Days off?

Reashi

Reashi

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Following a post further down....do you think its necessary for your horse to have regular days off? I tend not to give mine a day off as I don't think they have a particularly hard workload, then tend to hack one day and go in the school the next, but I feel that they need to be ridden every day as one is overweight and the other could potentially become a little crazy! They do get the odd day off if 1) I'm tired, 2) I'm too busy that day, but as a rule I try not to give them a day off. They would however have a day off if they had a particularly heavy day out e.g. a competition. What do you think? Is that a harsh outlook?
 
I've always tried to give my horses 1 day off a week, personally think it's quite inportant for many reasons. Doesn't matter if it's occaionally missed or not always the same day but some kind of routine I think is appreciated.
 
Not harsh, however I'm sure horses like breaks as much as we do occasionally. Gives them the chance to wind down etc if your doing a heavy workload.

But you don't sound like you are doing a particularly heavy workload, my 6 yr old gets ridden about 6 times a week and my 27 year old gets ridden 4 times a week.

I think it really depends on what suits the horse and rider, tiem restraints and all!!!
 
My horse gets lots of days off but mainly because there is no one to ride him!
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He doesn't need riding every single day - he's not silly and he doesn't need it to stay fit, but I would still like to be able to ride him more, or to be able to blag other people to ride him more!
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I think he deserves a day off after an event/XC or hunting, or a long day traveling, otherwise I'm sure they are capable of doing a hours work a day - I wish I only did 7 hours a week!
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Not at the moment, all I am doing is fitness so unless I don't have time to ride they all get out once a day. In the winter when I am hunting they have sundays off in the field, I've always done it, but nowerdays its more for me than for them, last thing I want to add to sunday hangover is riding 3horses.
 
i work my horse 5-6 times a week. He always gets wednesdays off, as the school is used for lessons and the hacking isn't great over my way and not really safe to go out alone, so hack at weekends
 
I never plan days off for mine. He tends to end up with one about every week and a half due to my being busy. He gives me a guilt trip if I don't do something with him. I will give him a day off after long ride or hard comp. But otherwise I ride when I can. He doesn't know there are 7 days in a week!
 
I give my pony one day off a week. I think she likes to just concentrate on eating and mooching around although I would love to think that she missed me terribly....
 
Mine are having more days off this year as school work is taking over a bit.
So they have mondays off, Ulrich is rode on a tue, Both on a wed as i have the afternoon off school, thurs Evie, fri, sat and sun i ride both.

But i am just making sure that when i ride them now they are irdden for at least 45 minutes
 
Our lot get one day off and sometimes more if weather bad but always at least one.Just alway the way done it,let them chill with as little interference from humans as possible.
Don't think your being harsh
 
I think days off are very important - the process of getting fitter is as follows -

exercise damages muscle, when at rest the muscle heals itself stronger than before to compensate. Therefore any athelete always has a programme of exercise followed by a rest day.

In the spring I was struggling to manage all the riding I do. I was riding every day. Now I always have a day off and suddenly my fitness has improved. The same applies to horses. The day off is actually the point at which their muscles develop and make them fitter.

If they never have a rest day, they don't get the chance to repair their muscles correctly.
 
Henry gets more days off than he gets ridden! He doesn't need constant work and maintains his fitness very well. To me, it's more important that he gets a lot of turnout time with his chums, to graze and be a horse, rather than being ridden every day (which by neccessity would mean him standing in a stable for most of the day). It's just not important to me that he's worked more than twice a week!
 
My 6yr old usually gets a day off every week sometimes 2 depending on how busy I am at work etc. but it's not always the same day! and not usually 2 days off together. If he works hard on a particular day I tend not to let him have the following day off as I think a gentle hack helps aching muscles.
ETS: He gets more days off than I do! I ride 5-6 days a week (until dark nights are here) and I go to the gym or swimming 3-4 times per week too - perhaps I should schedule a day off for myself to correspond with his?!
 
Over the summer, mine get ridden most days but will usually end up with a day off a week.
I have now, however gone into winter routine where they both get ridden 4-5 days, lunged or long reined a couple and their 'day off' becomes a loose lunge day - basically just a walk, trot, canter and stretch for 15 mins.
The little one gets this because he's a lunatic at the best of times and it's just not worth it to let him build up attitude, and the eldrly one because she gets quite stiff now (still living out atm) so she needs it to loosen up and keep supple.

I don't think it's 'cruel' as the loose lunge days are for them to do what they feel they need, sometimes they'll go bananas and need to let of steam and others they'll just mooch around. They know it's their day off anyway.
 
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jess_sj sorry to be nosey but how old are you?
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i dont really have a set plan for when mine gets days off etc but shes normally ridden about 4/5 times a week
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I'm 15
 
Mine almost always gets mondays off, unless I have a lesson that day. He gets a day off a week. He is only 5, I think it is important for their mental and physical wellbeing. Also most of his work is done out hacking, as again he is only young, and I dont want to over do his schooling, and would prefer his strength and fitness come from hacking out in a correct outline and in varied terrain
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