How long do you consider it takes to get a horse eventing fit?

Charmin

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Said horse is a ten year old, reasonably experienced. Has just had 3 and a half months off due to rider injury.

Only going to be at 90 level.

There have been a variety of opinions as to when the first event should be pencilled in for.

Also, what would your fitness plan look like (briefly!)?
 

ihatework

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Personally I’d want 12 weeks before first event.

1 month building up hacking
1 month hacking, building up schooling with a view to jumping towards the end
1 month fine tuning - jump outings, canter sessions etc
 
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It takes 12 weeks to get a racehorse fit to run. 2 weeks walking, 2 walking and trotting, 2 weeks mostly trot with bit of canter, 2 weeks steady cantering, 4 weeks hard work cantering and galloping.

I would imagine getting a horse fit for an event would be roughly the same but obviously a different set of work.
 

TGM

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We've done in it about seven to eight weeks. This was with an experienced horse who was properly fit before the break (and had hunted regularly over the winter), had three months off, was in the field most of that time, and then competed at BE100 level. Did take it easy on the XC though, so got a few time faults. Does depend on the individual horse though - ours was the sort of horse who was quite active in the field. One who spent most of the time with head down eating grass would take longer! Both times we have done it have been at the end of the eventing season though, so we didn't have to enter too early in advance to get in, so could make decisions on how the horse was responding to work.
 

Charmin

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Oh, horse has been living out 24/7 but mostly stands still whilst her companion hoons around.

She was fully fit before the break - unfortunate rider injury meant she couldn't be let down, was just chucked out (obviously checked, hayed and fed).
 

sportsmansB

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Our event horses come in early Jan with first event end March, having been out for about 10 weeks. They hack and walker for the first 4 weeks ish and then begin some schooling, with gentle canter work introduced weeks 6-8. They are not as fit until they are out and running weekly, and this is kept in mind for the first few events.
Depends on the horse too- older horses seem to know what its all about and don't drop their fitness as much, the more TB types also come in without losing as much muscle. My last mare was a blood type who lived out all year anyway, and to be honest could have skipped round an event after 4 weeks back to work, but that was just how she was (I didn't actually do that, obvs!) and it didn't take much out of her at any time.
 

only_me

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For 90s probably 8 weeks if reasonably experienced, won’t need many pre-outings before event and Not any health issues.
 

Annagain

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You need to take the individual horse into account. One of mine is very laid back and a bit of a loner so will stand and watch his field mates careering about the field and loses fitness in the field far quicker than my other one who is normally the one instigating the careering about. The laid back one seems to have no adrenalin at all so when he gets tired he drops like a stone so needs to be far fitter than the other one to do the same job. The more excitable one will get through the last minute or two on sheer adrenalin so you can afford to take him without being quite as prepared as the other I'd probably need a good 12 weeks with M but 8 or 9 with A. Or I did when they were competing, they both pootle about not very fit at all these days and M was knackered at the end of his dressage test the other day, although in my defence they were running late and it was freezing so I had to keep him going in the warm up longer than I was expecting to. They are 23 though!
 
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