emma_newbie
New User
Hi all
Just a couple of questions really - my horse has had a fairly busy season, with quite a lot of ODEs (albeit at Intro level), MK 3day, lots of RC stuff etc. He is usually worked 5 times a week, which consists of one longer hack, one shorter hack, once on the lunge, and then either a flatwork session and a comp, or one flatwork, one jumping. We also get out XC schooing fairly regularly if no competitions, and have fortnightly flat lessons and monthly jumping.
Anyway, so I thought it would be nice to give him a little break now. He did his last event of the summer season (well, sort of summer!) on Saturday, and has now been off about 5 days, and I'm not sure he is enjoying it! I am still feeding him daily as there isn't masses of grass, but everytime I go over to the field he is by the gate calling to me, and trying to get out of the field wenever I catch one of the others. He even left a bit of his dinner last night - getting him to eat never usually a problem! He is bright and healthy in himself, so not worred about the not eating exactly, just seems a little out of character. And his old owner who I still speak to regularly said the only time she gave him some time off (with an injury) he was a complete nightmare! Bored, and just causing trouble....
So what I am wondering is, how important is it to have complete chill out time? I had planned to give him a month. Or would it be ok to maybe just give him a break from the school/lunge and just do relaxed hacks - longer hacks at weekends and maybe one short one during the week? And lay off the usual schooling out on a hack? If I did that for next 3 weeks...so wuld be a month 'chilling out' if not eactly resting....
And with regard to that, presumably if I give him the month totally off in the field I will then need to spend a month or more bringing his fitness back up - but if I was hacking him out regularly, that wouldn't be so much of an issue? Could probably allow 2 weeks reintroducing school work then maybe look for a dressage comp, and then another couple of weeks before going SJ/XC? Would that sound reasonable?
Should add, he is a PBA and very very quick witted/sharp, and fit enough to storm round a local 3'0 HT twice the other week without any trouble....think he wanted to go a third time!
Just a couple of questions really - my horse has had a fairly busy season, with quite a lot of ODEs (albeit at Intro level), MK 3day, lots of RC stuff etc. He is usually worked 5 times a week, which consists of one longer hack, one shorter hack, once on the lunge, and then either a flatwork session and a comp, or one flatwork, one jumping. We also get out XC schooing fairly regularly if no competitions, and have fortnightly flat lessons and monthly jumping.
Anyway, so I thought it would be nice to give him a little break now. He did his last event of the summer season (well, sort of summer!) on Saturday, and has now been off about 5 days, and I'm not sure he is enjoying it! I am still feeding him daily as there isn't masses of grass, but everytime I go over to the field he is by the gate calling to me, and trying to get out of the field wenever I catch one of the others. He even left a bit of his dinner last night - getting him to eat never usually a problem! He is bright and healthy in himself, so not worred about the not eating exactly, just seems a little out of character. And his old owner who I still speak to regularly said the only time she gave him some time off (with an injury) he was a complete nightmare! Bored, and just causing trouble....
So what I am wondering is, how important is it to have complete chill out time? I had planned to give him a month. Or would it be ok to maybe just give him a break from the school/lunge and just do relaxed hacks - longer hacks at weekends and maybe one short one during the week? And lay off the usual schooling out on a hack? If I did that for next 3 weeks...so wuld be a month 'chilling out' if not eactly resting....
And with regard to that, presumably if I give him the month totally off in the field I will then need to spend a month or more bringing his fitness back up - but if I was hacking him out regularly, that wouldn't be so much of an issue? Could probably allow 2 weeks reintroducing school work then maybe look for a dressage comp, and then another couple of weeks before going SJ/XC? Would that sound reasonable?
Should add, he is a PBA and very very quick witted/sharp, and fit enough to storm round a local 3'0 HT twice the other week without any trouble....think he wanted to go a third time!
