Jumping aftercare

[quiteniceforacob]

We are jumping around 90-1m - mare is 7. What do people do in order to ensure longevity in their horses? I want to make sure she gets the best care after hearing about so many horses breaking down.

 

[Red-1]

I think there is no shortcut. The horse has to be of the correct conformation, correct foot balance, correct nutrition, good fitting of tack, correct schooling so the horse moves economically, good varied fitness programme, not relying on artificial surfaces, but including work on different ground and hill work on straight lines.

I don't think there is a trick to it.

I used to ride 2 horses SJ ay Grand Prix level (I only rode on the flat- mainly hacking out) and they were both kept in varied work.

I think all that is more important than what boots they wear (although I think you must beware of overheating legs) or lotions/potions.

 

[TheMule]

Fitness for the job is the most important factor IMO- slow, progressive training with plenty of core strength work. I don’t like to jump my horses more than once per week, and then it’s often just a cavaletti footwork exercise in between shows.

 

[Curly_Feather]

Personally, I think the 'before' part is more important. 20 minutes of walking over ground that is not an arena surface, with some footing variations and gentle gradients. Every ride, before stepping foot in the arena. Our sports vets swear by this, but very very few people do it. Either because they just don't like to, or because they are unfortunately too rushed with limited time to ride.

 

[SEL]

Don't jump too often, work on core fitness, variety of work etc. There's truth in the saying a horse's legs only have so many jumps in them.

 

[KikiDee]

Personally, I think the 'before' part is more important. 20 minutes of walking over ground that is not an arena surface, with some footing variations and gentle gradients. Every ride, before stepping foot in the arena. Our sports vets swear by this, but very very few people do it. Either because they just don't like to, or because they are unfortunately too rushed with limited time to ride.

It really bugs me how a proper warm up seems to be a completely forgotten art these days. I insist on walking mine for 10-15 minutes before doing anything else whatever we’re doing that day, regardless if they’ve been turned out, stabled, travelled somewhere. If they’re too hyped to walk safely under saddle I walk in hand before I get on. I wouldn’t walk out my front door and immediately sprint down the road without expecting to hurt myself.

I feel like I’m the only person why still does this though. Everyone I’ve share an arena with over the years seems to do the obligatory lap or 2 in walk then straight into an outline and into trot and canter. Lungeing they’re straight out on a 15m circle in trot as soon as they step foot in the arena. Warm up arenas everyone is straight into trot and canter. You go to clinics and within 5 minutes the instructor is saying “right have a trot and a canter round and we’ll get started”.

Likewise with jumping, I don’t jump a fence until I feel they’re properly worked in on the flat and feel loose and supple. My trainer always works us for 20 minutes on the flat before we jump the first fence and insists on having us supple both ways through all 3 gaits until we’re ready to start jumping. If we’re going terribly on the flat, we sometimes don’t jump a single fence that day as he makes us fix that problem first.

I once read an article by a classical trainer emphasising the importance of the warm up who said ‘if you don’t have time for the warm up, then you are better ONLY doing the warm up’ and I live by this.

 

[MissTyc]

As above, make sure the horse is conditioned and fit for the ask, makes sure you tack fits well and that the horse is a willing participant. Varied work all week, good warm-up, good walk off afterwards as well not just bundled onto the box and home like you sometimes see. I know my own muscles seize up a bit from abrupt end of exercise and walking it off keeps me + horses keen on the next time.

 

[millitiger]

Repeating others, plenty of work on a variety of surfaces, turn out in the field as much as you can, slow warm up and cool downs for each session.

I do like to ice legs after strenuous exercise and after competitions, but feel that's the icing on the cake rather than the 'fix'

 

[dominobrown]

Agree with everything that has been said, however I do find the 'American' way absolutely fascinating. They have elaborate routines with liniments, ice, packing hooves etc. Not sure how effective it all is!

 

[Adorable]

Agree with everything that has been said, however I do find the 'American' way absolutely fascinating. They have elaborate routines with liniments, ice, packing hooves etc. Not sure how effective it all is!

I'm Canadian, and formerly worked as an FEI groom (decades ago). Each barn kind of has its own routine, and those routines can vary widely. Used to be everything was put in stable bandages overnight after every jump school. Now we know that is not healthy--too much heat--so most ice, then either go naked legged or poultice if a bang, scrape or strain might be suspected. At this time of year here, I get to use "nature's ice boots" aka turnout in knee-deep snow. I'm personally a HUGE fan of turnout as part of post-jump protocols. Motion is lotion!

We do tend to do week-long away shows (often back-to-back weeks), where our horses are stabled on site and turnout is not possible. So post-competition routine might be ice, rest, handwalk, PEMF boots and/or blanket, rest, handwalk, ice, rest, handwalk throughout the day/evening. Depends on the barn, the horse, the show, the schedule and the owner/rider--and the temperatures, as it can be 10C or 40+C with high humidity at any point in our May-Sep outdoor competition season. So hot days = more ice and cold days = more PEMF for mine.

 

[quiteniceforacob]

Thank you all - yes I am adamant about walking before picking up the reins to do anything, and will do this (and cool off) round the tracks rather than the arena if I have daylight.

I think I just want to make sure she gets gold standard and ice her where necessary etc etc.

 

[Escapade]

If you arrive at a show and aren't happy with the ground, don't jump on it would be my number one piece of advice. Second is don't over-stud.

As said by others already, a fit horse and proper warm up and cool down are more important than the clays and lotions and potions some use. As a groom I preferred to keep those or ice for after a grand prix or a long week of jumping for the horses that didn't have previous issues that needed management. But always cool down and wash off the legs properly.

 

[Cragrat]

If you arrive at a show and aren't happy with the ground, don't jump on it would be my number one piece of advice.

This 1000%

There are venues I refuse to go to because of the surface, even if they are so temptig due to proximity/ classes on etc.