bringing him back to work

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polyphonic

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as some fo you know flint wasnt well and has now had 4 weeks off work. the vet said ic an start working him again, but said dont push him to hard, so i rode him for 20 mins yesterday alot of walk and some trot. he keeps himself pretty fit, but i dont want to over do him or under do him. he has never been ill to that extent so i dont know where to start but i know i cant pick up from where i left off...any idead guys and gals???
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From what I remember in uni, I think horses usually return to fitness quite easily/quickly- it takes a matter of weeks rather than months.
I would take it easy but you sound like you are being sensible anyway!
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Bet your glad he's well enough to ride again! Bet he's glad too!
 
I would tend to hack out for the first week , gradually adding abit of trotting in your road work ( not much ) . .. then start to gradually bring him into the school with trotting . you will know yourself when to push him , and im sure he will tell you also when hes ready .

Just take your time, you are in no rush
 
i can hack him on weekends but have no one to hack with during the week, i wont take him out on his own as he's abit dangerous on his own. i thought about doing 3-4 sessions on the lunge to get any silly behaviour out of him and to see how his chest was. i put him into trot yesterday and he coughed twice then he stopped for the rest of the session. thanks for the ideas though, i just dont want to push him to hard and make him ill again but dying to get out and compete again but not worth it for the sake of pushing him to hard
 
Personally id be avoiding lunging as much as possible if you're trying to bring him back gently.

Lots of work walk - this can be in the school if you cant hack out. Depending on the kind of level he's schooled to you can do all sorts in walk to begin suppling him back up again (laterals). Whats been wrong with him? I'd hold off trotting until he's been walked for a good few days then introduce it slowly and for very short periods.

Once you have started to introduce the trot, you'll probably find he fittens quite quickly.
 
If he was fit before then he won't have lost much fitness just having had four weeks off. Top class endurance horses tend to have about a month off after doing a 100 mile race and come back into work not far below where they were.
 
he's been walked in hand for a week now for 10-15 mins down the lane., not to keen on that as i found myself squished agianst static car and flint. he's had a upper respritory infection, which has now cleared up.
 
Sounds like walk hacking then introducing short trot bursts is best. If hes sensible in school should be ok to do same amount of walk/gentle trot in there.

If its respiratory you will know when to push him. If you gradually increase trot day to day and hes ok, in another 10 days or so try short canter and take it from there?

Important not to push it too hard if he doesnt seem happy tho as can create a more long term problem.

Where in Warks are you? I hack in the week if you are near me and want a sensible partner!
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