Holidays and days off for your horse? How long etc...

[Shadowdancing]

Do you give your horse any holidays/regular days off? If so when and for how long?

When my horse was younger, as a slow maturing breed, she had long holidays in the winter, often about 2-3 months. Since she was 5 it's just been a fortnight in summer when I go away and a fortnight near Christmas, mainly to make my life easier at such a busy time and help me not to feel guilty about not riding her.

I'm still deciding whether to give her a break around Christmas this year.

She gets a day off after a competition or day out if she's had to work quite hard, e.g. if we've had a long pleasure ride- but maybe again that's more to spare my aching legs!

What do you do with your horse on a holiday? No riding at all, just hacking, keep in, turn out etc...? When mine is on holiday she goes out as much as possible and is usually not ridden at all.

 

[milliepops]

nope
I gave Millie a couple of months off after we stopped eventing but tbh she turned feral without work, I hated not riding and it's not something i planned to do again! She's engineered herself a lot of holiday time since, through various injuries, but nothing planned.
Kira needs regular work to stay in a reasonable frame of mind.

Mine usually have the day off after a show and a quiet day (little hack, maybe) the day after travelling anywhere e.g. for a lesson.
Other than that, they have a day off if I can't find a way to get them worked - such as staying away for work but generally do 6 days a week, all year.

But it's your horse, so do what you like

 

[rachk89]

Mine won't be getting a day off if i can help it for a while he needs the education and it's working well so far.

I might give him a week off at Christmas but not sure yet. Depends on how he continues lol.

 

[Antw23uk]

Im transitioning my big lad to barefoot so his workload has been drastically reduced during this period. We both seem to be hating this so getting some boots measured and ordered so we can carry on He does get days off but sometimes he will work seven days a week and other weeks he will have one or two days off. Depends what I have on really.

 

[Amye]

Mine does normally get a day off in the week - but this isn't a set day each week. Sometimes the day after a particularly long hack, or if we've had a couple of days of long/hard work then he might have a day off. Normally i give him one day off a week but sometimes it's two.

If i'm going away for the weekend or something he will have a couple of days in a row off. If i go on holiday, i rope my mum into looking after him so he does get ridden, not everyday, but he does something

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood and he gets a day off then! He can be a bit difficult so if i've had a tiring day and i'm not feeling it i don't see the point in pushing myself to ride and having a bad session.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I work full time so my horses do little over the week most of the year, so I tend not to give them holidays. Recently I did a ten mile sponsored ride and I gave the lad a day off after that but that is a rare occurrence. Over the holidays(mine) I would ride most days but again it would be rare that both horses would be ridden everyday. So I would say mine have an easy life and don't really need holidays.

 

[Jazmyn101]

I have had my horse since she was 3, she was in very light work at that point and not ridden much, now she is 6 she is ridden 6 days a week with one day off. In the winter on her day off she will usually have a lunge so she can stretch her legs or I will ride her. If I have taken her XC schooling or to a show she will usually get the day after, off

 

[skint1]

My horse only gets ridden 3-4 times a week, I think it's important for him to have his own time to be a horse and chill out. He's fit enough for the work that is asked of him and we aren't training for any major stuff so I don't feel thie pressure to ride every day. I have friends who put themselves under enormous pressure to ride or lunge or school every day, it doesn't seem to make them very happy. Sometimes he has longer off if I feel one of us needs it, or if life gets in the way.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My horse only gets ridden 3-4 times a week, I think it's important for him to have his own time to be a horse and chill out. He's fit enough for the work that is asked of him and we aren't training for any major stuff so I don't feel thie pressure to ride every day. I have friends who put themselves under enormous pressure to ride or lunge or school every day, it doesn't seem to make them very happy. Sometimes he has longer off if I feel one of us needs it, or if life gets in the way.

Exactly the same.

 

[rowan666]

Mine always get all winter off and are ridden no more than 4 times a week in summer.

 

[milliepops]

I have friends who put themselves under enormous pressure to ride or lunge or school every day, it doesn't seem to make them very happy. .

I put myself under pressure to ride every day (not always in the school but they do something...) sometimes I don't feel like it at the time but I always feel good afterwards It's never wasted time. To my mind, my horses have 23 hours a day to please themselves so I don't think they get a bad deal.

Those who let them have long lay offs- don't you find you have to do a lot of fittening work? One of mine has been on light duties since July and has lost fitness and muscle which will take months to get back, I can't imagine stopping and starting on purpose if I could help it (I know winter is awful so it's a perfectly valid choice, I'd just find it agonising!)

 

[Jamesy123]

I tend to exercise my event horse 6 days a week during competition season - but I mix things up with lessons, hacking, lunging and putting him on the horse walker to keep the variation and I tend to only jump once a week. I then give him some time off over winter (in the field during the day and in at night) so he can relax and recuperate.

Whereas my 5yo I ride 4 times a week and lunge once a week and she wont have any time off over the winter as I'm getting her ready for comps next year. So.. in short... I think it varies hugely on the horses temperament and what the horse's job is as to whether they will benefit from time off and how long they need off..

 

[skint1]

@Milliepops, your horses in your signature certainly look well on it, so it's great that it works for you

 

[Annagain]

Mine don't have 'official' holidays but go a couple of weeks without being ridden from time to time if I'm particularly busy or away. It's not a conscious choice, I just suddenly realise I haven't ridden for 2 weeks! Luckily it makes no difference to them, although they're 20 now so you might expect them to be like that they've always been the same.

They're ridden roughly 3-4 days a week all year - sometimes a bit more if I have time off work or I'm working towards something important, sometimes once or twice a week and sometimes not at all for a few weeks. Life gets in the way at times and I just accept that. The horses don't seem to care and A in particular seems to keep himself pretty fit in the field. M does need to take it a bit easier for the first few days but soon picks up. Neither needs to be massively fit, they're just riding club all rounders although they're both slowing down a bit now they're getting on.

