ride every day?

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firstponyMinto

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Is it ok to ride a horse "every" day? or should I give him a day's rest now & then.
I only hack in walk for about 20/30 mins with a very occasional trot & very rarely canter!!

thanks FPM
 
I always give mine at least a day off.
I know a few yards where they work everyday tough, i just like to give mine a break and i think it lets them digest what they've learnt.
I think the idea stems from old cart horses, sunday was always the 'day off'.
 
If that's all the work your doing then I wouldn't worry, that's extremely light work! I give mine 1 day off per week. We do the following work on our riding days: hack for 1-1/2 hours, walk, trot, canter & sometimes a gallop, sometimes finish off with about 15-20 mins schooling when we get back to the yard or sometimes just a couple of 45 min schooling/lesson sessions.
 
My lad works hard doing 6 days a week (month off once a year in Jan..for me and him!!) but I think with the little you are doing it won't do him any harm. Not being rude but I'd maybe up the work load and give yourself and him a couple of days off instead, go for some nice long hacks and enjoy yourself on some canters and gallops...he'll thank you for it too. ;)
 
jsr said:
My lad works hard doing 6 days a week (month off once a year in Jan..for me and him!!) but I think with the little you are doing it won't do him any harm. Not being rude but I'd maybe up the work load and give yourself and him a couple of days off instead, go for some nice long hacks and enjoy yourself on some canters and gallops...he'll thank you for it too. ;)
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Agreed! I found April was much better doing more work on the days we rode and then having two says off, rather than doing bits here and there.
 
For the work you are doing then I can't see why there is any reason to give him a rest day if he feels well and is enjoying his hacking, it's not like he's doing anything that will need require a rest day (presume he's not recentely broken in youngster for example) if anything it will be doing him good.:)
 
firstponyMinto said:
Is it ok to ride a horse "every" day? or should I give him a day's rest now & then.
I only hack in walk for about 20/30 mins with a very occasional trot & very rarely canter!!

thanks FPM
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That's fine! If your horse was in longer and harder daily work, then it is beneficial for the horse to have 1 day of rest a week, but what you're doing it's not necessary.
 
Thank you all for your replies.......the main reason I don't do too much is 'cos I'm a bit of a nervous nellie! I have cantered him but it's taken me a year to get to that (what a wimp I am) he's an older horse around 18/19 which I should have mentioned, as that may make a difference to needing a rest?? He does seem to enjoy going out every day tho' (very forward going!)

FPM
 
firstponyMinto said:
Thank you all for your replies.......the main reason I don't do too much is 'cos I'm a bit of a nervous nellie! I have cantered him but it's taken me a year to get to that (what a wimp I am) he's an older horse around 18/19 which I should have mentioned, as that may make a difference to needing a rest?? He does seem to enjoy going out every day tho' (very forward going!)

FPM
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Sounds like you're doing great, not a wimp at all :)

You'll be surprised the amount of people that struggle with nerves and confidence. Six months ago, my confidence was shattered after a fall. It took alot of work from others to get me to the stage I'm at now. I've not hacked out and won't consider cantering just yet (fall involved cantering), but one step at a time ;)
 
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