Interested in how much and what work your horse gets a week

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showjump2003

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This is just out of curiosity really. In an average week, what is your horses work schedule like? How long are they ridden for daily, and what level of fitness are they at.
 
Mine is happily eventing. Generally he gets about 5 days in work (as I am at school and A levels coming up) sometime 4. He is looking healthy and no excess weight, but not too skinny either. He gets approx 2x1hr hacks (walking and trotting) plus generally one day of fast work, an event or SJ comp, and a 30-45min flatwork session or 2 if no comp/fast work.
HE always recovers well after eventing and isn't having any trouble.

The fat pony is doing half an hour hacks every so often, and these make him puff so he's building up his fitness now properly as he is just a teensy bit too fat!
 
ironically - about 80% fit and he's ridden 2.5 hours a week and turned out about 8 hours a week

but he's a TB and VERY fragile - if he was worked more he'd break down (long history) and if he was turned out more he wouldn't be able to breathe (allergic reactions).

however he can do a 2hour ride as lead up steep hills and come home virtually not even warm under the saddle and pulling on

not eventing fit but above hacking fit.

it's what suits each type of horse

if he was a heavier type of horse this regime wouldn't suit him - but it does suit him and he's been on it 8 years now

(and he can go out and get 8s and 9s at team dressage having not been in a school, or schooled for 3 months, merely hacked)

so much for riding every day and schooling 3 times or more a week

some horses are better just 'schooled' on hacks - which is what happens to him - and he's qualified for Peterborough the last 5 years at both dressage and riding test - but then I know he's a superstart nag to put up with me !!! (and I ain't getting any younger so he has to be super to put up with my aches and pains ;-) )
 
I ride about four or five days a week. We always hack, but school whilst out, so he is working properly most of the time. We trot mostly. We are out for about 40mins to 1 hour usually. We do fast work once a week and XC jump once or twice a week.
I think my horse is fairly fit. He is not as lean/ tucked up as an eventer, but is not fat at all. He comes home sweaty inder the saddle, but thats it. He can trot properly for a couple of miles and not be puffing.
 
Usually 2/3 days flat schooling for 30-45mins (Trainer sets the time limit) either a lesson (about an hour) or 2 tests at a comp on the weekend. We'll go for a beahcride or hack one day a week aswell, sometimes a hack will take the place of a schooling session too.

Sparks is just below hunt fitness (as in she'd still have puff left after a half day's hunting but wouldn't quite manage a full day)
 
I have 2 horses, only compete locally, but ride them on alternate nights during the week, and both at the weekends.
Bobby, i tend to hack out more than school, but school while we're out.
Millie, i tend to lunge her one a week for about 30 mins, hack once a week and school the rest of the time (but usually take her on a small hack after schooling. for about 45 mins/ 1 hour
 
well when i could ride my boy he was ridden 5/6 days a week normally doing 3 day flat schooling for 45mins 1/2 days jump work and normally competed one day a week. also went on the walker once a day for 1/2 hour. so he was very fit. But now he is rather unfit and would puff after a short ride
 
24 yo cob gets ridden 6 days a week, for at least 1 1/2 hours. Long hack 3 times a week, 2 fastwork/gallops and 1 schoolling session. Shes VERY fit. Hard work. Goes on a fun ride every sunday at the mo aswell.

WB gets 5 times a week. 2 schooling, 1 fast work, 2 hacks and a lunge. I'd say shes pretty fit as well. Medium/hard work. Has been going on some fun rides.

Welshie is going to get 2 lunge, 3 driven now hes back. Might up that as time goes by.

2 NFs get nothing as they are in-foal.
 
very very fit. works at least an hour a day. i don't give her many days off simply because she doesn't enjoy them. if she has a hard days work she gets an easy one the next day. do alot of lateral work on the flat and she is working to Advanced medium level in general at home though her canter work is much more advanced. we jump properly anout three times a week and maybe do some poles aswell. she gets to the field a good bit but have to watch her weight cause she is a very good doer. she also goes on the walker every day and on the days she doesn't go to the field she goes to the indoor for a roll and then for a few mins handgrazing. competes every weekend and from now till end of the season it'll range from two-five day shows. she will get some weekends off and goes to the beach regularly too.
 
Gen currently competes at BD Elem level. I would say he is pretty well muscled and fit for his job.

Monday is day off.
Tues/Wed/Thur/Fri he is schooled for about an hour with trainer (occassionally have a mid-week comp).
Saturday he hacks out with me or competing.
Sunday he either hacks out with me or is at a competition.

If he has two comps in a week (say Weds and then Sat) I give him two days off to chill as he is only 6 and can get a bit tired and tight.
 
Mr D is ridden/worked 4-5 times a week. Usually four schooling and one hack or sometimes 2-3 hacks and 2-3 schooling sessions. He usually goes a few weeks with no hacking and then has 2-3 in one week then back to schooling- it's not very consistent at all
crazy.gif

Recently he's been schooled for 40 mins and then hacked out straight after for an hour to an hour and a half trot and canter work so I'd say he's fairly well fit. He's competed every week or two since April either XC or showing and he copes fine with it.
 
Tia has 6 days work a week.
She is normally hacked 3/4 times and schooled 2/3 times - being young, she needs the variety.
she is exceptionally fit and will manage a 3hour hack without as much as break into a proper sweat although schooling does knacker her out! (1 hour long) when schooling she is currently working at novice level so nothing too amazing/demanding but she does work hard - she is schooled on hacks but not as hard
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x
 
My horse is exercised nearly every day for 1-2 hrs a mixture of schooling, hacking, jumping or lunging. Everyfew weeks we go for a longish hack 2+hrs. I try to give him one easy day per week where usually he is just lunged, he rarely gets a complete day off as he tends to be crazy the day after! He lives out at night and is in during the day. He is training to be a dressage/endurance horse with some eventing thrown in too. I'd say at the moment he's in moderate work though I planto increase it towards summer so he's super fit to do some proper endurance rides and pony club camp!

I like to have my horses fitter than they need to be, both because it gives them more energy, makes them less prone to injury, and I love to ride as much as possible!
 
when i had my mare she worked 6 days a week usually although sometimes i did a 9 days work, one off, depending on weather schedual etc,

she was 80% fit, sharp, responsive and would happily do 20 miles on a fun ride and come back fresh and more importantly not stiff or sore the next day.

she 80% schooling/lunging and a little hacking

'cos i dont jump and dont hack much it all got a bit to 'serious' for her and now shes happier doing a lower level more varied more 'fun' schedual.
although shes still fit enough to do run rides, jump, and Pc camp etc
 
My horse is worked 3 to 5 days per week mostly hacking (between 20 minutes and 1.5 hours mostly at walk and trot) but also some schooling, lunging & groundwork (maximum of 30 minutes per session). He's fit enough for a short sponsored ride, the odd bit of showing or clear round which is all I plan on doing with him this year competition wise.

My pony is ridden, schooled, jumped, walked in hand or lunged 3 times per week for between 20 minutes and an hour. I would say shes fit enough to do all I ask of her which is the odd jumping class, dressage test or in-hand showing.
 
Does 5 hours of walk mostly and little trot, Moday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday morning

Time off is, Thursday and Friday PMs

Saturday and Sunday he gets hacked, quite fast and long

would say about 75 - 80 % fit.

He does RDA during the week
 
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