Is it ok to work a horse everyday?

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zoon

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I've always been lucky that my horses have been ones that I could leave for a few days or even a week if I was busy and when I got back on they'd be no different to when I'd last ridden. My new mare is a different story! Normally worked everyday except Mon and Tues as I work these days, but come Wednesday I have a lunatic to ride and it takes me til the weekend to get her settled in her work again. I am considering working her everyday - mixture of hacking, schooling and lunging. She gets turned out all day so wondering if it'll do her any harm being worked everyday? I've always given my horses at least 1 day off, mainly 2 days per week, but this mare is much more settled if worked every day
 
If you find your mare is better when worked every day then it sounds like a good solution. I agree that the work should definately be varied so she doesnt get bored...why not try it for a while and see how she goes?
Any pictures? (just because I like looking at pretty ponies :D )
 
I think Reg is ridden pretty much every day. At least 5 days a week I think, mostly hacking (although that's in a basic outline unless it's fast work).

He's happy and fit and well and loves his work so it's not doing him any harm at all!
 
There is no reason why you should not, I feel by mixing it up, schooling followed by a hack so that she is not working too hard every day it will do no harm.
I taught a young girl a few years ago she had a teenage heavy cob that worked really hard in his lessons and needed an easy day or two after, I found out she spent the next day repeating the lesson in an attempt to improve and that the poor boy had gone for a full year with never a day off:eek:. I felt really mean that I had taken so long to find this out and then recommended a hack the day following the lessons but he had survived.
 
When my horse was younger he had to be worked at least 6 days a week. If he had 2 days off in a row he was awful! I kept the work varied & some sessions were just 10 mins lunging or long reining, he just seemed to need something to do most days to keep sane. If he had a week or so off for any reason he would then need 2 wks work before I dared to hack again! Thankfully he's grown out of needing such a large volume of work. Even if he's had a while off now I can hack straight out as my first ride, & that's something I never thought I'd be able to do!
 
cant see how it would do any harm riding everyday, infact it sounds like it would benefit your mare

horses get to rest for 23 hours a day anyway, so working for an hour a day shouldnt be a big ask for them
 
Depending on the horse!! Personally I wouldnt be working a young horse everyday as they are still growing etc, but i would work a 'normal' horse everyday, mine is worked 6days a week as like yours is a loon if he isnt, also in the summer may get worked twice on some days to keep weight off. If the work is varied then I see no harm, after all many horses are not in 'hard' work, even if there being worked 7days aweek. Providing your not jumping or doing a ton of fast/hard work I see no harm in it, your horse will probably enjoy it.
 
She is an 8 year old TB, now out of racing and being reschooled. Have been doing a bit of inhand work with her over raised poles in walk as part of her physio for about 10 mins so might try that on her "day off" and see if that still keeps her sane.
 
Yes i had a mare who only stayed rideable if ridden every single day, that was from age 8 until age 12 , she did have the odd holiday due to lameness but that meant crash hat and back protector on for first ride back.
She did mellow though and after 12 you could not ride for weeks and then hop on and she'd be foot perfect.
As ever all horses are not equal!
 
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