Competition horses in full work - rest days?

S

SacramentaZ

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 May 2009
Messages
65
Visit site
Out of interest, those of you who have horses in full work and regular (weekly) competition and training outings... do you give just one day's rest or not?

My mare is quite hot headed but I do find that she gets mentally tired from training etc and I can feel when she needs a day off because she gets irritable to ride and looks physically tired after a session, whereas normally she looks keen and eager to do more. But some people make comments about her having days off, so I was just wondering whether you gave regular days off and how you plan this?

Thanks!
smirk.gif
 
When mine was in training he had a day a week off. Just to clear his head but he was a horse that needed a lot of work to keep him manageable.
 
when i worked in a Pro's yard all the horses has Mondays off, every week. (day off for rider too)
mine usually have a day off a week, or just a day with a short walk hack - i count this as a day off really. they're always out all day (and often living out too) anyway, so stroll around all the time getting a bit of exercise.
 
Generally if I compete she gets at least the next day off maybe 2 dependant on what she has done. Eventing she always has 2. If dressage or SJ im more likely to give her 1, the exception tends to be if I compete on a sat, the only chance to go hacking is sunday so if she has only dress or SJ we may go for a hack sunday and then have 2 days off!!!

Hope that makes sense!!!
 
Ours fit a bit around work. We like to give them a day off after a competition but if work means it is going to be difficult to fit riding in later in the week , then we give them that day off and ride them the day after the competition. They always go out in the field for half the time anyway[ summers at night and winters in the day]
If we have two shows in a week they may have two days off [ one after each show].
 
Mine always get a day or two off in their field, I think it is important for them just to chill out, they keep themselves busy in the field so they are not just standing doing nothing.
 
Mine either has a wednesday or saturday off, sometimes both and sometimes neither as he has to fit in with when I can ride to a certain extent, but is is unusual to go more than 7 days withouta day off.
 
After a eventing/hunting mine defo next day off or even two, and when no comps, again defo 1 day off at least with working programme. Plus mine also get a holiday every year about 5-6 weeks off (and than doesn't mean dumped in field just not ridden, but still groomed, checked and stabled etc..)
 
wouldnt class myself as a big competitior
crazy.gif
blush.gif
lol but i do go showjumping usually 3 times a month, so pretty much every weekend with the odd weekend off. and i do have regular training sessions.

my horses ALWAYS get monday off every week, and i dont ride either, they dot even come in for feeds, just stay in the field being horses
smile.gif
xxx
 
My daughters eventer is in full work and she gets 2 days a week off - she even has had last week off as we have got 3 weeks between events, and we thought she lacked a bit of sparkle at her last event at Bricky.

In the winter she will only have 1 day a week off as our turnout can get waterlogged and she is stabled a lot. Any less than that and she will get fizzy.

We are on a professional event yard, and this is how our YO treats her horses. It seems to work for us, anyway.

On top of that, she is not heavily schooled during the eventing season. She does have regular lessons, but she will only go into the arena say twice a week - the other three times are made up of hacking or fittening work.
 
Mine usually have one day off a week, just in the field, hypothetically if i had a horsewalker they would go on there!!
Currently though, in the build up to Weston, that mare has been ridden 7 days a week so that she is used to working the day after xc, but then a hack the day after.
 
Mine has 2 days off after an event. Over the winter I aim to give her one day off, but this depends on my work schedule and the weather! I am more relaxed during winter months as she doesn't need to be so fit to do a round or 2 of indoor jumping or a couple of dressage tests, and I am lucky that she can be turned out daily no matter what the weather is doing. As I get older (and wiser or just lazier?!!) my attitude has changed, in so much as I look at ways of keeping her fit (just to do BE novice) by putting her under the least strain/stress, and I am always interested in reading how racing yards manage their fitness programmes.
 
Mine used to have a day off completely after a hard competition (eventing) otherwise they all had one "gentle" day a week - no schooling, just a hack. More of a mental break than a physical one. This rest day was day after compeitition if doing dressage.
 
Mine gets the day before and day after off. I give the day before off because I find my one is better fresher and the day after because I think its only kind after a big ODE! Mine lives out 24/7 though so he can stretch and chill out (may be different if he was limited on turnout as Id want to get him out to avoid stiffness).
 
Mine have one day off per week, always the day after a competition. Or if they haven't competed usually the day the other one's competing (makes life easier for me!)

They go in the field every day anyway so on their day off they get to just chill out with their mates.

In the winter when I'm not eventing but just doing SJ/dressage they might have 2 days off per week - gives me a bit of a break too, not having to ride them both 6 days a week and I think bringing their work level down a peg or two for a few months is probably a good idea.

Interesting thread
smile.gif
 
Mine have one (or occasionally two) days off per week, but the actual day varies according to work/weather etc. If we event or hunt on the Saturday, I personally see no reason why the horses can't hack out for an hour on Sunday morning just to loosen off and check they aren't sore anywhere (then get out in the field for the rest of the day). They can have a day off on Monday when I'm back at work.

They spend every day in the field though.

Fiona
 
I always hack mine after a competition, without fail. it allows me to see if there's any stiffness etc. and to get them truly walking out. They then have the following day off.

Mine has days off when they fit, usually a Thursday, but this week it'll be a Friday. However, she does get turned out daily from 8 till 5pm.
 
Beginning to think I was a lone voice in the wilderness Llanali - I love hacking out the next morning.

Maybe I am just a worry wart, but I always feel better once I know there are no tweaks or twinges.

Fiona
 
Mine hid in the corner this morning and told me to 'eff off!

He did 4 hours on the lorry and 2 show jumping classes yesterday. I am less worried about tweaks as perhaps you might be in eventing.

I normally give them the day off after a comp, but he definitely told me to take a hike this morning (and then cried when I took his pal for a walk instead)
 
Mine get trotted up on the road to check for soundness, dont think I would get very far trying to hack out a lazy one on the roads!!!!
 
mine always has Mondays off. he may compete sat then hack sun and have mon off or he might school sat, compete sun and have mon off. he normally has fridays off too, but sometimes he might have thur off if i compete wed.
 
thats my routine too, day after a big event/hunting is a light hack just to check all is well, the following day is their day off. I am pretty much dictated to by the weather though, particulraly in winter, if it is icy etc I can't ride unless i can get the lorry out to get to an indoor school!
 
Mine probably have more days off than most other eventers. So long as Moon does her fast work every 5 days and I can school once or twice a week she doesnt need working the other days so can have 3 days off a week when I'm very busy. This is necessary due to my work.
I have to say, she stays intermediate fit on this volume of work and it must be saving 'leg miles' as she's precious. She also has a long holiday over winter- this year she's having 3 months off out in the field.
 
My dressage horse (working PSG) schools maybe four or five days a week max, hacks one or two and has one off. Of the schooling days only one or two would be hard (i.e. doing movements). Coming up to a competition the work will be harder but the day before will always be stretching and suppling.
 
I know a couple of people who always hack out the day after an event too so you're def not alone Fiona!

I always trot mine up the morning after just to check but then they go out in a huge field so they can walk off any stiffness for themselves out there
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top