Bringing horses back into work following time off/poor condition

[emm0r]

How does everyone bring their horses back into work wether it be from injury or from poor condition (over weight and under), or just general time off !

I still and always have gone by
6 weeks walking out starting off with 10 minutes and building it up
6 weeks walk and trot building up the trot each day (out hacking again)
I do all this before i even begin to think about lunging and schooling

I was just wondering what methods everyone else uses and your views on the different ways !

 

[velocette]

Hi there

I am a Physiotherapist and often have to advise people on returning their horses to work after a break from injury or ill health.

I have never given out the same return to fitness programme, and taylor them individually depending on the inury, amount of time off, temperament of the horse.

The timescales you are suggesting probably work quite well as a general rule of thumb, I would probably give some schooling exercises but to be done from the ground initially (rather than ridden schooling) and agree that I would not put a horse on the lunge at this early stage. I think long reining is great for lots of different things and personally have used it a lot with my youngster before I backed her.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Me slowly but surely, as you can do more damage rushing it