Do you ever give your horses a rest or more time off in the week sometimes in winter

[crystalclear]

Do you ever give your horses a rest or more time off in the week sometimes in winter. I'm no professional rider at all, but I have three horses a TB x who is 5 and a half and very chilled, a cob and a hackney x cob. In summer I try my best to get them all out at least four times a week for good rides. This is because I take two of them to some local hunter trials and ODE hence trying to keep their fitness up. Now in winter I've kept this approach. But with winter now here, ish, and all if them live out so do you give your horses more of a break and ride less? There's a couple d local SJ coming up but it's nothing really. By a break or riding less I mean take then out two or three times per week rater than 4+. The horses are all good but I sometimes wonder whether its good for them and me to have a bit of a break or take it easier over winter. Any support appreciated I think I am over worrying that they NEED to go out so much but actually they don't?!

 

[FfionWinnie]

I don't think 4 times a week is actually very much, I would consider that rest

I don't think horses mind very much most are happy in the field, but if you want to get them fit for things then you have to ride them.

 

[travelmad]

On the grounds mine needed a bit of a break and I'm scared of the dark and don't like the cold I gave them 2 months off! To be fair... I think I was very lazy but they seem happy! My new years resolution is to ride x4 times a week to try get them fit enough for sponsored rides etc in a few months... Though i will up that come april when i start getting them competition fit...And my other news years resolution is that next winter I don't try to hibernate like this one

I think most people cut down on the amount of riding this time of year anyway, and 3 is a lot to try keep fit, so you are doing a great job, but I imagine it takes lots of time - I'm very impressed with you!

 

[Loulou2002]

Mine do just BSJA, i ride prob 4 times a week too for about twenty minutes a time. I dont hack. I find thats enough with the odd show and a lesson here and there.

 

[Silmarillion]

Mine will be ridden six times a week in summer. He's being ridden 2-3 times a week now as we don't have any facilities.

I also don't think four times a week is much..!

 

[JustKickOn]

Horse has had an easy two / three weeks, not done much serious work. Little bit of jumping, long and low trot work and few hacks. Ridden twice maybe three times each week. She's enjoying her field time and grooming sessions. Plus she worked hard this past year.

 

[crystalclear]

The rides include rides on say an Sunday which last 2 hours or 2 and a half hours each and rides in the week are currently an hour each...it made me think as I know I'm no where near as good as some if the top riders but most of them give their horses a break fully over winter which made me think about me having sometime off myself and riding less...but still geting out a few times a week of course I couldnt not ride!...and I can't take all the credit as I do have someone else who rides one of mine with me

I don't have a school to ride in, no lights but to massive fields. And I work full time with some meetings etc in the evenings so I guess I wouldn't mind an easy few weeks too. I just feel bad as I like getting them out consistantely but I guess they wouldn't mind if they went out less.

 

[crystalclear]

I'm not saying four times a week is loads, not compared to others, but I go to local HT really and thats it, so not a great deal. Maybe it's too early in the morning and my words are getting muddled but what I'm trying to say is does it matter if horses go out less this time of year?

 

[Sprocket123]

I wind her down for dec ive ridden 2/3 times as week she works hard enough so this is her break from it all, then i start building it back up to 6times a week 3xhacking 3x 60min schooling sessions ready to go out and compete

 

[FfionWinnie]

And I'm not saying four times a week is loads (though it is over half the week) but what I'm saying is does it matter if horses go out less this time of year?

No it doesn't matter. But I would have expected you to need to ride them 6 days a week to be fit enough for ODEs. I ride mine for 2 hours a day 5 days a week and 1 day have an hours lesson and they are essentially just happy hackers at the moment as they are youngsters. I don't bother with fixed days off as there are plenty of days lost to the weather in the winter and work in the summer anyway.

 

[Sprocket123]

And no i dont think it matters if they go out less --im sure they dont really mind!

 

[crystalclear]

No it doesn't matter. But I would have expected you to need to ride them 6 days a week to be fit enough for ODEs. I ride mine for 2 hours a day 5 days a week and 1 day have an hours lesson and they are essentially just happy hackers at the moment as they are youngsters. I don't bother with fixed days off as there are plenty of days lost to the weather in the winter and work in the summer anyway.

I've been to one ODE ever, would like to go to another one but I just play it by ear. And as I say I only go to local events nothing major. Just small HT in the summer, or course I ride more in summer, but theres no events now and ages until the first event. I'd love to ride 5 days a week but I have no lights, or school, meetings after work then it's dark so just not going to happen. I'd love to have more time and facilities to do that though like you do, does sound fab! I'm happy with my 3 hairy monsters, I guess they're happy doing what they do so I guess I'll just have to take it as it comes..

