Bringing horse back in to work ?

H

HuntingMadImmy

Member
Joined
26 December 2015
Messages
18
Visit site
My new horse has been off for 3 months as he cut his foot just above the cornet band and was bandaged up and stabled up from October through to December ! He has been out in the feild and I have ridden him down the road and back just at walk.

When he came to me he was very unfit ( I bought him in August as a project) so I started to build his condition and fitness up !

Now after being on box rest for 3 months he has no muscle and barely any fitness!

Any tips on bring him back in to work and building muscle and fitness up ?

I live in a very hilly area so defiantly going to have some hacks up hills before we start any major work. Also hoping to hunt him next year !
 
As he will have lost what little fitness you had started to build up I would take it very slowly if you plan on having a fit sound horse to enjoy next winter, any work put in now will be beneficial for the rest of his life so it is worth doing well.

I would walk if possible 5 days a week for 4-6 weeks gradually building up the time and using the hills, when he is doing 11/2 hours 5 days a week then start short periods of trot much the same build up distance and intensity over the next 4 weeks until he is doing 1-11/2 hours with about half in trot being comfortable striding out uphill, then introduce canter and some schooling, if you cannot do 5 days a week hacking then do some schoolwork but be careful you don't do too much, after about 3 months he should be reasonably fit and have a good base fitness that will remain even if he has an easy week or so, it is so much easier to pick them up once the base fitness is well established although 3 months on box rest will still have a big impact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top