Getting a horse fit... Some questions.

[Kirstineridesagain]

I ride a beautiful Icelandic, he's 18. He's known to be a bit lazy, but he's also unfit. I try to ride him twice a week but he should probably be ridden more. I have ridden him since November but can't say I've seen much progress.

He's better in company, but I struggle to find others to ride with. We only hack. It's very hilly so we mostly walk. He seems incapable of trotting (ie tølting) up a hill, he will go a bit faster on the flat. He keeps stopping, especially up hills. He doesn't often seem out of breath.

We go out for about an hour, sometimes a bit more. It's hard work trying to get him to go at all. He's been checked and there nothing wrong with him. He will do a short canter with other horses, but no chance for me to get him into a canter on my own. I don't mind the slow pace, but I'd like to go a bit faster - at least see a bit of progress. We vary our routes, I let him have breaks and try to be light in the saddle. Any tips?

 

[Kirstd33]

In my experience of owning a middle aged coblet who hasn't got the strongest work ethic shall we say (!!) is its regularity and building up distance and intensity that is key. I managed to get my boy fairly fit last Summer/Autumn through regular hacking 4-5 times a week on hilly lanes and fields but with me working FT and the weather being so bad over winter we're right back to square one. But I have a plan to get going again over the next couple of weeks starting just with gentle hacking and building up from there. In terms of getting them more forward I think its transitions, getting them obedient to your aids and then maybe fun-rides or hunting if they're fit enough/you're brave enough?

 

[SEL]

How much grass is he on? I know a couple who really struggle with any grass - they are designed to live on rocks & lichen - and one in particular turns into a slug.

 

[Kaylum]

I ride a beautiful Icelandic, he's 18. He's known to be a bit lazy, but he's also unfit. I try to ride him twice a week but he should probably be ridden more. I have ridden him since November but can't say I've seen much progress.

He's better in company, but I struggle to find others to ride with. We only hack. It's very hilly so we mostly walk. He seems incapable of trotting (ie tølting) up a hill, he will go a bit faster on the flat. He keeps stopping, especially up hills. He doesn't often seem out of breath.

We go out for about an hour, sometimes a bit more. It's hard work trying to get him to go at all. He's been checked and there nothing wrong with him. He will do a short canter with other horses, but no chance for me to get him into a canter on my own. I don't mind the slow pace, but I'd like to go a bit faster - at least see a bit of progress. We vary our routes, I let him have breaks and try to be light in the saddle. Any tips?

More work I think is the key. Can you get a sharer to help with his fitness.

 

[sbloom]

It's so common to find nothing wrong because most vets and body workers are looking for pain and not compensatory movement patterns, poor balance and posture, which are the most common reasons for a lack of forwards, or too much forwards and strong. Have a look at the FB group 7 secrets of self carriage, it's a freebie, informal, lots of info and not about dressage, it's for every horse. I would also look at guts/diet as said already, and feet, hoof balance and function. All professionals have their own take on things, sometimes you need to look/refer more widely and get second opinions etc.

Once a horse, and us as a rider, is in better balance then SO much less aiding is required, we ride from the body, from flow, and we need less leg, and less hand, and horses are better for it. Lessons I'm only learning in recent years as a saddle fitter and had no clue about as a horse owner!

 

[millitiger]

How is he kept?
I.e. how much is he moving the other 23 hours of the day?

Unfortunately I think you'll need to ride him more- 2 hours of walking a week isn't going to do anything for his fitness.
Can you long rein him a bit and see if that encourages a bit more forwards when hacking? Added bonus it gets you fitter too which makes you an easier load to carry.

Otherwise, personally at 18yrs old, you aren't going to change him much if he is fundamentally quite lazy and laid back.

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

Thanks for your input all.

He lives out. His conformation isn't great, so he's a bit stiff. But hopefully upping the work will make a difference.

I'm his only sharer. I work part time (flexible hours) and the kids are at school, so in principle I could ride every day, but I've been low on energy lately and I tend to get really tired and need a day to recover after riding. I guess we're both unfit!

 

[Kaylum]

Thanks for your input all.

He lives out. His conformation isn't great, so he's a bit stiff. But hopefully upping the work will make a difference.

I'm his only sharer. I work part time (flexible hours) and the kids are at school, so in principle I could ride every day, but I've been low on energy lately and I tend to get really tired and need a day to recover after riding. I guess we're both unfit!

Probably answered your own question x

 

[Bellalily]

Can you put him on a track system as that will increase his fitness and help when you don’t have time to ride, especially if he has a friend. Then he’ll have to walk miles every day. Even a home made one (if the field is dry enough) will do. I do one every spring if allowed as mine have had laminitis and have Cushings.

 

[Zoeypxo]

do you have any shorter routes you can do, but on a more regular basis? Say 30 mins 4-5 times a week rather than an hour twice a week. This works well for mine

 

[Wishfilly]

What exactly has been checked?

My pony is younger than yours but not exactly an easy type to keep fit. At the moment, he's only ridden twice a week most weeks due to my work commitments. He's more than capable of trotting up a hill (indeed he often chooses to trot up shorter steep slopes, which is apparently easier for some horses if they aren't super fit). He is very happy to canter out hacking, in the school he can find the transition difficult, but once in canter is very easy to keep going. He is a more forwards type- his instinct if unsure is to rush.

I would be concerned his reluctance to trot is a pain thing. The fact you mention he is "a bit stiff" concerns me. I would be worried about upping his work without a proper vet check, although I appreciate this is difficult if you're just a sharer.

