Fittening after 4 weeks off work (4yo TB)

[BeckyD]

Hello there, am feeling swamped by different theories on how much fittening to do after a month off, so thought it best to ask people what they do in practice (and no doubt confuse myself further!). Geegee currently enjoying 4-week holiday. He's 4 and was in light work (hacking/schooling/jumping) 4-5 times per week before the break.

Some books say that TB's hold their fitness better so need less building up, others say youngsters lose fitness quicker...

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

HELLO!! **WAVES**

I doubt he'll have lost that much fitness, 4 weeks isnt reallt that long, so Id start with walk hacks, then introduce some trotting. He'll let you know how much he can do.

 

[BeckyD]

Hello!

Hmm you really think ole lazy bones will tell me when he's had enough? He'd be like "Right, I've seen the saddle, that's enough for today..."

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Yea spose. But Id still just do some hacking a light schooling start. Are you sure he's a normal TB??!!!! Any TB Ive ever had would try and kill me after 4 days off let alone 4 weeks!

 

[BeckyD]

I don't think he's "normal" in any sense of the word! Though he did go a bit bonkers after Christmas week off, I had a few entertaining hacks and nearly caused a bunch of cyclists to fall off

I must admit when I wanted a TB I was thinking of something a little livelier than him! Bless him, at least he means well.

I'm planning to build up slowly, but not quite the "six weeks of walk work" as I don't think a month off really warrants that - especially as he's keeping fairly fit boinging round his paddock.

 

[Petrie]

I read something in H&H a while back about a survey done on 200 TBs who had 10 wks off work: none of them had lost any fitness. So, that's reassuring!

I don't know the exact details of it, perhaps they were older horses, racing fit, in which case they would have held their fitness better than a youngster.

But, I don't think you need to worry too much, especially if he's been out every day. 4 weeks is nothing.

If mine have had 4 weeks off, I just hack for the first week, with the odd short trot, then start schooling and hacking in the second week, and build up from there. I think you could go straight back into light hacking and schooling pretty much straight away.

 

[helencharlie]

I doubt if he will have lost much fitness. I am always underestimating my TBs fitness. He is alot fitter than I give him credit for. After 4wks off, I dont think I would be able to sit on him. I would just do 5-10 mins of lunging,let him let off steam safely, then usual fitness program

 

[not_with_it]

My mare recently had around 6 weeks off work and I was suprised at how she kept her fitness. The only thing I found was that it was like riding an unbalanced baby. She soon reterned to normal though.

 

[KatB]

Try to stick to a weeks walking for every month they have had off, so 1 weeks walking, then crack on as normal I reckon!

 

[BeckyD]

Ah that's a good system to work by.

Thank you! And thank you everyone for all the advice, that's really helped.

Roll on end of Jan, I really miss riding