding short trots depending on how she apears to be coping. At this stage short lunging sessions (10 mins twice a week) at a walk and trot might be beneficial to help start building a little topline without the weight of a rider on board

 

[amandaco2]

start very gently.
i start my horses off with 10 weeks walking and then introduce trot very slowly, add in walking hill work and go from there!

 

[Henmen]

Thank you!!