The other thing I'd ask is what is he fed? There's limited energy in the grass right now, and even if they are unfit, some horses need some energy from their food in order to manage faster work. Equally if his diet is deficient in something that may be an issue?

At 18, I'm not sure you are going to change him if he is just very laid back. I wonder if it's better to look for a share that is a better fit?

 

[Jellymoon]

He’s probably just a quiet chap and also not that keen on going out on his own away from his friends so dragging his heels a bit. Does he liven up on the way home?
The only way to get him fitter would be to ride him more often and introduce some more trotting and cantering gradually.

 

[Nudibranch]

If you can get some level of fitness into him, try a fun ride or two. You might just see another side to him!
Otherwise, if he's a "bit stiff", I'd guess low level arthritis might be holding him back. Have you done a bute trial?

 

[Glitter's fun]

Taking it as read that his physical comfort is being attended to, maybe you haven't found what floats his boat yet?
My share is notoriously lazy but he suddenly gets a spring in his step if you do certain things. (Pole work, obstacles, games - those kind of things.) In his case i'm guessing he has happy memories of pony club or 'handy pony' with a previous owner, he's been around the block a few times.)
Can you try some variety of route, or company?

 

[Gloi]

I do agree that fitness is holding you both back and if you aren't fit either he's likely to be picking up on that and using it to his advantage. Is he 4 or 5 gaited. A lazy 4 gaiter is unlikely to tolt uphill and with either the trot tends not to have as much suspension as an ungaited horse so finds the uphill trot harder work so I wouldn't particularly be attempting it until you have a reliable trot and tolt on the flat. When you walk him make sure he's walking out in a good Icelandic walk and not dawdling. He should be able to easily outwalk most others you are likely to hack with if he puts his mind to it and it does actually get a reasonable amount of fitness if you put the miles in, building up the muscles he needs when you move up a gait. So no excuses from him for dawdling. I had an Icelandic mare who sized the rider up the moment they got on and put in the least amount of effort she could get away with but when ridden forward by someone who knew what she was capable of was a different horse altogether.

 

[sbloom]

Thanks for your input all.

He lives out. His conformation isn't great, so he's a bit stiff. But hopefully upping the work will make a difference.

I'm his only sharer. I work part time (flexible hours) and the kids are at school, so in principle I could ride every day, but I've been low on energy lately and I tend to get really tired and need a day to recover after riding. I guess we're both unfit!

Conformation isn't posture, though so much of our education in horses confuses the two, so it's very common to not realise the difference. Vets and bodyworkers don't help!

You need the right work, not just more work, both of you. Little and often, 10 minutes a day of the right stuff can be transformational for both horse and rider.

Taking it as read that his physical comfort is being attended to, maybe you haven't found what floats his boat yet?
My share is notoriously lazy but he suddenly gets a spring in his step if you do certain things. (Pole work, obstacles, games - those kind of things.) In his case i'm guessing he has happy memories of pony club or 'handy pony' with a previous owner, he's been around the block a few times.)
Can you try some variety of route, or company?

So often adrenaline overrides underlying problems and leads to owners/riders thinking it's just horses being in some way inconsistent/unhelpful/unwilling. Variety of work, and surfaces, I would 100% agree with for sure. Horses will of course show preferences for certain kinds of activities or work but it's also amazing how body and brain is transformed by finding a way to make the work easier for the horse (posture/movement, communication/understanding, connection etc).

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

If you can get some level of fitness into him, try a fun ride or two. You might just see another side to him!
Otherwise, if he's a "bit stiff", I'd guess low level arthritis might be holding him back. Have you done a bute trial?

I'll ask his owner again about checking him over. He's much better in company. I try to ride out with others as often as I can. Unfortunately he's too slow for some at the yard, but I've been going with my daughter on her Shetland and that works well. He still won't canter, even with a faster horse in front. He'll do 20 seconds max of tolt (or piggy pace). His walk can be quite energetic.

Sometimes when hacking out on our own he has moments of stopping. Sometimes he'll even reverse and refuse to go forwards. I get him through it and keep on going.

This week I've ridden three days in a row. One longer hack, in varied terrain, and two shorter ones.

Although he's an Icelandic, he's of a heavier build, and tall, and acts more like a draft horse type. He's always been like this. But I want to rule out arthritis.

 

[sbloom]

Definitely warning signs there, remember the arthritis, if there is any, is a symptom and doesn't come out of nowhere. Posture and movement patterns....

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

Definitely warning signs there, remember the arthritis, if there is any, is a symptom and doesn't come out of nowhere. Posture and movement patterns....

It would explain a lot. I don't have experience with arthritis - can medication help, or is retirement the only option?

 

[sbloom]

It would explain a lot. I don't have experience with arthritis - can medication help, or is retirement the only option?

See is as like repetitive strain injury in humans - that misuse of muscles and joints can cause long term issues. Some will find relief with learning to use the body better, having the right bodywork to effect releases where necessary, and medication. Medication alone will help, but you're not at least trying to fix the underlying issue - some horses need to stay in the dysfunctional patterns as otherwise the body will "break" elsewhere, but most can be improved markedly by correct work and bodywork. Medication, in an ideal world, is used once to buy a pain free window in which to start establishing better movement. Retirement may be the only option but you're a long way from that.

Have a look at equitopiacenter.com where there are lots of free and inexpensive resources looking at all this, and much more besides. There's a free group on FB, 7 Secrets of Self Carriage, that gets you started on this journey, thinking differently, some stuff you can do with your horse AND looking at the role of the rider as a load on the horse, and how we can help ourselves and indirectly help the horse.