Days off

What time do you get up (weekdays)

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I work on the basis that being ridden is not a natural thing for a horses' back to be asked to do and that she will be able to be ridden for longer if I give her one day off a week for her muscles to relax. On her night off I try to do some ground work to keep her mentally stimulated
 
Woody gets many days of, but then he is only rising 4 and I am looking forward to his long term goals not short ones.
Flynn gets days off, but once fit he stays fit and is actually better if u don't ride him all the time!!!
Everything else also gets days of, they need time to 'chill' as much as we do!!!

(sorry wasn't writing in english!!!)
 
In general I think yes but then depends on what kind of work they do and how hard they work. E.g. if a horse was taken out a short hack etc don't think it's much of a problem. However if a horse is worked hard I think they definately needs a rest in order that the fittening and repair process can take place. Plus I think it's nice to see my horse and just spend time with him rather than everytime he sees me he's going to get ridden
 
Yes, well mine gets one day off a week, he always has. It's just nice for them to relax for a day.

Also after a ODE he always gets the next day off.
 
If they get turned out it isn't really necessary for them to be ridden every day, I have always thought. Althought I haven't done anything more than one day events/hunting. I've never done endurance for instance.

I read once in the USA that the endurance horses, once they were fit enough to compete at a certain level say 50 miles, would hardly be ridden between events.

If a hunter cannot hunt for 2 weeks because of snow and frost, they don't loose fitness, although I suppose they would be exercised a bit.

I think it takes 3 weeks for a horse to start to loose fitness, although several weeks for all fitness to be lost. There was a survey done in Australia I think, and even after 15 weeks they still retained a certain level of fitness.
 
Lorna Clarke (eventer) said she thought horses' days off were more to do with giving staff a day off than horses NEEDING a day off.

I used to give mine a Monday off, as Sunday was usually a competition or lesson, but actually as a working rider, there is usually enough conspiring against me that they wouldn't get ridden 7 days a week even if I wanted to!!
 
If we get days off so should our horses! At the moment Ralph only gets ridden twice a week and is lunged or hacked out 3 days a week as I am unable to ride due to an accident last July.

Prior to this, Ralph was worked 4 times a week and competed once a week and had two days off. They are just the same as us and need to chill, relax and destress. If they are over worked, they become sour and thats when you start to have problems
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Thats my theory anyway and its kept us good for quite a few years
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I agree with what everyone else has put. My pony is just 5 and had been backed just over a year. I find, if I ride her every day she just switches off, on average 3-4 days a week with perhaps a lunging day as well is the most I can do without her going stale. I also find that after a day off, she is so much better, it is like al the things I have taught her have had time to sink in!
 
No, of course they do not NEED a day off - Christ, most of them do what they want for 23 hours per day everyday as it is, so asking them for 1 hour back, per day, in return for all we do for them is fair enough
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However, mine always get a day off as I like to have one. Also after a strenuous schooling sesh they will get the following day off or just a walk out - was taught this by a supremo as they need to let down to let the muscles develop, just as we do.

If a horse has a varied and enjoyable workload then it will always be fresh and ready for anything.
 
Agree totally with Weezy.
1 or 2 hours out of 24 hours is not hard work.

Its the riders than need the day off! -

To stay clean, to wear impractical clothes, to have bouncy hair, to wear slingbacks, to go shopping (inevitably for more horse gear), to have a pub lunch with, partner/hubby, or simply to take the kids to the planetarium.
I so look forward to my day off.
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Depends on teh horse. My old SJ dodn't have a day off for 2 1/2 years and was much better for it. Once he got fit days off just sent him nuts! He stopped having days off after he had one day off and then then next morning jumped out of his stable and took himself to the field and was then a bugger to ride (he had been out on his day off). Then after next day off whilst I was leaning down to open a gate (he was always fine with this) he jumped it from a standstill! He would have a light hack every week, but never a day off.
 
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