Hunting fit then off for 3 weeks....

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Bobobratius

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Hey. Just wondering what you all think should be work level I start my mare on again. She was being ridden 8miles 5/6 days a week at a decent pace but has had 3 weeks off.

Thanks
 
It depends why she had 3 weeks off and what she was doing in that time, if injured or on box rest I would build up more slowly than if she was just having time off in the field and able to keep herself exercised.
 
When we had that period of snow a couple of years ago we were in the same boat with our hunters- they went from hunting fit to virual box rest.

Once the world had defrosted, I gave them a gentle week of walk/trot work, then a week of faster work before returning to the hunting field.

In my experience, they don't loose much fitness with up 3 weeks off, but obvioulsly needed to be careful with tendons etc before re introducing hard/fast work.
 
What Sidney said. I was hunt groom 2 years ago and couldn't get the horses off the yard for 6 weeks, they didn't lose much fitness. They were hunted a bit sharper than I would have liked my own to but that's hunt horses for you and they didn't come to any harm.
 
Well this is the biggy. She aborted a foal. I had only had her for 2 1/2 months and went up to muck her out and found a foal, it was unformed and vets estimate she was about 5months gone. The vet said give her two weeks then return to normal work load. She has now moved fields and lets just say she is feeling fresh. x
 
Poor girl....

As she has had turnout, and assuming she looks comfortable, I would go with the vets advice and put her back into work. Do you have a school as I would be lungeing or loose schooling for a few days before getting back on!

Good luck x
 
My vet always says 2 weeks they lose no fitness at all, so I shouldn't think 3 weeks will be much different.
Sorry to hear about the foal, must have been a shock to find that. I assume she has been checked that she still isn't carrying one and has no infection and so on? Sorry, silly questions but never asume!
 
Yes she has no placenta retained and apparently has a small womb so thankgod nothing went wrong. We are very lucky. She had box rest for 2 days to keep a close eye on her and has been out since. She is acting very fresh and was quite low in the first week but has seemed to of recovered now. X
 
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