 

[PorkChop]

Mine don't get holidays really, I find they will often take one themselves sometimes!

Mine get a day off after a competition, but apart from that they do something every day

 

[Nappy Croc]

3 months after a hard summer, one day per overnight stay during the season. If not in hard work then they dont really need it so my riding horse just gets natural breaks (ridden approx 4 times per week, when not too busy).

 

[DD]

My horse only gets ridden 3-4 times a week, I think it's important for him to have his own time to be a horse and chill out. He's fit enough for the work that is asked of him and we aren't training for any major stuff so I don't feel thie pressure to ride every day. I have friends who put themselves under enormous pressure to ride or lunge or school every day, it doesn't seem to make them very happy. Sometimes he has longer off if I feel one of us needs it, or if life gets in the way.

^^
this is similar to my arrangement and we are both happier for it.

 

[LHIS]

We have Tuesdays off. Other than that, no, unless the weather is awful (no indoor).

 

[chestnut cob]

Generally he works 6 days a week. I sometimes give the day off after a competition but not always. My horse is like the Duracell bunny and impossible to tire out so I'll often hack the day after a competition. I occasionally give more days off if i feel he needs it or depending on what he's done that week.

I have given holidays but wont this year as a) he's not working hard enough and b) he hates being on holiday.

 

[huskydamage]

The longest mine ever had off was 6months because I was in hospital and too ill to ride. Apart from that she has a day or two off after hard work but never any breaks longer than 1 week (if I'm on holiday) at her age now she would seize up if left for ages

 

[TelH]

Mine always get a day off after a show day. They also get a bit of a holiday after the end of the show season so they can just be scruffy hairy native ponies for a while.

 

[LeannePip]

Mine tends to get a Monday off as usually a busy weekend, and possibly another day in the week. Shes quite a late 5yo who whilst fit, does get a bit flat and tired during busy spells so i'm quite happy to give her a couple of days off here and there if it keeps her sweet.

She was only broken last year and had 10 weeks off during the winter, as she'd done all i wanted to do and i wanted to give her some time to chill and fill out a bit. she was fairly good to come back into work although it was fraught with difficulties overall it was to her benefit and she came back much stronger. Shes had a busy season this year and i planned to give her a few weeks chilling in the field again, however all the grass liveries are geldings at the moment so not sure i'll go ahead with that, so she might just have a yard holiday before the weather gets really bad, she'll go out during the day with her usual friends then come in at night.

 

[Shadowdancing]

I do think it's not always necessary these days as our horses often don't work as hard as they used to when they were used for transport etc. I think it's a good thing for some youngsters- mine was often up a height and some unwind time was good for her, but others need that stimulation. It's interesting what works for one team doesn't for another...

 

[vam]

Mine is 5, 16.3 and still growing so she is only worked 5 or 6 days a week on average. That said I don't bust a gut to ride her so she has had the odd week here and a few extra days there over the summer and its not done her any harm. She will get a month or so off over winter when the weather is rubbish and hopefully stop growing!
She is having a few days off at the moment because I have done my back which is rubbish timing but she is looking a bit like she is trying to grow again so probably for the best. Luckily she is no different after a few days off so not worried about getting on again.

 

[Girlracer]

I gave mine two weeks out in the summer after a bad event when he threw the towel in, then brought him in and started again. To be honest he isn't doing as much as I would like at the moment due to work, we always do something fun at the weekend then he is lunged or ridden 2 or 3 times in the week so I don't think he needs a break really! In fact I am moving him to full livery in a month so his work will be upped.

 

[scats]

I often give mine a day off in the week, but realistically, it's a day off riding for me (and a chance to catch up on extra yard chores). My horses, out of a 24 hour day, do about 30 minutes work (and I use that word lightly- they are hardly out eventing every weekend!) so in reality they do not need a day off. I do though!

 

[ShadowHunter]

Mine have had the past two weeks off just due to having no saddle for one and limited time for the other. I feel guilty but they couldn't care less. Once saddle and everything is sorted, i want to get them working 2/3 days a week each at least. I can only ride in the field at the moment so if winter gets as wet as previous winters, I'll be forced to give until the spring off or until the school is built.

We don't aim for competitions so theres no pressure apart from the guilt i feel; however, theres no way around it sometimes.

 

[OWLIE185]

Mine do not have holidays in their field - I take them away on a holiday - great fun!
Try to hack them out each day.

 

[Goldenstar]

I give mine a break every year their shoes get removed and they do nothing for a while .
If they have hunted all season it does them good to get out before the grass really gets going and chill for a while .
They finish mid March and by May the ones that get fat are doing some work BF this may just be pole world schooling in the field and a little jumping they get a minimum of twelve weeks without shoes but often do longer but they will be getting lightly worked .
Unless they are at being naughty I give a day off a week .
They always get a day off after hunting ( not Autumn hunting ) so if they hunt twice a week they get two days off .
If I take a few days away I will often give a mini break it does them no harm once their established in their work.

 

[FabioandFreddy]

I exercise my husbands horse during the week the majority of the time as his work is more demanding than mine! So i will tend to ride one, lunge one - and alternate that then hack at the weekend. They are usually worked 5 days a week, sometimes 6 and sometimes 4. I used to get guilty if i didn't feel like riding and they didn't get their 'set' days a week, but i'm learning to relax about it. The horses don't mind an extra day off!
I don't tend to give them a fixed week/2 week hols. Throughout the year they tend to find a way for that to happen themselves through a cut or hoof abcess! If we are busy for a few days or away for a weekend then a friend will look after them but not exercise them. Neither are nutty if they have a few days without work.