Riding once a week

[Evie91]

Just a question for all the riders out there, who ride once a week.
My own horse and now my share horse is ridden five times a week as a minimum. Like to keep the horse fit, so ready if we want to go out jumping or on a long hack, cross country schooling or to the gallops!

When ever horse has had time off, for injury etc rehab has always been short period of walk only, then incorporating trot, then canter, finally jumping when horse is back to full fitness.

My horses have tended to have a month off in December ( of only being ridden two to three times a week)then bought back to full fitness after Christmas.

I've been quite astonished to read on here about riders who ride only once a week. I have read the reasons behind this but just wondering, do you not worry about causing muscle/tendon damage by riding a horse that must be essentially unfit?
I don't wish to cause offence, just interested in people's opinions. I'm a worrier by nature so for me, so always worried about what is fair to the horse (e.gif I ask too much, put on a few pounds, don't ride well, etc etc).

I'm well aware of hunt horses and eventers who have time off but then are bought back into work with a fittening programme. Just suprised at the amount who just ride once a week is all.....

 

[DD265]

No because I take it steady - and I do do ground work/long reining during the week too as we're lucky enough to have access to an arena.

When we didn't, we'd take the horses into winter fit, take it easy over winter hacking at weekends, then as soon as it was light enough after school we'd start building their fitness back up again. That seemed to work well. Bit harder now I work full time and finish at 5.30 rather than 3.30!

 

[FfionWinnie]

A horse that lives out will have a good level of fitness and unless the people are going for a flat out gallop for 3 hours I hardly think it's a big deal.

Personally I ride every day and I wouldn't want the expense of a horse if I only rode once a week but horses for courses if folk are happy with that its up to them.

 

[Kezzabell2]

My horse doesn't go out show jumping or hunting or anything!

I do ride a few times a week, not as much as 5 times but he doesn't do hard work, because his hooves are not up to long distance, as they haven't been shoeless for long! he also doesn't like schooling! so we do mainly farm hacking and 1 road hack a week

 

[muckypony]

I would be surprised if those that only rode once a week went hooning around on that day so I don't think it's a big deal. Chances are their horses live out too or have lots of turnout so they will hold their fitness well.

 

[katie_southwest]

In the winter I only ride once or twice due to no school and working 8 - 5 so pitch black. But then I don't compete in the winter, and in the spring/summer the odd local show or hunter trial (both of which are literally 2ft)
By which time I can ride evenings so she's getting out 3/4 times a week then.

 

[Greylegs]

I think it's about what the horse is being asked to do when only ridden occasionally. If you only ride once a week then I would hope you're not then expecting the horse to be hunting fit and just do a gentle hack or some schooling when you do get time to ride.

 

[Evie91]

Really interesting. I have offered to ride a pony (who's owner has lost confidence), so only ridden once a week if I ride, in the hope she will get her confidence back.
I've felt awful and insist on getting off after about fifteen/twenty minutes as I don't want him to keel over! (Told you I worry). That's after short hacks or small amounts of time in the school! Pony is super cool, just awesome, way too small for me but great fun!
Is the consensus a steady hack does not hurt? Thing is I do like a good canter when the ground is good, find it hard to resist!
I don't agree that horse's keep themselves fit with turnout - but again my opinion, I know others differ

 

[pippixox]

if a horse was taken hunting on the one day a week then yes chance of damage is high! although if they had good base fitness to start the winter, they don't lose it all in a week.
however, in the winter I only ride on Sunday as I sadly have to work 6 days a week and have no daylight or floodlit arena. but, I only go on a gentle hack. my horses are also out during the day on 10 acres (there are 4 of them) and move around a lot. I took my boy for a brief canter on the common 2 weeks ago (after a good warm up in walk first) and we was great, as he holds his fitness ok from just regular turn out. still less than a 2 hour hack with plenty of walk.

believe me I would rather ride everyday if i could!

 

[RoyalSapphire]

i only ride 1 or 2 a week but i have a big stocky cob (and im only 6 stone so think im alright) that lives out 24/7 that does plenty of running around herself too dark during the week and the weathers hardly been amazing :/

 

[Evie91]

P.s I'm not criticising folks who are unable to ride more often. I share currently as I work long hours four days a week, so would have no time to ride. So my riding is the three days I'm off

 

[pippixox]

when people say they are fit from turn out they don't mean ready to event! but if you compare my horses (turned out at least 5 days a week for 10 hours on 10 acres and when in they are in a barn to walk around) to my friends horses who are in almost 24-7 with stable and a wood chip turn out over the winter, there is a very noticeable difference in muscle- my 18 yo has more than her 7 yo.

 

[Evie91]

Pippiox - thanks for clarifying! For me, fit is ready to event!! Must admit I was a little worried at the thought of all these competiton horses turned out and sorting out their own fittening programmes ready for the start of the season!! Ha,ha.

 

[Cortez]

There are very few really, truly fit horses around the leisure horse community. Most horses are more than capable of doing what their riders require, however.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Pippiox - thanks for clarifying! For me, fit is ready to event!! Must admit I was a little worried at the thought of all these competiton horses turned out and sorting out their own fittening programmes ready for the start of the season!! Ha,ha.

Far too many assumptions being made, imo. I doubt, from your description that your horse is eventing fit either. Hoooning around the countryside is not fittening work.

 

[Evie91]

My share horse does event ( not with me) and is certainly fit enough! As you say, too many assumptions being made!

