Fitness Programme

[xDannix]

Hi everyone! i just found this site thought i would ask you lot!

Im having trouble trying to find a fitness programme for my horse (Chester) ! he is a 14.2 cob x arab, he's 15 and in the late summer of last year he underwent major colic surgery which the vets thought he would not make it out of

! anyway my little boy is still here and we have just been told we can get back into work

. I was told to come on line and find a fitness programme and treat him as a VERY unfit horse but all i can find is programmes for serious competing horses

! Does anyone have any really basic programmes? he has lost alot of muscle since the operation so i need something slow and gradual that will not cause him any distress!

Hope you can help!

Danni x

 

[samp]

I would perhaps make a programme and check your vets think it is ok.

With a horse that has had colic surgery there will be damage to there stomach muscles so they may find it hard to work correctly i.e. through the back.

I would start of very gradually perhaps walk in-hand initially for 2 weeks? Then add saddle and rider and walk under saddle for a further 4 - 6 weeks (I am exagerrating just in case) then trot for a further 2 - 3 weeks before introducing short schooling sessions and canter work. Also perhaps lunge after first week of trotting working long and low. Start with 5 mins a day and very gradually building it up

 

[pottamus]

Well I have been bringing my boy back to work after 6 months off (nothing wrong with him,just my back!). I started walking him in hand for half an hour when I still could not ride and then, when I got back on I did 4 weeks of walk work for half an hour and then gradually started to introduce trot over another 2/3 weeks. Short bits of steady trot only, starting with one and building up to three or four. I have recently increased the distance so he does an hour of walk and some trot and am now adding in a bit more trot work each week. I have probably been over cautious but he was over weight, I had to take it steady with my back and I was not wanting any injuries!