is this ok - fittening programme?

[rforsyth1984]

Horse was on box rest for 5 months (sep - january) with bruised soles and minor pedal bone rotation

Since January, he has been turned out in the field, and ridden very lightly (1-2 times per week, in walk, would have been more by now but he kept pulling his heart bars off!)

Now he is back to normal shoes, my fittening programme from now consists of 4 hacks per week, starting at 20 mins this week, building up to an hour at the end of week 4 (all in walk)

End of week 5, I plan on starting a bit of trot - is this too soon? (this technically isnt week 5, as he has been ridden 1/2 times a week in walk for the last 6 weeks now)

week 6 - start short schooling sessions (20 mins) 1/2 times per week

By week 7 I plan to start lungeing once a week in the pessoa, and also introducing a bit of canter towards the end of the week?

Any advice/comments appreciated! Horse keeps himself quite fit usually, but am wary after all the box rest.

I realise that it obviously depends on how the individual horse takes it, but would like to know Im on the right track!

 

[Shilasdair]

That sounds perfect - ideal for your horse.
S

 

[maggiehorse]

sounds great but to be ultra careful because of his history of bruised soles i,d keep him on soft surfaces for his initial trot work

 

[rforsyth1984]

Cheers folks, always nice to know when you are getting things vaguely right!

maggie - very good point. I am going to start his initial trot and canter work in the menage. We are very lucky in that we have miles of off road grass tracks to ride on, so will be sticking to those for most of the hacking, and only doing walk on small bit of road work we will do.

Thanks again