 

[crystalclear]

And no i dont think it matters if they go out less --im sure they dont really mind!

I think you're right, they prob don't really mind at all

 

[posie_honey]

i think a break now and then - or a wind down - does horses mentgally and phisically the world of good.
i always give mine time off over winter - but it it weather dependant - this year she has just been wound down a bit - the odd week off - but mainly ridden 3 or 4 times a week and the odd comp thrown in (SJ)
i'll start proper fittening in another month ready for spring ODE's etc. but she is fine for ocmbined training etc now - so its really just the galloping fitness that i'll need
to up.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I've been to one ODE ever, would like to go to another one but I just play it by ear. And as I say I only go to local events nothing major. Just small HT in the summer, or course I ride more in summer, but theres no events now and ages until the first event. I'd love to ride 5 days a week but I have no lights, or school, meetings after work then it's dark so just not going to happen. I'd love to have more time and facilities to do that though like you do, does sound fab! I'm happy with my 3 hairy monsters, I guess they're happy doing what they do so I guess I'll just have to take it as it comes..

Your original post didn't make that very clear.

I ride in the dark with a head torch, hi viz and bike lights as I haven't got lights or a school or indeed any facilities at all, not even a stable.

 

[crystalclear]

Posie_honey I like your plan and makes me feel a lot happier, thank you

 

[posie_honey]

remember too that horses living out dont loose hte fitness that a horse living in will - i'm sure even at a few days a week riding you'll find they are probably still pretty fit.

mine has just had a week off due to me being ill - and its not even dented her fitness - she went Sj last friday and will be going combined training a week today - i'll try to ride 3 or 4 times before then

 

[crystalclear]

That's really true, mine are always rugged up, fed and warm of course but as they live out I do find they keep themselves fit too. They are in a 7 acre field and usually charging around

 

[Zimzim]

I give mine an odd week off during winter just because I think it gives them chance to have a wind down and a breather (and means I can go about getting stuff sorted for christmas!!!).

In winter turnout is limited (suppose alot of people are in the same boat with all this rain we have had!), so I have to exercise mine most days (unless theyre having time off) to keep them sane, with an hour or so turnout to.

Praying for sunshine and a dry spring/ summer...!!!

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't ride mine the two weeks before christmas and between Christmas and new year I am just to busy to enjoy it.
So OH 's horses or horses are working because he's hunting mine go into the field daily I started to ride on Wednesday they are as if they had no break its does them no harm IMO

 

[mcnaughty]

No it doesn't matter to do less at this time of year. I know loads of professional showing people that completely turn their horses and ponies away for December and January 24/7 and it def does not affect their performance when the "season" cranks up again!

There are plenty of people at my yard that ride once a week at this time of year, especially with the current weather conditions! I ride twice at weekend at a couple of times during the week weather permitting but I work full time and have two young children so think I do a pretty good job at trying to keep up. I am also trying to organise my trainer to come up once a week to school her.

 

[Firewell]

No it doesn't matter. If anything it is probably beneficial.
Like you said you enjoy them as much as you can in the summer and they are fine for the odd small hunter trial and if you have not got anything planned for now then why worry.
I also feel guilty if my horse is not worked. He is ridden 6x plus a week in the summer, one summer I was riding him twice a day to make sure he was fit enough for eventing. Then he is normally worked 6x a week in winter as well with comps every other weekend. I do give him a couple of weeks completly off twice a year.
However I am pregnant now and he is still being worked 4-5 times per week although for not as long and he will probably have a couple of months off when I have my baby. However I know that I could ride a lot less, say 2-3 times and that he would be fine. It would probably help him relax and low milage horses do tend to last better into old age.

 

[Ambers mum]

Normally they get December off but they have had longer this year due to my depression and a lump on my spine.

 

[McW]

I don't plan a break, I know it will come at some point in the year due to snow. Right now I try to make the most of when I do ride usually 5 or 6 times a week, with two lengthy hacks and Making the most of the dry weather. Since before Christmas we have ridden almost everyday, and are now superfit.

 

[mandwhy]

Mine has basically had 3 months off since I bought her! Loads of people only ride their horses twice a week at the best of times, and I cannot imagine having to ride 3 horses for an hour every evening, so really it depends, if you don't need them to be fit right now then you could entirely leave them out and I don't think they'd care! You'd just need to build up their fitness in good time again.

 

[Bourbons]

I used to give mine a partial holiday. She lived out all winter and was gently hacked at weekends. I used to bring her in around March and start prepping for the showing season, we used to compete at last once a week in the summer so I felt she deserved a good rest