How soon to start "proper" work...Opinions please!

[KatB]

My horse is coming in this weekend after a 7week break. He was eventing fit before his holiday and has been out 24/7 for the last 4weeks. He will have 10 day sof solid walk work,how soon after this would you expect a horse to be fit enough to do;

A dressage test
Sjing

He will be worked 6days a week, and by the end of the ten days be upto 40mins walking on tracks/roads. He would then be introduced back to school work but with a majority of work being hacking (his usual routine!)

 

[alicedove]

I reckon after the ten days, two weeks. Since he was fit before and has been out so much. For either discipline, since I think of both those as the same effort.

 

[ihatework]

I'd say after you 10 days walking, another 3 weeks of increased work and you'd probably be ready to do some comps.

 

[happyhack]

I'd say about 3 weeks.

 

[Daisychain]

If just show jumping and dressage i would say 2 weeks.

 

[Nailed]

i'd say ten days walk.. and id already be thinking about doing trot and canter.. he was fit not too long go, in the field maintains fitness and as nothing is medically wrong, he would be good to go.

Horses were designed to get up and go at the drop of a hat.. so there idle fitness is considerably higher than we give them due for!

Lou x

 

[KatB]

Thanks, just to add he isnt looking fat or out of condition at all....

 

[LEC]

Was reading Hen Knights book very recently and she does 3 days of walk work with her TBs back into work after holidays. Then they hack for 2/3 weeks before starting fast work.
She says walk work was designed for horses who could literally only walk like obese hunters and her TBs never come back looking like that. None of this is for horses who have come back after injury but healthy horses.
I think it sounds pretty reasonable especially if he is not too bad. I would suggest 2 weeks of hacking building it up and then start extras such as schooling.

 

[Nailed]

lec.. i think we agree on summit!

Never had any trouble, as long as horse is right to start with, no reason why work can't start almost immediatly.

Ted = TB. He came back into work after the summer straight away, literally.. needed to herd cows and used him.. cows ran off tho.. lol
Lou x
Lou x

 

[wizoz]

[ QUOTE ]
I reckon after the ten days, two weeks. Since he was fit before and has been out so much. For either discipline, since I think of both those as the same effort.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, he'll pick up really quickly, so you can get on with things quite soon.xx

 

[KatB]

Thanks, he will have his 10days then will see how he gets on...a majority of his work will be hacking anyway, so aiming to be out dressaging around Xmas time....