Fitness plan?

[katie_and_toto]

Toto has been out of work for 1 month due to a respiritory tract bacterial infection. He's coming back into work at the start of March, I'm soooo excited

Me, my mum + sister have planned out a little programme to bring him back into work and get him as fit as he was before, so fit enough to be hacking, schooling, jumping, local shows etc.

What would you be starting out with to bring him back into work? We've already got a plan, just would be good to check it against what others would do

Thanks

 

[vicksey]

My horse was in medium work and then reduced to very light for 4 months. I didn;t have a plan as such I just started doing some light hacking and 20 mins light schooling but making sure he had a few (maybe 3) days off during the week. 6 weeks on he back in work 5 days a week, probably the top of of light work, little and often is the way Im doing it. I am hoping by the end of March we will be back to where we left off. I think each horse is different and they will tell you if its too much or too little. Good Luck

 

[dressagelove]

It depends on what kind of horse he is, if he's light boned and likely to injure then start off by hacking on the hard for 10mins a day, increasing by 10mins each day until you're up to an hour each day.
Then you can start adding 5-10mins of trot into you're hour. Depending on whether you compete and how sound you want him to stay, don't school him on the soft until he's been hacking on the hard for 3-4 weeks.

If he has quite substantial bone, eg a cob, you wont need to worry about his legs so much and just walk for half an hour each day for about a week - two weeks, then increase to trot for 10-20 mins continuous, then you should be fine to work him as normal.

I used to work for a copmetition rider and we did a lot a fittening work, the key to a fit horse is loads of walking and a fair amount of trotting!
hope this helps