Bringing mare back into work

[JANANI]

I have just started to ride my mare after she had a foal this year. She seemed very unfit when she was with the foal though now that she is with her companion she seems back to her usual shape. She has been off for two years with a bone spavin and the vet suggested that she should be brought back into work and see how it goes (She trots up sound). I hacked her twice over Xmas first day for about half on hour and second day three quarters an hour doing walk for which there wasn't an once of sweat. On the third day as there was snow I took her into the school thinking I will walk her around. She went in, straight into an outline and itching to trot. So I let her trot and circled her in trot and she was sound (One of main worries as this is how we noticed she was lame). I had to take her into the school the next day (as roads were still icy) and we built up on the trot work. Is this too much too soon or should I carry on with this if she is not sweating up (still with winter coat) or stick to hacking to build up fitness?

 

[AandK]

i think you are doing a bit too much too soon, esp as she had been off work for so long. i would stick to walking for a couple of weeks, grdually buliding it up. then starting adding trotting again building it up and then moving up to bringing in canter. you could do some of this in the school if you can't go on the roads, i did when i was bringing my boy back into work after injury. just becuase she is not sweating it doesn't mean she is fit enough to do more work.
good news she is sound with the spavin

 

[dianchi]

the BHS way is to give one week of walking per month off.
Thoough six months of walking is probably a bit much!

I would prob do a whole month of walking walk before doing much more than that.

 

[JANANI]

Thought as much. Although she is a nightmare to walk all the time in the school as she starts jogging thats why I ended up trotting her in the first place. Will probably try to winter her out when the ground drys up and hack her at the weekends. I can't keep her in if I can't ride her in the school as I work Mon-Fri.