 

[Pc2003]

I ride once or twice a week in winter. I have 2 very young kids, work 4 days a week so in reality that's all I can do. We don't hoon around. Mainly road work and bit of a canter if fields okay. It's just the way it is unfortunately. Pre kids I rode him every day. Life got in the way!!

 

[Equine_Dream]

I ride once or twice a week in winter. I tend to hack as my youngster gets board in the school. Where I live it is mainly mountain hacking. However I dont push my horses hard. We will go out for an hour, have the occassional gentle canter where the ground is fairly flat, and walk the rest of the time. Both my horses are more than capable of this level of work. Im hardly expecting them to be out galloping around the mountains for hours on end

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think, how fit they remain on turn out depends on what your turn out is like.

Personally, my horse is turned out for 8-10 hours a day on about 35-40 acres on a hill with a large number of other horses. They are forever up & down the fields playing and all sorts in various paces - so I do think he stays relatively fit. Certainly fit enough to drag out at weekends at this time of year at weekends for hacking, lessons and light schooling.

As the Spring/Summer approaches he'll do more as I ride more.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You didn't mention these mystical people who ride once a week at an event in your original post.

A healthy normal horse which lives out 24/7 will absolutely maintain a sufficient level of fitness to hack out once a week - *assuming* the rider isn't a complete idiot of course.

 

[Evie91]

Muddy monster - I'm sure I read in horse and hound that Vittoria P???(then eventer) has horses that live out on a side of a hill to help with fitness. I'm sure I also read that she hacks out on alsorts do terrain as she feels it helps the horses learn where to put their feet and deal with less than perfect ground....

 

[Evie91]

Ffionwhinney - not sure what you mean, what mystical people?!

 

[dibbin]

I'm lucky if I manage twice a week in the winter because I work full time and live on the west coast of Scotland, which isn't renowned for its mild winter weather! I haven't ridden since 4 January because of (a) the weather and (b) being busy building fences and moving horses. We'll be going out for a short pootle along the road tomorrow to start bringing them back into work

 

[MuddyMonster]

Quite possibly - I don't really follow competitive equestrian news, as it's not hugely my cup of tea.

It makes sense though from a conditioning/fitness POV - I appreciate the varied terrain as it helps my horse's feet no end as well as being very scenic to ride out on

 

[EmmaC78]

I ride once a week in winter, sometime twice. Horse is turned out every day in all except the worst weather and I have never had any issues.

 

[nato]

I normally ride 5 days a week. At present its not possible due to work commitments. So I ride anything from 3-5 depending on how often I can get up. My horse has a decent level of fitness, I compete dressage every few weeks and am going cross country schooling this weekend.

We compete in the riding club at 90cm, and dressage at Prelim. We're not out competing at 1.20m+ or doing three day event, and I do think sometimes people can really overthink these things when it comes to fitness and work. Fitness should relative to the work youre doing and what you're asking of the horse.

 

[ShadowHunter]

Theres so many different fitness levels, a horse doesn't need to be able to do eventing to be classed as fit. When my horse is in full work we hack for 2 hrs or so 4/5 times a week, she was fit by my standards; enough to cope with that. However, i don't reckon she'd cope so well one day eventing.
The problems only start when someone rides once a week for an hour then takes the horse hunting all day. Turnout does help fitness, a gallop around the field with its mates is far more fittening than standing in one spot munching hay. Though its not enough in itself to get the horse competition fit.

 

[Evie91]

Think that's the thing. For the horse I ride being fit, is eventing fit. I'm not but the horse is! So I suppose it's subjective, stupidly hadn't considered that when people talk about their horses being fit - fit for the job they do.
I'm not fit - I ride three times a week and walk my dog but that's it, but I guess to others that might sound ok.
So the little pony shouldn't struggle if I ride once a week and do a bit more than 20mins?! I do over think everything. Pony is so lovely don't want to break it! Just for me it's unheard of just to ride once a week.Seems many do without a problem.
Thanks for sharing folks!

 

[spookypony]

I agree with Cortez and others: it depends on what you ask of the horse. And something I wouldn't have believed before doing Endurance is how long a horse can maintain fitness, and how quickly it can regain it, once it's been really fit. In my pony's case, that fitness (and the muscles to go with it) was built up over several years of riding about 3-4 times/week, predominantly long, slow work; now, once the season has started, he gets ridden maybe once or twice a week, because he's either recovering from or resting for a competition. I gather that there's many others in the sport that operate in a similar fashion. I still find it weird that this works; it's not how I learned it should.

 

[jaffa2311]

I can't ride whatsoever in the week due to daylight/work. My school is also out of action.

This leaves road work or boxing out for hacks.

My horse is unfit. I am aware of this. However, she is energetic and WAS fit until November time and therefore not exactly going to collapse.

I do not intend on hunting my horse in current fitness state. However, I do not believe a simple prelim test or one 2'3 clear round would do any harm and intend to do some soon.
On lane rides, I ask for a contact, I ask for GOOD,impulsive walk-trot transitions, and some 'proper' trot work. She does not struggle with this AT ALL.

When I box my horse out for hacks, I use it as a schooling session (if ground is good). I ask for simple schooling movements (circles, serpentines, medium trot) to keep muscles working, but really do not ask for much and stop sooner that I would in the summer. She wears out a lot quicker in these sessions that in the summer.

FYI I am not exaggerrating when I say that when I let my horse go in the field, she bombs off flat out to the very far end of the large field. She is lightening quick! She grazes from 6am-6pm and moves all over the field continuously.

She certainly is no drip that is going to keel over, because she isn't ridden 5 days a week.

I have owned said horse for 8 years with similar routine throughout, and never had an exercise related/musculoskeletal injury.