Fitness Plan

[haybales]

I am taking on the ride of a new horse and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to a fitness plan.

The horse is around 13 years old and has been out of work for quite a while now due to not having a rider, so is rather rotund! I’m told that he is very straight forward and easy to do and as far as I’m aware he lives on grass and fresh air.

I will initially be riding him 2-3 times a week but if it goes well then this may increase, I have permission to ride him as often as I like, though riding him everyday probably won’t be an option. I have access to miles of off road hacking but probably not a school, or at least not often. He was ridden last week for a bit of a walk and trot and was fine.

Thanks!

 

[soloequestrian]

It's been recommended for many years now that fittening should be started with several weeks of just walk, building up slowly to trotting and finally to cantering. However more recent studies have suggested that you can introduce faster work much earlier, as long as it's in very short bursts. I like this modern theory and tend to work to it when getting mine fitter after the winter - still quite a lot of walk but with a bit of trot, the odd canter and even gallop as the ground allows. I keep all the faster stuff short and never do more than the horse wants to give until they are fitter - it makes hacking much more interesting for me and the horses and I've not had any problems from it.