Opinions please - to ride or not to ride

A

AntxGeorgiax

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
348
Visit site
I have a 16hh, pretty unfit work (had a year off almost) she's fine to ride, will plod etc but tires after 30mins -1hr depending on work (trotting and canter or a walk trot type ) I want to ride her and get her schooling, however she's not a fan of exercise rugs, and when taking her rug off she gets very cold, when she's cold she starts being naughty and I don't want her to bronc and pull a muscle etc,she will be just walking and a little trot to start building her up.
Do I push for it and let her get cold? Or do I avoid riding?
Advice is appreciated!
 
lunge first in the rug,
when she's nice and warm pop on board for some productive work

or tell her to grow a pair

or wait until spring:D
 
If you can't get her used to an exercise rug, tack her up and put rug on and work in hand until she gets the blood flowing and her muscles are not tense.
TBH, most horses will be ok with an exercise rug particularly as there are several types on the market.
I do see your point about her pulling a muscle through protesting and its good to avoid situations where you both get worked up, but equally, it'd be a shame not to continue with riding her as getting fit will help her metabolism and muscle tone.
 
First of all make sure she is fit enough for the work you are asking a year off you need to have done 4 weeks walking starting with 15min - flat, increasing to 1 hr mostly flat with some hills then work up the fittening program. Is she just being difficult and maybe tying up a little because your asking to much?
just a thought ...
 
Hi OP, personally i'd lunge in walk and trot (her wearing saddle and exercise sheet to desensitise) for a week then ride next week, walk and trot no more than 20 mins. Build up steadily for 6 weeks to canter. Better to keep her ticking over during winter - besides in this weather a bit of trot should warm you both a treat :-)
 
Sorry for the late replies!
She has been ticking over for a while and she's been coming out every week to either hack inhand( needed to sort saddle out so it was inhand for a while) and has done light trot, over summer was being ridden once or twice a week in a mostly trotting hack, with a small canter once and walking uphill.
She doesn't like the exercise rug- she bucks when it's on, she doesn't like things rubbing on her back and gets frustrated.its not a size problem, she just isn't keen on them. Normally I would have a 'like it or lump it' attitude but she is not a cob that survives, she's a very fine WB who loses weight just standing on the yard doing nothing.
I want to start building her up over Christmas period so come spring time she's in a decent level of work and I can successfully ride off her spring grass fat belly.
I will try lunging with it.
She has a nice sheepskin lined numnah so that her back doesn't get cold, and when I do ride I spend most of my time walking and stretching just so she loosens up.
She won't be cantering other than a circle or two on the lunge because she isn't very balanced and I want to work her up to it, rather than let her potentially fall over learning herself!
I'm not sure if its my exercise sheet that's not good (it's a rambo Newmarket fleece lined one) it goes over me as her saddle fits her very nicely so I don't want a huge numnah underneath it!
:)
 
To be honest, in this weather I would want to be doing more trot work. Walking around isn't going to warm her up, and if she isn't warmed up she'll be more likely to pull something.
Tack her up, but leave her rug over her quarters, walker her over to where you ride, whip the rug off, get on, walk round once or twice then start your trot work. Then once you're done, pop the rug back over her, untack etc as normal and stick her back out in the field. She will survive, it's not going to hurt her to have her rug off for a while...
 
A good active walk is a fab way of getting a horse warmed up as they use all their muscles at the gait but in a gentle way, especially useful for one that isn't fit.
Shame about the exercise sheet, they are very very useful. Is it the sheet or the fleece fabric she doesn't like? - sometime fleece can ruck up and ruffle the hair as they move. If it is at all possible can you try to borrow an old-fashioned wool one to see if she prefers that.
If you are handy with a needle you could even try making her one - I made one for one of my horses out of an old blanket, it wasn't particularly pretty but he appreciated the warmth over his loins during walk exercise.
 
Okay guys, I just put into practice! Its currently -3 where I am, so I put new exercise sheet on because it is too cold not too, she walked into the menage nicely with another horse, then realised it was on her back and presently bronced and reared for a solid 5 minutes along the long side of the school, and when she realised she was getting tired, she thought it would be easier to just walk round and do little half bucks in every corner instead.
She's had vet checks and new saddle so this definately isn't a pain/discomfort etc type thing, just she wants her own way!
So I'm hoping after her revelation today, when I ride again tomorrow she'll be better? :D fingers crossed!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top