How much fitness is lost...

[marion95]

in a horse that has three weeks off, do you reckon?

My mare was eventing fit before she got ill and had three weeks off. She has now been back in work for a week and a half, but I have been taking it slowly, riding every other day etc instead of 6 times a week. She doesn't seem to be getting tired at all, but I don't want to push her too much.

Any ideas - she's a TB and tends to stay fit quite easily.

Thanks

 

[igglepiggle]

Are you a member of eventing worldwide? This question was asked on there and Bill Levett replied..let me know if you aren't and I can recap on here

 

[_l_i_z_]

ment to loose 3 weeks fitness in one week of no exercise if that makes sense!! so whats lost technically in one week will of taken 3 weeks to achieve!

 

[kirstyfk]

I was always told that a horse doesn't loose fitness for the first 2 weeks of rest. I would be back to 5 days per week if I were you.

 

[carthorse]

Our horse had 2 weeks box rest then a week of only working in the arena and did the grassroutes champ.Finished much too fast and it was a longish but flat course and recovered very quickly and perfect the next day. Box rest was due to abscess and I wouldn't have done an event normally but may never get to champ again and didn't push him.

 

[moneypit1]

I was told that for every week your horse has off it will take another week to regain that fitness lost. Sounds logical I suppose.

 

[Shilasdair]

She wouldn't lose much...just gradually build her up again. You are better to build horse's fitness in peaks for their events rather than try to keep them superfit all the time...
S

 

[marion95]

No I'm not - would be great if you could re-cap.

Thanks,

 

[vicijp]

Depends what was done in the time off. As long as a horse is kept walking (ie turned out) they lose little fitness until a month off.

 

[marion95]

Yes she was turned out - that's good to know thanks.