Fitness / Traning Programme for horses

[Frazer]

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I am trying to create a fitness / training programme for a 9 year old tb, slightly underweight, needs muscle. She is only doing about 2/3 days work at the moment. However I would like peoples opinion, do I stop working her, let her put on weight and then start the fitness regiem, or do I do the walk stage etc... while we are putting weight on her? What kind of programmes do you expect to put her on, roadwork for 6 weeks etc.. or a personalised programme because shes not coming back from injury etc.. and isn't completly unfit at the moment. Any opinions, help, websites, or people to contact.

 

[eohippus]

Personally I would continue with Long slow duration work to help build muscle and develop aerobic fitness whilst putting on weight. Do not start the programme with the horse in an outline, but aim for a free and brisk energetic walk.
As you are only riding for three days a week, try to stagger these and gradually build up the duration and intensity to include low inclines, different surfaces and road work. YOu are probably looking at 20mins walk a day for the first week gradually building up, so by the sixth week 1.5 hours of intermitent walk and trot and inclines should be practised.
Feed according to temperament, a good top line conditioner would be good, If the horse is fizzy, calm and condition.
By the sixth week if you are still only on three days a week, gradually introduce walk excersises in the school (if you have one) to develop suppleness. Gradually build the intesity up for at least another three weeks. Incooperate this into the weekly or even the daily training , Ie, two days out one day schooling, or three days with a combination of schooling and hacking.
If all is going well by the 9th week then introduce short bouts of slow canter whilst out, introduce poles and lateral work whilst in the school.

Hope this helps
regards
Dawn

 

[tuscanyD]

how fit she is now? Is 2 or 3 days work per week the start of your programme or what she's been doing for a while? what 'work' is she doing? Just walk? Any trot? and how is she coping with it?

Have you increased her feed to help her put on weight? If so have you added extra to allow for the energy she'll use during work? If not you need to do so and build up the ration gradually as the work increases.

What do you want her to get fit for? Hacking? dressage? riding club?
If you're starting from scratch or as near as damn it then I suggest the following based on 4 or 5 days a week of work [it may take longer if you can't manage more than 3, you'll have build up the faster work more slowly]-:
Week 1 - 15/20 mins walk per day increasing to 40/50 mins by week end
week 2 - 40/50 mins walk per day increasing to 60/90mins by week end
week 3 - 60/90 mins walking adding in a minutes trot work - including 3 or 4 minute trots by week end [more if she's coping] -
Week 4 - replace one or two hacks with 10 mins lungeing and/or 30 mins schooling.
Build up trot sessions to lasting 3 or 4 minutes with less walking in between. Include 1 minute canter by end of week
Week 5 - build up trots to last 6/7 minutes and canter work up to 3/4 minutes.
Lunge 15 mins/school 30-40 mins
Week 6 - Canter builds up to 5/6 minutes trot up to 10 minutes. Lungeing 20 mins/schooling 45 mins.

This can be increased/decreased depending on how she copes with the work and how her weight gain is going. by 6-8 weeks she should be able to manage a dressage test and a round or two of showjumping after that it depends on what you want to do with her.

Hope this helps