Do horses need holidays?

[skybluepinko]

I never give my event horse a holiday (she's quite flighty, and I want to keep her rideable) - but some friends told me they think all horses should have a holiday at least once a year for their mental wellbeing. Surely there are some horses who are better off without a break? Old horses need to keep going so they don't get stiff presumably?

 

[jumpthemoon]

The only time my horse gets a holiday is if I do (which isn't often!) or if it snows

Otherwise he would work all year. I keep things different for him so he doesn't go stale/bored but I don't agree he needs a specific 'holiday' every year I wouldn't keep him at peak fitness all year maybe but whatever happens he woudl be kept ticking over.

 

[Archangel]

I give mine every January off, it is usually too frozen to ride before work and too dark to ride after, but hello it looks like they are getting December off too this year

 

[Kenzo]

I think it benefits any horse who's normally in medium to hard work/competing etc to have a break, both mentally and phyically, just like it does us good to have a rest.

 

[Charlie007]

I try to work my boy all year. He is essentially a pleasure horse, we hack, compete in dressage and school with the occasional jump at home. If I can't ride for any reason I don't worry about it. He may get one day off a week, he may get none, he may get 3 or 4 just depends what else is going on!!

 

[badgerdog]

I never intentionally give my horse a holiday but they inevitably get one anyway! Occasional holidays, the weather, minor ailments - I sometimes wonder when I actually get to ride mine, never mind giving him a rest! Mine's already had 3 weeks off because of the snow and I don't know when we're going to get started again. He doesn't work that hard, he's just a pleasure horse and has a fairly easy life so I wouldn't plan time off for him.

Long may this thaw last, I might get to ride one day!

 

[rara007]

I think if they are in hard work usually a month in the field to be horses does them alot of good physically and mentally Ours that competed have been off since the nationals, just starting to come back into work now. Partly as that's easiest for us, but certainly for their benefit too

 

[Angelbones]

It depends on so many things - the horse's workload, its age, its temperament. I haven't ever really turned my horses away so to speak, for any length of time, but this year my hunter was stale and miserable and grumpy so he had a week off during the summer in the grass being a happy horse, and then he kept coming to the gate and wanted to be part of the yard again so he was brought back into work and he had much more sparkle than before so yes, I guess he needed a holiday.

My others are worked (not terribly hard mind you) 5-6 days per week and seem fine but if we had a lot on then they'd get a break afterwards. I'd rather give a horse a holiday during the spring / summer when they can be out without rugs, with plenty of grass and being free range horses again rather than in winter.

Re oldies, my retired ones don't do anything but they do get a lot of turnout both in winter and summer to keep them moving, and it seems enough for them.